Singapore to roll out (literally) more Robocops The Singapore Police Force (SPF) plans to ramp up its use of robot officers, according to local media on Thursday. The Straits Times reported that after five years of trials and smaller-scale roll-outs of similar autonomous mobile surveillance systems, robot patrols will be "progressively deployed across Singapore." The city- …
"The bots boast rotating cameras, flashing lights, sirens and 2.3-meter extendable masts."
PUT.. YOUR... HANDS... OVER... YOUR... HEAD...
Ooooh officer, your probe is SOOoo looong!
BEND... OVER... PREPARE... FOR... SEARCH...
Woo woo woo boom chaka WAA WAA
Ooh! Ahh! Ahhh! Ooh! Ahh! Ahhh! It's soo big! Ooh! Ahh! Ahhh! Do it baby! Ooh! Ahh! Ahhh! Oh yes! Ooh! Ahh! Ahhh! Ooh! Ahh! Ahhh! It's soo big! Ooh! Ahh! Ahhh! Do it baby! Ooh! Ahh! Ahhh! Oh yes!
Anon cause, you know...
I can kinda, just about, see a use case where basically having a walking security camera would act as a deterrant - you know known shoplifting and pickpocketing areas. Same as an officer walking by will cause a pickpocket to leave the area. Not because they are actually afraid of being caught in the act, but because if they're seen in the area it will cast suspicion on them. Just easier to leave and work elsewhere.
I can also see it for controlling airport parking and stopping people parking in emergency areas, which happens at every major airport.
But apart from those 2 use cases, I'm really not seeing much benefit. And since you can get some low paid security guard to do those roles (do not need actual cops for that). Is the cost really so much cheaper for a robot? I suppose it doesnt need food and toilet breaks (whats the equivalent for a charging break?), and is less likely to accept a backhander to let a scrote go, but it still seems a solution looking for a problem...
... basically having a walking security camera would act as a deterrant - you know known shoplifting
The other day walked into a Walgreens I'd been to a few times over the past decade. The aisles are now in the process of being removed and replaced by locked cabinets. A guy walked in with a garbage bag and started grabbing stuff off the still remaining shelves into the bag. I walked over to a store employee looking at his cellphone - "you know there is a shoplifter over there stuffing things into a garbage bag?". "Yes", he said in a quiet voice, "I am texting the police now. ". He didn't say it, but we both knew he meant "praying to the rain goods".
The man walked boldly out the store with his swag draped over his shoulder, like a reverse Santa.
He got in and out faster than the 15 people who were waiting in line to pay, and had more stuff than all of them combined.
Please put down your weapon. You have 20 seconds to comply.
You now have 15 seconds to comply. You are in direct violation of Penal Code 1.13, Section 9.
You have 5 seconds to comply. 4. 3. 2. 1. I am now authorised to use physical force...
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Freedomhouse rates Singapore as "Partly Free". Given the neighborhood and ~8400/km^2 population density, I think they're doing alright. When Malaysia tried to raise the price of fresh water piped to the island to an extortionate amount, they replaced the water supply entirely with desalination plants and recycling, rather than going to war or whatever. They try to survive as an unaligned nation - no small feat.
Of course I morally support those who try to improve Democracy in their own country - but I cannot objectively say Singapore is a dystopian nightmare - it is far from it.
"Singapore even trained Boston Dynamics's "SPOT" robodog to roam around a park to remind visitors to stop mingling visitors' hearts to stop beating."
Fixed it for you.
I know I definitely wouldn't like seeing one of those contraptions burst out of the undergrowth all of a sudden, while strolling through the park (one day).
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