Supersized Heavy-Duty Robocop Joins LAPD

It might not have a soul or emotion, but the Los Angeles Police Department’s latest toy, a Remotec Inc. “Telehandler,” could probably give Robocop a run for his money.

The robot, essentially a Caterpillar mega-fork-lift that can be operated remotely, was delivered this week to the LAPD for use by SWAT, hazardous-materials teams and, ostensibly, the department’s bomb squad. The robo-machine is described as having a one mile range for remote operation, a fork-lift reach of 40 to 50 feet, and a lift capacity of 12,000 pounds. Armed with these new capabilities, first responders and special weapons and tactics teams (SWAT) can more effectively respond to emergency situations, including explosive ordnance disposal, hazardous material response (HAZMAT) and port security.

A demonstration video shows the mean, black machine grabbing a car from a few dozen feet away and pulling into the air in its sharp craws like Godzilla.

The Telehandler is Remotec’s first offering from a new heavy-duty line of roboticized construction-grade equipment.

“Remotec is delivering innovative, integrated solutions that reduce the dangers of dealing with some of the most serious threats facing first responders, enabling them to keep that danger at a distance,” stated Mike Knopp, president of Remotec Inc. “With the delivery of the robotic Telehandler, we’ve reached an important milestone for Remotec and our customers: We can now offer them an additional class of unmanned ground vehicles designed to meet new and emerging threats head on.“