‘We Are Living In A Dystopian Future:’ San Francisco Police Introduce Policy Granting Robots A License To Kill
Posted by M. C. on November 25, 2022
Let us hope the robot operators, presumably there will be, aren’t trained by Middle East drone flyers. Flak jackets will be required for parades, weddings and funeral processions.
By Brandon Drey
San Francisco authorities proposed a new “dystopian” policy heading for approval next week that would license department robots to kill suspects who threaten the lives of citizens and police officers in the crime-ridden city.
San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) drafted the blueprint for officers to use its military-style weapons, which includes 17 remote-controlled robots available in its inventory that are typically used for defusing bombs or surveilling areas too difficult for authorities to access.
“Robots will only be used as a deadly force option when risk of loss of life to members of the public or officers is imminent and outweighs any other force option available to SFPD,” the policy reads.
The proposal also authorizes authorities to use the robots for “training and simulations, criminal apprehensions, critical incidents, exigent circumstances, executing a warrant or during suspicious device assessments.”
SFPD Officer Eve Laokwansathitaya told The Verge the department has always had the ability to use lethal force when a suspect threatens the lives of officers or members of the public after all other force options are unavailable.
“SFPD does not have any sort of specific plan in place as the unusually dangerous or spontaneous operations where SFPD’s need to deliver deadly force via robot would be a rare and exceptional circumstance,” Laokwansathitaya said.
SFPD Officer Robert Rueca told Mission Local the department has never used robots to attack anyone.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has reviewed the policy over the last several weeks.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who serves on the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee, attempted to add a line saying, “Robots shall not be used as a Use of Force against any person,” according to Mission Local.
But within the following week, authorities struck out the revision.
Be seeing you
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