Sep 7, 2025

Continue Spot isn't your typical recruit. He doesn't chase suspects or sniff out explosives. He's not waterproof, and he's not great with automatic sliding doors. And when it came to checking the safety of a major building, the four-legged robot walked in, scanned the scene, and walked out. No tail wag. No bark. Just data. It's the same model of dog that raised eyebrows around Canberra when the beleaguered Brindabella Christian College was revealed to have spent an eye-watering $460,000 on its own version. A creditor's report into the school's finances found the dog, which was purchased during a lavish trip to the US to meet with manufacturers Boston Dynamics, "was not a core operational requirement and had no clear link to the College's curriculum or educational outcomes". But Spot has had a different journey to his forever home, arriving at ACT Policing as a rescue after being trialled across several areas of the Australian Federal Police, who had acquired him for an undisclosed sum from Boston Dynamics. Nick Fallon of ACT Policing's forensic unit with Spot the robot dog. Picture by Keegan Carroll The team leader of ACT Policing's forensic unit, Nick Fallon, said the dog now resided in "a space where he's operationally useful". The Brindabella version prompted questions about cost, purpose and transparency. But while Brindabella's robot was ostensibly intended for STEM engagement, Spot's role is clearly defined, with ACT Policing maintaining that his deployment is tied directly to public safety, and his use is governed by operational protocols. His ability to collect data in dangerous environments offers new possibilities for forensic investigations, particularly where human access is limited or unsafe. "He's a completely different space in terms of robotics for us to work in," Mr Fallon said, adding that the closest the force had got to something like Spot before was "probably drones". Unlike drones, Spot can walk into a room, scan it with high-resolution imaging or laser mapping, and relay data back to officers in real time. But Mr Fallon said Spot's value lay in his mobility. He can crouch, crawl (within limits), and pivot through uneven terrain. "He has a crawl function, but he can only make himself so small," Mr Fallon said. "He's not built for tight cavities, but he handles complex terrain well." Still, even robotic dogs have limitations. Spot isn't waterproof, so rain is a hazard. And if he becomes contaminated during a deployment, cleaning him is a logistical challenge. "Decontamination is something we're still working through," Mr Fallon said. "He's not exactly conducive with water." Spot is also not autonomous beyond a safeguarding function that prevents collisions, where every move is controlled by a trained operator. But he is reportedly agile, adaptable, and surprisingly expressive for a machine with no face. And around the office, he has become a bit of a personality. He can occasionally be seen navigating corridors for calibration or charging, prompting curious glances and a few dry jokes. "People hear him before they see him," Mr Fallon said. "There's a bit of surprise, then interest. It's not something we've had walking around the office before." Some staff have even dubbed him the "office welfare dog". Spot may never win Best in Show, but he's already earned his place in the team, and he's the only dog in Canberra whose idea of enrichment is a firmware update. As the forensic unit continues to explore Spot's capabilities, future deployments will be determined on a case-by-case basis. For now, he remains a quiet presence, agile, deliberate and unmistakably mechanical. Save