It is no secret that modern technology becomes more advanced each day. This statement has taken on a whole new meaning for the New York Police Department (N.Y.P.D.) who has just released its brand new N.Y.P.D. robot officer intended for subway patrol. 

This robot weighs a whopping four-hundred pounds and stands at roughly 5-foot-3. It leaves many New York residents wondering how a real life R2-D2 gained a job protecting the subways of New York. This robot cop is officially referred to as K5. 

K5 was developed by a company in California called Kingscope. The developer describes this robot as a “fully autonomous outdoor security robot.” The machine is currently used across the United States in warehouses, casinos, malls, hospitals, and many more. 

Although it seems exciting to have an N.Y.P.D. Robot officer patrolling the subways, many New Yorkers have expressed their concerns about the overall price of this new hire. New York Mayor Eric Adams was quick to dismiss these concerns stating that they are leasing the robot for only “$9 an hour.” 

While the robot may not be chasing down crimes and taking them into custody, it still serves a vitally important job of capturing crime related content and footage. The K5 robot is fully equipped with equipment to capture and send a live 360-degree video back to the New York Police Department. While the robot may not have facial or audio recognition abilities it is sure to create a pivotal impact when it comes to preventing and solving crime in the subways of New York. 

The robot will be paired with human N.Y.P.D. officers specially trained to assist K5 in patrolling and preventing crime. While the officer will be in charge of ensuring the robot completes its assigned duties, the officer will also play an impactful role in educating the public on the purpose and capabilities of the New York Police Department’s newest hire. 

The robot began patrolling on Sept. 22 and has spent its first couple of weeks on the job mapping out the station at Times Square where it is set to work. K5 is expected to patrol between the late hours of midnight to six in the morning on the mezzanine level of the subways station keeping the robot away from platforms. When K5 is not working it should be located on one of its large charging mounts located on the mezzanine level of the Times Square subway station.