The Milwaukee Police Department is set to replace its 22-year-old bomb robot, which is no longer functioning, with a new $254,000 model funded by a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs.

The new robot will help inspect and defuse suspicious objects and is expected to be more reliable.

Currently, the department’s robot has been down for months due to age and ongoing issues, and a secondary robot is available.

The new model will be part of a statewide effort for bomb squads to use interoperable robots, Urban Milwaukee has reported.

The Common Council must still approve the grant.

Written by B.C. Begley