Civil Rights, Racial Justice, Labor Groups Demand Supervisors Change Course Before Final Vote on Giving Police Robots Power to Kill

SAN FRANCISCO — A powerful cross-section of civil rights, racial justice and labor groups took to San Francisco City Hall this morning to demand elected officials reject authorizing SFPD robots to use deadly force.

“We have heard from our constituents, we have heard from people throughout the country, and we have even seen an unprecedented international backlash,” Supervisor Dean Preston said. “It’s clear that giving police robots the power to take lives is a profoundly bad idea, and I hope my colleagues will take heed and change course tomorrow on this misguided proposal.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, SEIU 1021, SF Black Wall Street, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, and the Anti-Police Terror Project joined Supervisors Dean Preston, Shamann Walton and Hillary Ronen, as well as the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, on the steps of San Francisco City Hall this morning. Each spoke to the necessity of San Francisco rejecting the use of lethal force for police robots.

“This is a spectacularly dangerous idea and EFF’s stance is clear: police should not arm robots,” stated Matthew Guariglia, Surveillance Policy Analyst for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “The combination of new technology, deadly weapons, tense situations, and a remote control trigger is a very combustible brew.”

On Sunday, Supervisor Preston wrote a letter to Mayor London Breed, author of the legislation, pointing out that SFPD failed to post the proposed policy at least 30 days before the public hearing on the policy, an apparent violation of state law which requires 30-day notice to the public on use-of-force policies involving military equipment. The Board v oted 8-3 to approve giving police robots the power to kill, and the item is up for a second and final vote on Tuesday, December 6th.

“While we entertain votes for killer robots, SFPD homicide clearance rates are way below national average, victims and survivors of crime receive little to no attention when they call for help and face ridiculous barriers to obtaining restraining orders, filing reports and claims to repair their lives, and accessing resources to keep themselves and others safe,” said Tinisch Hollins, Executive Director of Californians for Safety and Justice. “San Francisco leaders must stop politicizing the issue of public safety and focus on the immediate needs of the people.”

More than 100 people gathered at City Hall this morning, underscoring the widespread condemnation of the city’s proposal. Many of those gathered pointed out that the policy was changed on short notice, and members of the public were not given adequate time to consider the proposal, particularly the authority for police robots to use lethal force.

The proposal is set for second and final vote on the Board of Supervisors agenda for Tuesday, December 6th. While rare, the Board has authority to change their vote on second read.

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