Overview
- The Dublin Police Department deployed the Knightscope K5 nicknamed 'DubBot' to patrol the Rock Cress parking garage in July 2025 and retired it in mid-May after evaluating the pilot.
- During its nearly 10-month deployment the robot did not lead to any arrests, issue any tickets, or detect an incident that required a human officer to respond, according to police spokesperson Robyn Gray.
- The city paid roughly $67,548 to put the unit into service and had considered a two-robot, two-year contract worth about $238,440; Dublin reported spending $128,080 on the single robot and is receiving a $60,533 reimbursement from Knightscope.
- Officials returned the device to Knightscope in California, cancelled plans to expand the program, and said the system simply did not meet their operational needs.
- The Dublin case echoes earlier withdrawals of Knightscope K5s in New York City and San Antonio and adds to scrutiny over whether current autonomous patrol robots deliver reliable policing value or justify public spending.