FDL SWAT Robot Used During Stand Off

Fond du Lac Police got the opportunity to use their new SWAT robot during a stand off incident on West Division Street Wednesday. Assistant Police Chief Steve Thiry says they knew the man they were looking for was hiding in the back bedroom of an apartment, but they didn’t know what kind of a threat they were facing. He says the robot is equipped with video and it allowed them to locate the suspect and determine whether he was armed. In this case the suspect was barricaded in a closet, but wasn’t armed. Thiry says when the man knew police could see him; it didn’t take long for him to give up. He says the robot allows them to assess threats, gain intelligence and do so without putting officers at risk. The man was wanted by La Crosse Police for stealing a vehicle and domestic abuse.  

Fond du Lac Police Department photo of Officer Erik Foster with the robot.