The Lake Charles Police Department will soon add a new robotic canine to its force.

“Spot” is a robot dog manufactured by Boston Dynamics – a global leader in robotics development. The robot is equipped with agile mobility, 360-degree perception, cameras and “exceptional two-way communication” capabilities. LCPD Deputy Chief Michael Nicosia said Spot will allow LCPD to remotely communicate in potentially dangerous situations.

There are other robots, like track vehicles, in the LCPD fleet, but none are as capable as Spot. Nicosia recalled a moment when a track was dispatched, but off the porch of a house before it could make contact. It took three shielded officers to reposition the robot.

“Should it get into a bind somewhere, it can’t get itself out. It can’t self-adjust.”

The limitations of the track vehicles motivated the department to purchase Spot. This equipment will create safer situations for officers and civilians alike.

“We’re not exposing our officers to a possible threat that may be barricaded with a weapon, and we’re also not having officers approach a residence where we might have someone who is in distress,” he explained.

Lake Charles will be the first city in Louisiana to have access to a Boston Dynamics robot. Nicosia said Spot will bring LCPD up to par with larger municipalities like the Houston, Los Angeles and New York police departments.

“They’re much, much larger with much, much bigger budgets. So, us being able to obtain this is phenomenal.”

At the Lake Charles City Council meeting on Wednesday, the council voted unanimously to allow the city to accept the FEMA Port Security Grant (PSGP) that will fund 75 percent of the purchase and to authorize LCPD to purchase the robot. PSGP is distributed to state, local and private-sector partners to enhance protections for critical ports.

The total cost of SPOT is $373,475. The city’s portion will cost a little more than $93,000.

Spot will be introduced to the community after it is purchased, Nicosia said.