• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Advertise
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Subscribe
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Leadership
    • Are performance evaluations worth the effort?
      Leaders — the good, the bad and the horrible
      How not to fail as an outside chief
      Setting ethical expectations early in an officer’s career
      Go that extra mile with a smile
  • Topics
    • Leadership
      • Are performance evaluations worth the effort?
        Leaders — the good, the bad and the horrible
        How not to fail as an outside chief
        Setting ethical expectations early in an officer’s career
        Go that extra mile with a smile
    • Editor’s Picks
      • “Hold my beer”
        Are performance evaluations worth the effort?
        Code enforcement officers: The community’s frontline property...
        Cartel intelligence operations streamline cross-border drug smuggling
        Off duty, but never off guard
    • On the Job
      • Six Mexican cartels designated as terrorist organizations
        Police chief: Officers likely prevented further violence in Minnesota...
        Policing and fatherhood
        2025 Top Cops
        What’s with all the gear?
    • Labor
      • Dallas Police Department drops college requirement for police...
        Small Texas town left without a police force after firing its last...
        Port Authority Police Department welcomes 71 new officers
        The P.D. that wouldn’t go away
        Critical incidents and waiting woosah
    • Tech
      • How local police departments can combat cybercrime
        Your website is your front desk
        Telegram investigations
        Florida sheriff’s office deploys cutting-edge forensic tool to...
        A new chapter for Utah law enforcement
    • Training
      • Blind spots
        LPVOs are the next evolution of the patrol rifle
        Training vs. practice: Improve or maintain?
        Off duty, but never off guard
        Meeting training needs on a limited budget
    • Policy
      • Cartel intelligence operations streamline cross-border drug smuggling
        Michigan Supreme Court: Marijuana odor alone no longer justifies...
        Milwaukee P.D. and schools clash over SROs
        Seattle Police Department launches new plan to curb violent crime
        Buffer-zone law blocked in Louisiana
    • Health/Wellness
      • “Hold my beer”
        When empathy backfires
        Navigating retirement
        Keeping work at work and home at home
        Avoiding the road to burnout
    • Community
      • Police warn of growing “jugging” crime trend as attacks spread...
        Code enforcement officers: The community’s frontline property...
        San Diego Honors Fallen Officer Austin Machitar with Park Renaming
        Battle of the Badges baseball game to support injured Missouri officer
        Temple University Police celebrate 7-year-old’s support with...
    • Offbeat
      • Not eggzactly a perfect heist
        Pizza … with a side of alligator?
        Wisconsin man charged with impersonating Border Patrol agent twice in...
        Only in California?
        Durango, Colorado, police hop into action after unusual 9-1-1 call
    • We Remember
      • National Police Week 2025
        Honoring Fallen Heroes
        What’s with the white chairs?
        The pain and sorrow of loss
        A cop and his car
    • HOT Mail
      • The War on Cops Continues Unabated
  • On the Job
    • Six Mexican cartels designated as terrorist organizations
      Police chief: Officers likely prevented further violence in Minnesota...
      Policing and fatherhood
      2025 Top Cops
      What’s with all the gear?
  • Labor
    • Dallas Police Department drops college requirement for police...
      Small Texas town left without a police force after firing its last...
      Port Authority Police Department welcomes 71 new officers
      The P.D. that wouldn’t go away
      Critical incidents and waiting woosah
  • Tech
    • How local police departments can combat cybercrime
      Your website is your front desk
      Telegram investigations
      Florida sheriff’s office deploys cutting-edge forensic tool to...
      A new chapter for Utah law enforcement
  • Training
    • Blind spots
      LPVOs are the next evolution of the patrol rifle
      Training vs. practice: Improve or maintain?
      Off duty, but never off guard
      Meeting training needs on a limited budget
  • Policy
    • Cartel intelligence operations streamline cross-border drug smuggling
      Michigan Supreme Court: Marijuana odor alone no longer justifies...
      Milwaukee P.D. and schools clash over SROs
      Seattle Police Department launches new plan to curb violent crime
      Buffer-zone law blocked in Louisiana
  • Health/Wellness
    • “Hold my beer”
      When empathy backfires
      Navigating retirement
      Keeping work at work and home at home
      Avoiding the road to burnout
  • Community
    • Police warn of growing “jugging” crime trend as attacks spread...
      Code enforcement officers: The community’s frontline property...
      San Diego Honors Fallen Officer Austin Machitar with Park Renaming
      Battle of the Badges baseball game to support injured Missouri officer
      Temple University Police celebrate 7-year-old’s support with...
  • Offbeat
    • Not eggzactly a perfect heist
      Pizza … with a side of alligator?
      Wisconsin man charged with impersonating Border Patrol agent twice in...
      Only in California?
      Durango, Colorado, police hop into action after unusual 9-1-1 call
  • We Remember
    • National Police Week 2025
      Honoring Fallen Heroes
      What’s with the white chairs?
      The pain and sorrow of loss
      A cop and his car
  • HOT Mail
    • The War on Cops Continues Unabated
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
Search

Tech

Minnesota detective develops a low-cost tactical robot for law enforcement use

APB Team Published November 30, 2021 @ 12:00 pm PST

Officer Sam Lehmann with the 4Sight just prior to deployment at a gas station burglary scene. (Burnsville Police Department)
 

A detective with the Burnsville Police Department in Minnesota and Tactical R/C founder has created a tactical robot that is much cheaper than alternatives.

Detective Shawn Mahaney’s robot – a remote visualization vehicle – can be used by officers to enter homes or buildings in dangerous situations so officers don’t have to go in blind. Mahaney hopes that the tool will be useful not just for SWAT teams, but also officers on patrol.

4Sight (Tactical R/C)

Keeping patrol officers safe

“It’s basically similar to a drone. It’s those eyes up front,” Mahaney told Fox 9.

The robot, called the 4Sight, is a four-wheeled robot with a body camera or cell phone attached, which livestreams video back to an officer who controls the robot remotely.

“It basically allows you to have that remote view of a place that may not be safe enough to enter ourselves,” Mahaney said.

The 4Sight costs around $2,500 compared to other tactical robots on the market that typically are priced around $10,000.

Mahaney hopes that police departments will purchase several robots to be distributed among police cars to make police patrols safer.

The 4Sight camera view as soon as it is deployed inside the gas station. (Burnsville Police Department)

Currently, tactical robots are reserved for the SWAT team to be used in hostage situations or when responding to bomb threats, partly due to the steep price tag. Check out video of the 4Sight at a burglary scene. Ed. note: Tactical R/C has rebranded the vehicle featured in this video to “4Sight”

“I think it’s a great way to put officers in a position to make smart safe decisions,” Burnsville police officer Sam Lehmann said. Lehmann has already tested the 4Sight in real-life scenarios, such as during a welfare check and a domestic disturbance.

Mahaney added that the robot can be used to reduce confrontations in many situations, including by de-escalating situations with mental health sufferers by allowing them to communicate with a mental health specialist via the robot.

Crisis calls

The 4Sight can also be a helpful tool in crisis call situations. With the nationwide call for integrating social workers and mental health professionals into the initial response to crisis calls, there have obviously been questions and concerns about the safety when they respond to sometimes dangerous and violent situations.

Using a cell phone and a video calling app like FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom would allow police officers to set up a safe perimeter and send in the 4Sight from a safe distance while providing the subject with a face-to-face conversation with a social worker or mental health professional who are in a safe remote location.

According to Mahaney, officers would no longer have to risk their lives or the lives of the subject in making the location “safe” in order for mental health crisis responders to start doing what they are trained to do. 

By incorporating the technologies law enforcement agencies are already paying for, like body cameras and cell phones, the 4Sight makes remote controlled robotic vehicles affordable enough for the ones who need and could most benefit from this technology, patrol officers. 

Tactical R/C has sold 4Sight robots to police departments across the country. Learn more at www.tactical-rc.com.

Categories: Tech Tags: SWAT team, Minnesota, drone, patrol, tactical robot, Shawn Mahaney, Burnsville Police Department, R/C Tactical, 4Sight, low-cost

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • Project Lifesaver helps Oregon deputies rescue elderly man from ravine
  • CARFAX for Police and NE-IAATI unveil vehicle crimes educational series
  • Six Mexican cartels designated as terrorist organizations
  • “Hold my beer”
  • NLEOMF’s 2025 Mid-Year Law Enforcement Fatalities Report reveals law enforcement deaths have decreased by more than 50% over last year
  • Are performance evaluations worth the effort?
  • Blind spots
  • Police warn of growing “jugging” crime trend as attacks spread across nation
  • Code enforcement officers: The community’s frontline property regulators
  • When empathy backfires

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

“Hold my beer”

“Hold my beer”

July 12, 2025

Are performance evaluations worth the effort?

Are performance evaluations worth the effort?

July 10, 2025

Code enforcement officers: The community’s frontline...

Code enforcement officers: The community’s frontline...

July 07, 2025

Cartel intelligence operations streamline cross-border drug...

Cartel intelligence operations streamline cross-border drug...

June 30, 2025

Policies | Consent Preferences | Copyright © 2025 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close

Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.