The Motorcycle Cop (Spoilers, maybe)

[donners22]

I half-expected him to end the scene by saying "Repent, Harlequin!"

 

[Trekker4747]

Since people will likely skip the important part of this post: Robots don't need to breath.

No.

But they do need cooling for internal components.

 

[Maurice]

The cop's got fabric on his suit. And Occam's Razor, again, why would they have a robot cop and no other robots in the film?

 

[stonester1]

Starfleet is not a military organisation.

One of it's primary responsibilities, physical security and defense of it's worlds and interests. Starfleet IS a military organization.

The implications about Earth law enforcement was that it was pretty unneccessary as humans no longer had crime. I just feel that idea of a robotic or non robotic domestic law enforcement department is fairly redundant in the world Roddenberry painted.

Since when has it been established that Earth is "crime free"?

 

[Trekker4747]

Occam's Razor:

Either the cop is a robot, given the metal helmet with robotic-looking gadgetry on it like a speaker system and a LASER eye or:

It's a human cop wearing a crazy-looking helmet.... for some reason.

 

[Psion]

I'd prefer it was a robot, because if we don't have robots built in human form and capable of emulating human movement by the 23rd century, we should give up as a species and march back into the primordial ooze.

 

[tauzo]

Occam's Razor:

Either the cop is a robot, given the metal helmet with robotic-looking gadgetry on it like a speaker system and a LASER eye or:

It's a human cop wearing a crazy-looking helmet .... for some reason.

+1

Occam's gotta go with the Robot.
The 'it's a human' explanations seem a lot more convoluted.

But it's mostly just more fun & cheeky if they stuck a random robot in there just to mess with us! I mean, what would you rather see more of in your Trek: Slightly incompetent robots with corny robotic lines? or emotionless, faceless human cops who look, speak, and act like slightly incompetent robots and deliver corny robotic lines?

I definitely vote more robots!

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

It's a human cop wearing a crazy-looking helmet.... for some reason.

Human beings wear helmets for very good reasons (and patroling on a flying motorcycle would be an excellent reason to wear both a helmet and a respirator). Why a robot would wear one, or all of the other protective clothing that the cop is wearing, is something that the "it's a robot" contingent cannot explain.

 

[BenRoethig]

No way to be sure but it sure as hell looked like one. My question would be since when does Earth (protected domestically and in foreign affairs by starfleet security) suddenly have any cops at all? Never mind ones riding cool hover bikes that may or may not be robotic, and indulging in car chases in populated areas? (kid that kirk waves too by the side of the road) He eventually chases the damn kid right off the edge of a cliff.
Well I'll just file this under "Reasons why people that don't like Star Trek shouldn't be allowed to make Star Trek."

How many episodes of trek have we had in a civilian setting again? 45 years, 700+ episodes, and 11 movies and we still don't know jack about the average Federation citizen. Hell, we don't even know that much about the enlisted man. Star Trek has always been told from the perspective of senior military officers.

 

[Trekker4747]

It's a human cop wearing a crazy-looking helmet.... for some reason.

Human beings wear helmets for very good reasons (and patroling on a flying motorcycle would be an excellent reason to wear both a helmet and a respirator). Why a robot would wear one, or all of the other protective clothing that the cop is wearing, is something that the "it's a robot" contingent cannot explain.

Robot and the respirator:

First of all, we're assuming it's a respirator. It might not be. It simply looks like one. Secondly, robots, like all machines, need air to keep internal components cool.

"Protective clothing" maybe to make sure the expensive and delicate robot doesn't get damaged in "the line of duty."

Sorry.

I just can't see why a human robot would need that kind of gear while operating on the planet. Present-day cops seem to do just fine with nothing more than a helmet and a visor.

This cop could've been given a similar helmet with a HUD.

But why would a human cop need a respirator and a voice modulator when he's operating planetside?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Well, well, well...

All of that is a real reach and certainly has nothing to do with the principle of "Occam's razor."

He's a human cop.

 

[USS Triumphant]

But why would a human cop need a respirator and a voice modulator when he's operating planetside?

Maybe the cop was a Benzite?

We haven't seen enough robots in Trek. I'll go with what Orci said - he'd know - but I'd still like for it to have been a robot.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Maybe the cop was a Benzite?

What's the top speed of an hovercycle and how much dust does it kick up?