San Francisco police authorized to use lethal robots

San Francisco police authorized to use lethal robots

san francisco police

San Francisco Police.

Courtesy: Los Angeles Times

The new administrative code requires the police chief to authorize the use of deadly force with a robot and to first consider alternative forms to resolve the conflict. Even so, Civil Defense associations, San Francisco residents and experts in police violence fear what could come of having these robots on the street. They expressed that this normalizes militarized surveillance and can intimidate or risk the lives of people historically discriminated against by the forcessuch as people with mental health problems, homeless or communities of color.

The San Francisco police are still in the process of analyzing more than 100 calls for attention for improper use of force after a series of shootings at the hands of officers. According to advice from the California Department of JusticeSan Francisco forces detain people of color five times as many than to white residents and use force up to 13 times more.

san francisco police robot

Robots used to disarm bombs in San Francisco.

Robots used to disarm bombs in San Francisco.

Courtesy: Global News

the supervisor Hillary Ronen voted against of the measure and argued that this it may cause the police to view the use of robots as the norm. “Although used only occasionally at first, people become less sensitive over time”he expressed to Wired.

For his part, Peter Asaro, Professor at the News School of New Yorkconcurred, adding: “Giving the police this option means they they’re going to use it when they should be looking for other options. He also considered that it could be counterproductive, because suspects might react worse if they know that the approaching robot is armed.

Source: Ambito

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