Police draft in real life Robocops that can diffuse bombs and free hostages

Drug smugglers beware. Indonesia has a new unit of robot police officers to strike fear in the hearts of even the most hardened criminals.

The Indonesian National Police, or Polri, paraded 25 emotionless police robots as well as their dogs through the streets of Jakarta, which has some of the strictest anti-drug laws in the world.

The real-life Robocops, dressed in a Polri uniform and wearing black berets, can diffuse bombs, negotiate hostage situations and even carry out search and rescue operations.

The humanoid robots could be used for facial recognition, as well as monitoring for traffic violations in the country with one of the strictest anti-drug laws in the world.

Canine officers will take on duties much like regular police dogs, like detecting dangerous materials.

Inspector General Sandi Nugroho, head of Indonesian police public relations, said: ‘The presence of various robots, including dog-shaped and humanoid ones, reflects the modernisation of Polri.’

Nugroho said the Indonesian police force needed to keep up with efforts made by several other countries, including some in Southeast Asia.

He said Thailand had introduced humanoid police robots, while Singapore developed cyborg cockroaches to help with search and rescue operations.

He added that Chinese police officers have already trialled humanoid robots for patrols, while the authorities in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, used them for driving license-related services.

He further revealed that Polri has incorporated the use of robots into its 2025–2045 Strategic Plan, with a budget already allocated for robot dogs in 2026.

‘Robot dogs have the same use as K9 dogs [but they] are more efficient since they do not require food or trained handlers and can endure extreme weather,’ he added.

The 79th Indonesian National Police parade was given the theme of ‘the Republic of Indonesia Police for the community’, hoping that the Indonesian authorities become increasingly loved by the people.

The anniversary event includes the attendance of the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto.

These robots included in the parade were made in collaboration with a company in China and developed in Indonesia.

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