Cleveland area community enlists real-life robocop ‘Sam’ to help keep streets safe

CLEVELAND — One town in Ohio is welcoming a new type of security.

A community near Cleveland has enlisted an actual Robo Cop, equipped with artificial intelligence, to patrol its busy streets and maintain order, our news partners at WOIO reports.

Crocker Park’s newest security guard, weighing 420 pounds, is Sam.

Sam is equipped with artificial intelligence to keep visitors and employees safe.

“He’s our secret agent man. He’s a new team member to our security team here at Crocker Park,” Stacey Schmidt, vice president of marketing at Crocker Park told WOIO.

The crime-fighting robot works 24 hours a day rain or shine patrolling nine different routes.

“It’s just an added tool for our security team to have backup opportunity to check cameras, videos, footage if something ever were to happen which it doesn’t happen very often ever here,” Schmidt said.

Sam’s AI algorithms enable him to detect anomalies and issue alerts to the on-site security team in real time.

He’s on the lookout for thefts, fires, vandalism, car crashes and more.

WOIO asked visitors at Crocker Park if they have ever seen something like Sam.

“No, I was surprised when we first walked up, I had no idea what it was until I started reading it, it’s at least labeled nicely so you can kind of tell what’s going on there but yeah that’s what the kids said they thought it was a robot from Star Wars.” Colt Eberling said.

“It was a bit off-putting I think I was just like ‘okay, what is this?’ And then of course I read it, reading is fundamental and I’m like oh it’s for our safety which is interesting now a robot is keeping us safe that is interesting to me,” resident Ron Hubbard said.

Crocker Park still has 15 full-time security guards and there’s always a human working behind the scene.

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