Rs 63 lakh robot cop retired after a year on duty with zero arrests and tickets

A robot police officer in Ohio has been retired after less than a year on patrol, ending an experiment that cost around Rs 63 lakh and produced no arrests, tickets or police incidents. The case comes as countries like China continue expanding the use of AI-powered robots in public life.

In Short

• Ohio police retire robot cop after it records zero arrests and zero tickets
• The K5 security robot cost around Rs 63 lakh and patrolled a parking garage
• The setback comes as China expands AI-powered robots in policing, cleaning and industry

The idea of a robot police officer sounds like something straight out of a science-fiction movie. A machine equipped with cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence patrols public spaces, keeps an eye on suspicious activity and helps law enforcement maintain order. But for one police department in the US state of Ohio, that vision did not quite become reality. A robot security officer known as "DubBot" has been retired after spending less than a year on patrol without contributing to a single arrest or issuing a single ticket.

The machine, officially called the K5 autonomous security robot, was deployed by the Dublin Police Department in July 2025. Built by California-based company Knightscope, the robot was expected to act as an extra set of eyes for officers. Standing over five feet tall and weighing around 180kg, the robot moved on wheels and used 360-degree cameras to monitor its surroundings. It also featured an emergency call button that members of the public could use if they needed assistance.

A costly experiment that delivered little

The city spent about $67,548, or roughly Rs 63 lakh, to put the robot into service. DubBot's assignment was relatively straightforward. It was tasked with patrolling a local parking garage and reporting anything unusual that might require police attention.

However, after months on duty, officials found little evidence that the robot had delivered meaningful results. According to reports, it was not involved in any arrests, criminal investigations or traffic citations. More importantly, it never detected an incident that required officers to respond.

Last month, Dublin authorities quietly ended the experiment, saying the robot was no longer meeting the city's operational requirements. The decision effectively brought DubBot's law-enforcement career to an end.

The robot's retirement also prevented a larger spending plan from moving ahead. Dublin had initially considered deploying two robots for a two-year period under a deal worth more than $238,000. The second robot was never introduced. While the police department spent over $128,000 on the project, it is expected to receive a reimbursement from Knightscope, reducing the overall cost.

DubBot's story is not an isolated case. Knightscope's robots have faced criticism in other cities as well. In New York, K5 robots were introduced in parts of the subway system in 2023 under then-mayor Eric Adams. The machines were later withdrawn after questions emerged about their usefulness. Critics argued that the robots often needed human supervision, reducing many of the benefits they were supposed to provide.

More recently, another Knightscope robot deployed at San Antonio International Airport was reportedly removed following a series of technical issues. Reports suggested the machine struggled with basic operational tasks, including navigation and providing reliable live video and audio feeds.

While one robot failed, others are finding work

The failure of DubBot comes at a time when several countries are pushing ahead with AI-powered robots in public spaces and workplaces. China, for example, has been rapidly expanding the use of embodied AI systems, artificial intelligence embedded in physical machines capable of interacting with the real world.

In Hangzhou, humanoid traffic robots have been deployed alongside human officers to guide pedestrians, answer questions from tourists and help manage traffic flow. Chinese companies are also experimenting with robots that assist home cleaners and perform hazardous industrial tasks in factories and steel plants.

Some cleaning services in China have even started pairing human workers with robots that can handle repetitive tasks such as wiping tables and cleaning floors. The aim is not to replace people entirely but to improve efficiency and gather real-world data that can help train future AI systems.

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