Police Robots: A Policy Framework
Today’s policing agencies are using robots in a variety of ways — to act as first responders, to assist in pursuits, and even to conduct patrols. Drones and robots undoubtedly can have real public safety value. But so too do they pose real risks to civil rights, civil liberties, and racial justice. Both to achieve the benefits of these tools and to mitigate or eliminate any harm, there is an urgent need for balanced regulation of robots and drones.
This is a policy framework for police use of robots, including ground robots and unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”), also known as drones. (For purposes of the framework, the term “robots” refers both to ground and aerial robots.) This framework is intended to serve as a template for regulation, as well as guidance for the vendors developing these tools and the agencies adopting them.
The framework is divided into three sections. Click each to learn more.
Measures to ensure that robots are deployed in a transparent and democratically accountable manner, with appropriate guardrails in place to mitigate risk.
Measures addressing the issue of police using robots to deploy force, including the equipping of robots with weaponry.
Measures addressing the use of robots to conduct searches and/or surveillance.