SAN DIEGO — The San Diego City Council voted unanimously on July 8, 2026, to approve the deployment of a TAC-CAT robotic tactical vehicle for use by law enforcement agencies in San Diego County. The San Diego Special Weapons and Tactics Association is donating the device.

The TAC-CAT is an armored, camera-equipped robotic vehicle with an estimated value of nearly $400,000. It will be available to law enforcement agencies across the county through mutual aid agreements.

San Diego police officials stated the TAC-CAT is smaller and easier to maneuver than Bearcats or mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles. The device is built on the chassis of a small loader commonly used for landscaping and earth moving. The name TAC-CAT stands for tactical custom armored track loader.

The vehicle has a claw capable of breaching doors and walls and can emit non-lethal gas. The San Diego Police Department stated, "It allows tactical teams to safely approach threats, navigate difficult terrain, deploy equipment quickly, and operate closer to danger while maintaining greater control." The department added, "This makes the TAC-CAT a highly adaptable asset for a wide range of high-risk incidents faced by modern agencies."

Councilmember Raul Campillo said on July 8, 2026, "I know this tool will enhance officer and civilian safety in high-risk incidents." He added, "This could potentially be used for a variety of situations that are really important." The San Diego Police Department noted, "The TAC-CAT is not a symbol of aggression — it's a shield, not a sword." The department stated, "This is about protecting people, not about projecting power," and added, "It is about building resilience, not building force."

The San Diego Privacy Advisory Board approved the use of the TAC-CAT in April 2026. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera stated he would not have voted for the vehicle without the privacy board's support. City officials affirmed that no footage from the TAC-CAT will be uploaded to the cloud.

In 2025, San Diego police utilized a TAC-CAT borrowed from Riverside County during a 31-hour standoff with an active shooter in south San Diego. The city will be responsible for the maintenance costs of the donated vehicle, which officials estimate will be less than $10,000 annually.