--- title: Real-Life Robocops description: A robot that can recognize human voices and gestures has officially joined Dubai's police force to help people report crimes and pay fines. But the United Arab Emirates isn't the only country embracing crime-fighting machines. canonical: https://time.com/4793902/real-life-robocops/ author: Julia Zorthian article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-25T12:37:32.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T05:07:05.619Z article:section: Science og:title: Real-Life Robocops og:description: A robot that can recognize human voices and gestures has officially joined Dubai's police force to help people report crimes and pay fines. But the United Arab Emirates isn't the only country embracing crime-fighting machines. og:url: https://time.com/4793902/real-life-robocops/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb402601526a8671f/6988ced47cdbac1d3cd587a8/real-life-robocops-china-patrol.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2405 og:image:height: 1353 og:image:alt: real-life-robocops-china-patrol og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Real-Life Robocops twitter:description: A robot that can recognize human voices and gestures has officially joined Dubai's police force to help people report crimes and pay fines. But the United Arab Emirates isn't the only country embracing crime-fighting machines. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb402601526a8671f/6988ced47cdbac1d3cd587a8/real-life-robocops-china-patrol.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Real-Life Robocops > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.  by [Julia Zorthian](https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian May 25, 2017 12:37 PM UTC  Passengers look at a police robot at Zhengzhou East Railway Station on February 15, 2017 in Zhengzhou, Henan Province of China. Passengers look at a police robot at Zhengzhou East Railway Station on February 15, 2017 in Zhengzhou, Henan Province of China. Zhang Tao—VCG/Getty Images  by [Julia Zorthian](https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian May 25, 2017 12:37 PM UTC CHINA The AnBot that patrols Henan’s Zhengzhou East Railway Station can monitor air quality, detect emergencies like fires and use facial-recognition technology to follow potential criminals. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO These 8-ft.-tall solar-powered machines help police direct traffic in the capital of Kinshasa. U.S. This “bomb robot,” which touts an explosive device on its arm, was used by Dallas police in 2016 to kill a gunman suspected of fatally shooting five officers. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4793902/real-life-robocops/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4793902/real-life-robocops/"},"headline":"Real-Life Robocops","datePublished":"2017-05-25T12:37:32.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T05:07:05.619Z","description":"A robot that can recognize human voices and gestures has officially joined Dubai's police force to help people report crimes and pay fines. 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