In a move right out of a sci - fi movie set in a grim and corrupt dystopia , San Francisco is on the cusp of pass the use ofkiller robotsby the police .
On Tuesday , the San Francisco Board of Supervisorsvoted in favorof approving a policy that allows police to utilise robots with lethal military force “ when jeopardy of personnel casualty of sprightliness to members of the populace or officeholder is imminent and officers can not subdue the terror after using substitute strength options or de - escalation tactics " . Before the policy becomes law , there will be a second vote next calendar week , as well as blessing by the city manager . The board vote 8 - 3 in favor of the policy , with some members express business at the lethal force aspect , which was request by the San Francisco Police Department , according toThe Washington Post .
“ There is serious potential for misuse and abuse of this military - grade technology , ” Supervisor Dean Preston , who voted against the motion , said at the confluence consort toCNN , " and zero display of necessity " .
The police have no plans to fit guns to automaton ( at time of composition ) , but San Francisco Police Department representative Robert Rueca tell The Washington Post that robots could be used to “ contact , incapacitate , or disorient ” unsafe suspects rather than take chances the life of an officer , or could be go with explosives to transgress fortified structures .
Bizarrely , police using a golem controlled by a human to down another mortal is not without common law . In July 2016 , police in Dallas became ask in a standoff with armed suspect , who had already kill several officer . Rather than risk further people , the Dallas Police Department modified a bomb disposal golem , fitting it with a bomb calorimeter . The robot was sent towards the shooters , where the bomb calorimeter was deploy and one of the gunslinger , Micah Xavier Johnson , a 25 - class - older Army veteran , waskilled by it .
Like the casing above , San Francisco say that robot and deadly force by those robots would only be used in extreme circumstances , but critics conceive it could be life-threatening to the public , inhumane , and put us on a tricky gradient towards more weaponized simple machine .
“ These automaton would be a last recourse , ” San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott differentiate CNN , adding that the equipment is already in their possession , but they demand the authorization to use it .
“ If we ever have to exercise that option , it either mean lives , free lives , have already been lose , or in the rest , " he added , " and this would be the only option to neutralize that person putting those life at risk , or the person who has drive those lives . ”
