Robocop Working The Streets Of L.A. – Really!

Remember when Officer Alex Murphy, a Detroit police officer, was killed by a gang and his body was subsequently transformed into the cyborg character known as Robocop? And remember what a futuristic concept that was?

Well, the future has arrived. A portion of Robocop will be joining the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department later this year.

The BodyGuard 9XI-HD01 is a customizable glove that’s designed to quell violent situations. L.A.’s prototype is equipped with a built-in laser-guided camera, taser, and L.E.D. light. It’s also capable of housing GPS, a smartphone, biometrics, and other equipment that’s too top-secret to mention.

The glove uses a laser pointer to let suspects know that they’ve been targeted and that their actions are being video-recorded. Should the situation escalate to the point where the officer is forced to place his hands on the suspect to gain control of a a violent offender, he/she has the option at that point to activate the stun function, which, by the way, produces a menacing display of arcing electricity. Hopefully, seeing the tiny bolts of lightning shooting from the glove would cause the suspect to back down. If not, the officer has the option to place the stun electrodes against the suspect, releasing a higher voltage than the earlier light show-of-force.

Interestingly, the device was concocted by a Hollywood cameraman, editor and producer. I wonder, though, how quickly the glove could be deployed. Would the officer have to ask the violent suspect for a brief timeout while he opened the truck to retrieve it and then slip it over his uniform sleeve? Or, would he wear it as part of his uniform, resting it on the windowsill of the car in that cool cop-type lean/posture as they drive through the city. I do, however, foresee a lot of cops who’ll suddenly have the nickname of “Sparky.”

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