Dec 01, 2022 21:00:00

Finally, ``police kills suspects with robots'' is approved

A police equipment policy submitted by

the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) to enable ``killing suspects using robots'' has been approved by the San Francisco City Council's Board of Supervisors. This will allow SFPD to use remotely controlled robots to use explosives to kill or incapacitate suspects when lives are at stake.

San Francisco will allow police to deploy robots that kill | AP News
https://apnews.com/article/police-san-francisco-government-and-politics-d26121d7f7afb070102932e6a0754aa5

San Francisco allows police to use robots to remotely kill suspects | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/11/san-francisco-allows-police-to-remotely-kill-suspects-with-robots/

The article below summarizes how the new police equipment policy devised by SFPD came to include the phrase 'killing suspects using robots.'

Police aim to make it possible to ``kill suspects using robots'' - GIGAZINE

The Board of Supervisors voted to approve or disapprove this policy. Despite strong opposition from civil liberties and police watchdog groups, the policy passed by an 8-3 vote.

Groups opposed to the policy warn that it will lead to further militarization of police forces that are too aggressive against poor and minority communities. However, Connie Chan, who referred the draft policy to the trustees, said she understands concerns about the use of force, but added, ``We need to authorize the use of these devices in accordance with state law. 'This was definitely not an easy discussion.'

'Robots equipped with explosives could be deployed to contact, incapacitate, or force violent, armed suspects to change their minds,' SFPD spokeswoman Alison Maxey said. 'There is a possibility that robots may be used in cases where human life is at stake.' Maxey also said, ``Such robots would only be used in extreme situations to save innocent lives or prevent further damage.''

The Board of Supervisors amended the draft policy on November 29 to state that ``police may use other force or de-escalation tactics only if they use alternative force or de-escalation tactics, or if it is concluded that those alternatives are unable to subdue a suspect.'' , operations using robots will become possible.' In addition, only a limited number of high-ranking police officers can authorize the use of robots as an option to 'kill suspects.'

At the time of writing, SFPD has 17 robots that function to dispose of explosives and provide visibility in low-visibility areas, of which only 12 are said to be functional. . SFPD claims the robots were acquired between 2010 and 2017 and have never been used to deliver explosives. In addition, SFPD does not own any armed robots at the time of writing the article, and states that there are no plans to equip robots with firearms. However, foreign media Ars Technica points out that these robots dispose of explosives by firing shotguns, so they are ``essentially already equipped with firearms.''

The explosive ordnance disposal robot owned by SFPD was developed by

Foster-Miller , a military robot developer and manufacturer called ' Talon ,' and is used not only by the police but also by the American military.

Police have long used robots to dispose of explosives, and Dallas police were the first to use them to kill a suspect. Dallas police used a robot loaded with explosives to kill a gunman in 2016 after negotiations with him failed.

'The ability to remotely kill community members' is 'both inhumane and militaristic,' the San Francisco Public Defender's Office said in a letter to the Board of Supervisors. Furthermore, he stated that ``San Francisco is not a battlefield or a war zone,'' and noted that robots would be an excessive weapon for police. The letter notes that other jurisdictions are critical of the idea of 'allowing police to use robots to kill suspects,' including states like Virginia, Maine, and North Dakota. It is prohibited to weaponize robots. A program to weaponize robots was also canceled in Oakland following public backlash.