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Arapahoe County considers federal grant to buy four‑legged bomb/HAZMAT robot
Summary
During a study session the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners heard a sheriff's office request to accept a congressional grant to buy a four‑legged robot for bomb and hazardous‑materials response; commissioners gave informal approval to proceed pending legal and finance review.
At a study session, Arapahoe County commissioners heard a presentation from the sheriff's office seeking authority to accept a congressional grant to purchase a four‑legged robot for bomb and HAZMAT response.
Sheriff's Office presenter Adam Berson described the device as “a 4 legged robot that can be used for bomb and HAZMAT response,” and said the machine’s legged mobility would let it traverse obstacles that strand tread‑based robots, reducing the need to send people into hazardous areas. “The key to it is its mobility,” Berson said, and he told commissioners the county hopes to avoid situations where a treaded robot is disabled and an officer must retrieve it.
Berson told the board the total package sought in the grant is about $420,000 for the robot and accessories, and that the equipment aligns with recommendations from the FBI and ATF national bomb response guidance. He said the expected replacement cycle is roughly 20 years and that maintenance is planned through existing operating supplies; he estimated annual maintenance costs in the low thousands. Justin Osborne of the sheriff’s office added that the county’s eight‑member bomb squad would operate the device and that vendor training would be provided and is expected to be straightforward.
Commissioners asked whether federal conditions or new administrative stipulations might come attached to the funding. Berson said the request is covered by congressional funding rather than an executive‑branch initiative and that, if terms later proved unacceptable, “we'll simply say no.” Commissioners also confirmed logistics: the robot is small and transportable, can ride in the existing bomb truck, and is intended for EOD, search and rescue and other hazardous uses.
County Attorney staff asked that any award be routed back for review before an automatic acceptance to ensure legal alignment with county policy and state law. The commissioners gave an informal thumbs‑up to “proceed pending authorization to approve,” with the chair noting the board wants to see the final award documents before formal acceptance.
The discussion did not include a formal vote; the board agreed to move forward with review steps rather than automatic acceptance should the grant be awarded.
