FEDRAC forwards acceptance of DHS-funded throwbot for bomb squad to council

Federal Way’s committee on May 27 voted to forward to the June 3 consent agenda a proposal for the police department to accept a Department of Homeland Security subaward: a Recon Robotics throwable robot (a “throwbot”) offered by the Seattle Police Department, valued at $18,120.

Deputy Chief Kyle Sumter summarized the funding pathway and the device’s operational use, saying the device would be assigned to the department’s bomb disposal unit and used to inspect suspicious packages and locations remotely. “It weighs a pound or 2. ... It listens, it looks, and it feeds back to the team that’s back here out of harm’s way,” Sumter said.

Sumter explained the grant structure: the U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded funds to the Washington Military Department; the state passed a subaward to King County Office of Emergency Management; King County subawarded to the Seattle Police Department; and Seattle offered a portion of its award to Federal Way as a subrecipient.

Committee members asked operational questions about the device: whether a subject could see or throw it back (Sumter: “They can see it. Oh, yeah. … They could throw it back. Things like that have happened.”), whether it could survive a fall onto concrete (Sumter: “It could be thrown out the window and land on the concrete down below and should be fine if it's not more than about 3 stories.”), and whether it could be shared with neighboring jurisdictions (Sumter: “It’ll be housed in our … we have a bomb disposal unit. Some of our neighbors don't. … We could go down there with them.”).

Sumter noted the device does not x-ray packages and that the department retains other x-ray gear for package inspection. He said the Seattle Police Department sought quotes for the throwbot and identified the $18,120 value for the unit.

After discussion, committee members moved the request to seek and accept the DHS grant to the June 3 consent agenda; the committee vote carried. Sumter said staff will provide a demonstration video for council and post a demonstration on the department’s Facebook page if the transfer is approved.

Why it matters: The throwbot is intended to let the bomb disposal team inspect suspicious items while keeping technicians at a safer standoff distance. The equipment is being acquired through a multi-level federal-to-local subaward process rather than a city-purchased procurement.

What’s next: The item is scheduled for the June 3 consent agenda for full council consideration; if approved, the police department will accept the device and integrate it into bomb squad operations.