NEWS: Arizona Police Department Seeks Monkey for SWAT Team

The Mesa Police Department wants to add a monkey to the SWAT team. Sean Truelove, a Mesa officer, states that the capuchin monkey, which is already used to help disabled humans, would be able to go where no human or robot could and do things neither of the latter could do. The monkey will cost $15,000. The Department has requested a $100,000 grant to purchase, train and outfit the tiny primate.



I'm not sure how the animal rights folks will take this, but my money is on "not too well." Of course, the idea is quite sound and K-9 units are ubiquitous in law enforcement and their usefulness is well recognized. Move over trunk monkey, an new kid is coming to your block.

Related News Links:
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[edit on 05/4/18 by GradyPhilpott]

this is just too weird.useing a monkey in this way is definatelyy something new. will it work? how will amonkey be trained to deal with armed suspects once it learns that a gun equils danger, if it is smart it will just give it's handlers the finger. i'm sorry this is just too funny. will it do tricks and screw up crime useing laughter as a weapon? or are they just planning on useing it for survalance duty.

mabe they should train it to use guns. just hope if they do it dosn't think they are a threat to it. gee don't piss off the monkey it could blow your head off.

I've not seen the story but I'd imagine they will be attaching a camera / microphone to it so that it can provide additional info to the SWT team. A lot more agile than a robot.

This could be a very good idea.My family and I raised Capuchins when I was a child, they are easily trained and fearless, but make good pets, the only problem with them is if they do not like a person and are not diapered, they will throw their own feces on the offender.
We had one who caught measle and died, as they can catch human ilnesses.[innoculations?]
So if they decide to use them, may I recommend a trainer that stays with the monkey when it is not in service, as they are quite loving.

Well I have some kina mixed feelings about this. Dogs have been used for a long time in a wide range of areas, from police work, to helping the disabled. Dogs traind for this are very good at it, and pretty smart. So one thing to consider, is the monkey smarter then the dog, from what I have heard yes they are.
Animal handlers have said monkeys have plenty of smarts for simple tasks. I would half to guess that with that comes a greater independence, and depending on the size, they are also very strong. The trained dogs have heart, the will to work. They will need to find a monkey like that also.
For the time being I think dogs, and the robots will be the majority in helping with police work.

Seems to me they already have all the monkeys they need. LOL

Trained dolphins have been invaluable in helping the Navy, so if Capuchins can be trained with no harm to the animal, then be it so.

God, this cannot be serious.

Originally posted by drogo
will it work? how will amonkey be trained to deal with armed suspects

It'll urinate and throw fecal matter at the suspect. What do you think?

In reality, I'm like you. How would you train a monkey to do police work, especially after news like this has been made public.

Armed suspects would just shoot the monkey. It won't be murder, so what have they got to lose?

Originally posted by drogo
useing a monkey in this way is definatelyy something new. how will amonkey be trained to deal with armed suspects once it learns that a gun equils danger.... will it do tricks and screw up crime useing laughter as a weapon? or are they just planning on useing it for survalance duty.

I think this will answer your questions.

Weighing only 3 to 8 pounds with tiny humanlike hands and puzzle-solving skills, Truelove said it could unlock doors, search buildings and find suicide victims on command. Dressed in a Kevlar vest, video camera and two-way radio, the small monkey would be able to get into places no officer or robot could go.

Yahoo

Originally posted by siriuslyone

So if they decide to use them, may I recommend a trainer that stays with the monkey when it is not in service, as they are quite loving.

This is exactly what is being planned:

If the grant goes through, Truelove plans on learning how to train the monkey himself and keeping the sociable monkey at home, just like a K-9 officer would. He projects that $85,000 in grant money would outfit the monkey with gear and pay for veterinarian care, food and habitat for three years.

yahoo

Well, first, $15,000 seems like a lot of money ... I can see more for training but if we are going to do expendable primates ... whay not an 800 pound gorilla (silverback) or how about ... hehehe ... seems to be a lot of suiciders over in the ME (no accounting for bad taste).

Isn't this how the planet of the apes started?

it starts with a capuchin... and before we know it, we have ape police marching us down the street in formation to the work camps...

I knew the NWO would find some way to get an army together to subjugate us.



[edit on 21-4-2005 by LazarusTheLong]

How long before the terrorists start training monkeys as suicide bombers?

How long would it take for people to run like heck everytime they saw a monkey in a trench coat?

[edit on 05/4/21 by GradyPhilpott]

The idea in general sounds solit, but:

A Kevlar outfit for the monkey sounds nice, but if you think about it, its no use.

If a capuchin monkey with kevlar vest, gets hit by a bullet, the punch from the bullet will be more then enough to break nearly every bone in its torso and kill it from the impact itself, not to mention the impact could easely snap the lil criters neck.

Its like a human being getting hit by a 500-1000 ft/s(depending on caliber and gun) speed moving lead baseball. The shock alone will be enough to kill you 10 times over.