We May Have A Robot Police Force By 2030... Not Sure Whether Amazing Or Terrifying

Are humans really the best cops? Dubai will find out by 2030, as they plan to install the first ever human-free police station.

This is a big week for the Dubai police department, as they have just introduced the first robot officer into their ranks. This specialised REEM robot, created by Spanish company PAL Robotics, sizes up at a standard human 5 feet 6 inches and is kitted out with a white plastic armour and wheels to get about.

Bare in mind it’s just one step… “We are looking to make everything smart in Dubai Police. By 2030, we will have the first smart police station which won’t require human employees,” Brigadier Khalid Nasser Al Razouqi, General Director of Dubai Police’s Smart Services Department commented.

So, what can this robot copper do? Well, essentially what a community support officer can do (meaning not much right now). Users can interact with the touch screen and report crimes, submit paperwork, or pay fines for traffic violations. This was all demonstrated last year, so its unclear how much the technology has moved forward, but Dubai police are continuing their work with Watson - IBM’s AI system - to eventually turn robots into police officers.

Will they be used for good, or to turn our society into an Orwellian nightmare?