San Francisco lawmakers on Dec. 6 voted to ban police from using remote-controlled robots that can be equipped with explosive charges, reversing an earlier decision on the matter.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 8–3 on Tuesday to explicitly ban the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) from using the robots in extreme circumstances.
Specifically, police would have been able to use the robots “to contact, incapacitate, or disorient violent, armed, or dangerous suspects” when there is an imminent risk of loss of life to members of the public or officers.
According to reports, SFPD has 17 robots in its arsenal, 12 of which it describes as fully functional. The force acquired the robots between 2010 and 2017 and they are remotely controlled and operated by SFPD officers who have undergone specialized training, according to police….