Fla. Police Force Adds New Robots to Boost Bomb Squad Safety
What to know
- West Palm Beach police upgraded their bomb squad with new robots and X‑ray tools using a $600,000 federal investment aimed at improving officer safety and efficiency during high‑risk calls.
- The department said the technology will allow technicians to investigate suspicious devices from a safer distance.
- Two new robots—one for confined spaces and another with expanded reach—will assist with bomb calls, SWAT operations, hostage situations and crisis responses.
A Florida police department is expanding its bomb squad’s capabilities with new robots and X‑ray equipment purchased through a $600,000 federal grant intended to improve safety during high‑risk incidents.
The West Palm Beach Police Department said the upgraded tools will give technicians safer ways to assess threats and operate on dangerous calls, WPBF‑TV reports. The robots were introduced during a Tuesday news conference with Rep. Lois Frankel.
Bomb squad commander Lt. Jacob Eick said the new robots allow technicians to investigate suspicious devices without immediately sending an officer forward in a bomb suit and handling most of the tasks a bomb tech would normally do up close.
The department added two different robots to the unit: one designed to maneuver through confined areas and another larger model with stronger lift, reach and camera capabilities for more complex operations. Chief Tony Araujo said the added technology reduces strain on staffing and increases overall efficiency.
Eick said the robots can also support SWAT operations, hostage situations and calls involving people in crisis. He added that improvements in robotics over just the past five years have dramatically expanded what bomb technicians can do while staying farther from danger.