San Francisco police draft policy seeks permission to kill using robots

[True Dough]

I'm not familiar with the reputation of the source of this story (Mission Local), but if this report is accurate, it is very troubling. Hopefully the proposal is rejected. There is a link to the SFPD's proposal following the excerpt below (it's embedded on the media outlet's website).

A policy proposal heading for Board of Supervisors approval next week would explicitly authorize San Francisco police to kill suspects using robots.

The new policy, which defines how the SFPD is allowed to use its military-style weapons, was put together by the police department. Over the past several weeks, it has been scrutinized by supervisors Aaron Peskin, Rafael Mandelman and Connie Chan, who together comprise the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee.

The draft policy faces criticism from advocates for its language on robot force, as well as for excluding hundreds of assault rifles from its inventory of military-style weapons and for not including personnel costs in the price of its weapons.

Peskin, chair of the committee, initially attempted to limit the SFPD’s authority over the department’s robots by inserting the sentence, “Robots shall not be used as a Use of Force against any person.”

https://missionlocal.org/2022/11/killer-robots-to-be-permitted-under-sfpd-draft-policy/


Draft proposal here:

https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11449771&GUID=9FC57C5A-6E68-4485-A989-632C3837B909

[FalloutShelter]

1. What could go wrong?

[TDale313]

2. I saw that Black Mirror episode.

It didn’t end well.

[Bayard]

3. Robo Cop

It was not an instruction video.

[Red Mountain]

4. Well, maybe a bad idea

I'd guess it will make them a bit more likely to escalate ASAP so they can delete the bad people and get back to business as usual.

Sorry. Just not funny.

Just no.

[getagrip_already]

5. It's already being done.....

Police have used robots with what amounts to a claymore mine on the end of a boom to take out gunmen in strong defensive positions.

They have also used them to deliver explosive charges to doors to gain entry.

It's not a wild idea. They love the idea of not having to do room to room combat against better armed opponents.

Makes it too damned easy. Send the robot. Then send the coroner. Be at the bar at 6.

[Celerity]

6. I recall the last time this subject was broached some on here thought it a good idea, smdh