S.T.O.P. Says NYPD Should ‘Throw out’ $222K Military ‘Throw-Bots’

S.T.O.P. condemned Mayor Adams and the NYPD for spending $222K on military-grade “throw-bots,” suggesting NYPD “throw out” the invasive technology.

View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Says NYPD Should ‘Throw out’ $222K Military ‘Throw-Bots’ (New York, NY 9/5/2024) – Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, condemned Mayor Adams and the NYPD for spending $222K on military-grade “throw-bots,” suggesting the NYPD “throw out” the invasive technology. The controversial robots are designed by ReconRobotics for use in war zones. The civil rights group questioned the NYPD’s stated rationale for the 14 “throw-bots,” warning that they would be uniquely ineffective in a dense city like New York with so many high-rise buildings. SEE: The New York Daily News - NYC spends $222K on military-style ‘throw bots’ for NYPD in latest tech move https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/09/04/nyc-spends-222k-on-military-style-throw-bots-for-nypd-in-latest-tech-move/ “This was designed to be tossed onto the battlefield, not a 20th floor studio,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “It’s hard to imagine a city worse suited for this sort of tech than New York. These devices were developed for the wide-open battlefield, not the cramped corridors of the country’s densest city. Once again, the mayor is throwing away tax dollars on creepy gadgets that simply can’t help patrol the city.” Last fall, the civil rights group condemned Adam’s deployment of a police robot to patrol the Times Square subway station. The administration ultimately removed the robot from the subway and has not found a new use for it. SEE: The New York Times - 400-Pound N.Y.P.D. Robot Gets Tryout in Times Square Subway Station https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/22/nyregion/police-robot-times-square-nyc.html amNY - Why, robot? Adams admin still hasn’t found new use for K5 police droid, nearly a year after piloting it https://www.amny.com/news/adams-admin-k5-police-robot-alternate-use/ The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color. --END-- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn  Copyright © 2021 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.