San Francisco to allow the city’s police to use killer robot

The Ruling Board of Supervisors of San Francisco has voted to let the police of the city use robots that can kill.

The new measure permits the police of San Francisco to deploy robots equipped with explosives in extreme circumstances. From the group Stop Killer Robots, Dr. Catherine Connolly said that the move was a slippery slope that could distance humans from killing. The SFPD, the city’s police said that, currently, they do not operate any robots equipped with lethal force but there can be future scenarios where lethal force could be used by robots.

A spokesperson for the police said that these killer robots could potentially be equipped with explosive charges to breach fortified structures containing armed, dangerous, and violent subjects. The spokesperson also said that the robots can also be used to disorient violently or incapacitate dangerous or armed suspects who pose a risk of loss of life. The advocates for the measure said that the robot would be used only in extreme situations.

However, the opponents said that the authority could lead to further militarization of the police force. On Tuesday the measure passes with an amendment specifying that after employing alternative de-escalation tactics only, the officers could use robots wielding deadly force.