Before Boca Raton Police Chief Michele Miuccio could deliver her keynote speech at the Boca Raton Police Foundation’s Breakfast With the Chief banquet, she needed her speech delivered.
Fortunately, a robot had everything under control.
The police department’s four-legged bomb disposal robot wowed attendees by walking the narrow aisle, climbing the stairs to the stage, and handing the Chief a written copy of her speech.
“That was pretty cool to see,” Boca Raton Police Foundation Executive Director Bob Tucker said.
In her speech, Chief Miuccio touched on some of the milestones during the Department’s first century, provided brief biographies and accomplishments of her predecessors, and looked forward to a future that will include the incorporation of artificial intelligence and advanced tools like the Boston Dynamics Spot robot into the task of keeping the Boca Raton community safe and secure. Planned additions include a threat assessment unit, a risk assessment unit, and a drone unit.
Noting that the current police headquarters was intended to be the department’s home through 2005, Miuccio also addressed the proposed new police department headquarters, saying it’s “designed to take us into the future and beyond.”
Breakfast with the Chief has become one of the Foundation’s signature annual events. More than 150 people attended the Dec. 4 event at The Boca Raton. The breakfast raised $20,000 – money that will go toward filling police department needs.
Attendees dined on avocado toast, candied bacon, sausage, hash browns and eggs. They hobnobbed and posed for pictures with the chief and other like-minded, socially conscious citizens, and of course, the Spot robot.
“This is always one of the year’s great events,” Foundation Chair Alan Rose said. “This year’s breakfast exceeded expectations. I loved seeing so many members of our community support our police department.”