Over the past couple of weeks, many were shocked to learn that the police in San Francisco want to use lethally armed robots. But the real surprise is that the proposal took so long. After all, six years ago the police in Dallas used a lethally armed robot to kill a barricaded sniper who had fatally shot five officers. The Dallas police generally received praise for their decision, even as it drew concerns about a new police tactic deployed without any prior guidelines in place. Even if San Francisco ultimately decides to shelve its approval of lethally armed police robots, that won't end the matter.

In November, the San Francisco Police Department proposed approving the use of remote-controlled robots with deadly force. This was after a law came into effect requiring California officials to define the authorized use of military-grade equipment. It would have allowed police to equip robots with explosives "to contact, incapacitate or disorient violent, armed or dangerous suspects." San Francisco's Board of Supervisors approved this proposal, initially, despite opposition by civil rights groups. However, during the second of two required votes, the board voted to ban the use of lethal force by police robots. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, this is unusual as the board's second votes typically echo the first results.