Miami is stepping boldly into the future of law enforcement. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office has unveiled the nation’s first autonomous police cruiser, the Police Unmanned Ground vehicle or PUG. Funded and donated by the nonprofit Policing Lab, the self-driving squad car comes loaded with 360-degree cameras, thermal imaging, license plate recognition, and the ability to launch a drone from its roof.
The vehicle will initially patrol pre-determined routes with a deputy on board monitoring operations during its 12-month pilot program. Its primary role is to extend deputy resources by providing a real-time bird’s-eye view of active crime scenes and tough-to-reach areas. The PUG will also display messages to the community from its touchscreen windows imagine it alerting residents about hurricane evacuations or crime hotspots.
Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz sees the PUG as a force multiplier that enhances officer safety and public trust. She envisions it bringing surveillance and rapid response without additional taxpayer cost. When operationally ready, it won’t engage in pursuits or highway driving but will focus on targeted, low-speed neighborhoods.
The drone capability is a standout feature, offering police aerial perspectives that could revolutionize on-scene assessments and public safety responses. This one-year program will gather public feedback before broader deployment. If successful, Miami-Dade's PUG could set a national precedent for integrating autonomous technology with law enforcement.
This marks a new chapter where artificial intelligence and robotics begin to patrol alongside human officers, combining advanced data analytics with practical policing needs to create safer, smarter communities.