By David Garrick
The San Diego Union-Tribune
SAN DIEGO — San Diego police are getting a new camera-equipped robotic vehicle they say could help de-escalate dangerous situations, prompt suspects to surrender more quickly and boost rescue chances during natural disasters.
The armored device, called a TAC-CAT, will be available to law enforcement agencies across the county under mutual aid agreements, police officials said.
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The nearly $400,000 device has a claw that can breach doors and walls to free trapped people or help law enforcement get to active shooters. It can also emit non-lethal gas more safely than hand-thrown canisters.
“I know this tool will enhance officer and civilian safety in high-risk incidents,” Councilmember Raul Campillo said. “This could potentially be used for a variety of situations that are really important.”
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the new device, which is being donated by a group called the San Diego Special Weapons and Tactics Association.
While San Diego police have previously had armored vehicles, officials said the TAC-CAT is easier to maneuver and smaller than other options like Bearcats or mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles.
The TAC-CAT is compact, rugged, low-profile and durable, they said. Its wide-angle camera can operate in light or dark conditions, and a TAC-CAT can be operated remotely or by an officer inside.
Police said Bearcats are more restricted than TAC-CATs in tight environments like dense neighborhoods, small rural properties and confined interior spaces.
They said another option with strong mobility are armored pickup trucks but noted that those vehicles lack the durability, ballistic protection and mission-specific design required for high-risk operations.
Mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles, called MRAPs, carry high maintenance costs and are too bulky for most local law enforcement scenarios, police said.
Police said the TAC-CAT is nearly ideal for police situations. It uses the chassis of a small loader, which are commonly used on farms for landscaping and earth moving.
“It allows tactical teams to safely approach threats, navigate difficult terrain, deploy equipment quickly, and operate closer to danger while maintaining greater control,” police said in a staff report describing the device. “This makes the TAC-CAT a highly adaptable asset for a wide range of high-risk incidents faced by modern agencies.”
Police agencies have faced criticism for their use of armored vehicles and other equipment considered too militaristic. But San Diego police said that would be an unfair characterization of the TAC-CAT, which stands for tactical custom armored track loader.
“The TAC-CAT is not a symbol of aggression — it’s a shield, not a sword,” police said. “This is about protecting people, not about projecting power. It is about building resilience, not building force.”
Because it uses cameras, officials have also moved to address surveillance concerns and say that no footage will be uploaded to the cloud.
The city’s Privacy Advisory Board approved the use of the TAC-CAT in April. On Tuesday, Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said he would not have voted for the vehicle without the privacy board’s support.
San Diego officials used a TAC-CAT the city borrowed from Riverside County last year during a 31-hour standoff with an active shooter inside a home in south San Diego, police said.
While the device is being donated, the city must cover maintenance costs. City officials estimate those costs will be less than $10,000 per year.
Officials said the TAC-CAT would also help during floods, wildfires, civil emergencies, severe weather events and search-and-rescue operations because its off-road capability enables access to areas inaccessible to conventional emergency vehicles.
It could also help in a terrorist incident by allowing victim extraction and barrier removal without risking further loss of life.
“It’s a very well-thought-out idea,” Councilmember Jennifer Campbell said.
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