In a whirlwind turn of events, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted on Dec. 6, 2022, to ban the use of lethal force by the city’s fleet of remote-controlled robots. This was a stunning twist of the board’s decision merely a week prior to authorize the deployment of robots armed with explosive devices to engage with suspects deemed a threat to the lives of officers.

 Initially, the policy passed nearly unanimously, with eight votes in favor, and three against. However, the decision was met with harsh criticism from the city’s residents. 

According to Xochitl Churchill ’24, a lifelong San Francisco resident, “t’s a horrible idea. The police have enough guns and weapons, and using remote-controlled robots would increase the violence. I think the city should focus on peaceful solutions to problems rather than increasing police brutality.” 

Nearly 50 local organizations signed a coalition letter calling for the city to reverse this decision. Protesters rallied at City Hall, carrying banners with slogans such as, “We’ve all seen that movie… No killer robots.” 
But some see a use for remote-controlled robots in the police force. As Frank Torrano, the engineering department chair, put it, autonomous robots could “keep human law enforcement out of the picture, and potentially save lives in the process.”

However, after the outpour of public outrage, the Board quickly backtracked its decision. In a vote one week after, the Board voted to temporarily reverse this policy. While the board voted to ban police robots from using lethal force, it also sent the original proposal back to the Rules Committee for further review. 

Whether the city chooses to permanently uphold this policy in the future remains to be seen. But for now, it remains clear – San Francisco’s police force robots will not be allowed to use lethal force.