This is just about the stupidest thing I've ever heard... and that's saying a lot:

An American police force is planning to sign up a monkey to reinforce its elite special operations team.

Members of the special weapons and tactics (SWAT) unit in Mesa, Arizona, believe that a capuchin monkey, dressed in a bullet-proof jacket and equipped with a two-way radio and video camera, could prove an invaluable reconnaissance tool.

The SWAT team's commander has agreed to a feasibility study into the use of a capuchin monkey. Sean Truelove, a SWAT officer who builds and operates reconnaissance robots, has applied for a £53,000 federal grant to fund the four-year monkey project.
...
Just as he has never known a suspect to harm a robot, he predicted that criminals would be "too stunned" by the capuchin's appearance to hurt it.

Some quick math reveals that £53,000 is about $104,000.  In the grand scheme of things, it's pretty much chump change for a federal grant.  But still, what a stupid waste of money.  As for hardened criminals being too stunned to hurt a cute cuddly little monkey... are you serious?  If they're bad enough for you to go crashing into their house with sub-machine guns and full body armor, then what makes you think they won't hurt a monkey?

Via The Agitator.