San Francisco will soon join other parts of the United States when it comes to robots with the power to kill. Its police force will get its robots to combat extreme conditions. The ruling Board of Supervisors has given its vote in favor of their use. But only police officers of a few ranks will be able to depute them.

Science is not all about civil life. Its wonders have also gone a way to empower states with their military capacity. Many military establishments have been looking forward to the power of science to add to their narrative. Not just the military, but many countries also come up to support their police with these elements. San Francisco has also managed to etch its name among the states in the United States that have permitted their police force to use killer robots.   

The San Francisco police will be able to surpass the moral dilemma of quelling untoward incidents by the use of force. The Board of Supervisors has voted in favor of letting the police possess and use the robots. They come with the power to kill persons on the other end.

According to Dr. Catherine Connolly (from the group Stop Killer Robots), it can go a long way in helping the police force distance itself from killings. At present, the police force (the SFPD) does not use robots with lethal force. However, it has not denied the prospect of using these in the future to combat different situations.

Taking on that part, a spokesperson for the police said, “robots could potentially be equipped with explosive charges to breach fortified structures containing violent, armed, or dangerous subjects.”

Adding to that, they can also view their use to “incapacitate, or disorient violent, armed, or dangerous suspects who pose a risk of loss of life.” The supporters of this move are backing their stance by emphasizing that the police force will use them only in adverse conditions. 

However, on the other hand, opponents have many doubts in their heads. They are viewing it as a step towards full militarization of the police force. Dispelling some of these concerns, the recent measure with an amendment clarified that they would use those robots only after their other de-escalation measure failed to yield results.

Pushing that note of protection to another level, they added that only a few high-ranked officers would have the authority to deploy and use them. Well, this move is not the first of its kind in the United States. Many other states already have this system in place.

For instance, in Dallas, the police used a lethal robot with C-4 explosives to knock out a sniper. The move came on the board after the sniper killed two officers and injured many people on the scene. Thus, in this case also, the police used them in an adverse situation.  

Pacifying the rising anxiety, the SFPD mentioned that they did not have any of the robots with lethal force. Taking on that part, a spokesperson said, “No policy can anticipate every conceivable situation or exceptional circumstance which officers may face. The SFPD must be prepared, and have the ability, to respond proportionally.”

Apart from that, the government has already empowered them with military-grade equipment, camouflage uniforms, bayonets, and armored vehicles. 

Dr. Catherine Connolly said, “(This measure will) make humans more and more distant from the use of force and the consequences of the use of force.” It will make it “easier to make decisions to use lethal force in the first place.”