After civil rights advocates criticized the NYPD’s $74,000 robot dog program as a dystopian surveillance nightmare, the department has assured New Yorkers that Digidog is not as ominous as it was previously portrayed.

The robot canine, also known as Spot, has been resurrected two years later, as the city announced its return on Tuesday, Yahoo News reported.

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell highlighted the NYPD’s long-standing association with technology, citing its status as the first police force to implement a 911 call system and one of the first to use fingerprints and mugshots.

He also emphasized that New Yorkers will be kept informed about how the cyber canine, along with two other technology tools that are part of pilot programs, will be employed.

In contrast, Mayor Eric Adams voiced his criticism, pointing out that the previous administration allowed dissent against Digidog to prevail.

“That is not how I operate,” he said, as reported by Yahoo News. “I operate on whatever is best for the city. Digidog is out of the pound.

“Digidog is now part of the tool kit we are using.”

Written by staff