TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Tucson Airport Police have new robotic help to help keep you safe. TIA now has two new robots for coping with bombs, and other threats.
The robots used to belong to the military. Now Tucson Airport Police have been able to acquire the two about four thousand dollars. Airport Police say the machines originally cost about two hundred thousand.
Airport Police Chief Scott Bader says the new equipment will help protect against people who want to plant trouble at the airport.
“And so by us having this. It gives us another resource, another asset to investigate suspicious items that may be left behind, or placed there intentionally.”
Because of work with the Pima County Regional Bomb Squad, Airport Police already have two officers trained to operate this type of robot. Chief Bader says the robots could do work for the Airport Authority's Fire Department too.
“So in the event they have a hazmat situation where we may have some chemicals that we don't know, we can attach other pieces of equipment that the fire department has to see what the air quality is in the area and and determine if it's safe for first responders to go in and and mitigate whatever it may be.”
And the robots could enhance safety away from the airport too. They’ll be available to help other agencies in the region if they need the abilities these robots provide.
