On Robots and Policing.

This article has to do with robots and domestic policing policy.  It doesn't touch on any of the racial tension surrounding the events that triggered the scenario in Dallas.

While I don't have a problem with the robot killing the suspect in this particular case, I believe we must establish a very clear policy for deadly force using robots and it needs to happen sooner rather than later.

This is what I think we know so far.

The suspect was confined, the area was secure of known civilians, and they could potentially communicate to the suspect. 

 

In this particular occasion it appears the suspect was emotionally disturbed.  There was also alleged taunting and singing which I would deem irrelevant to a professional force, but I know they're human too.  The suspect also allegedly said he had plans for more, if setting off any remote bombs seemed a possibility I again SUPPORT the officers decision.

However to use the same technique again should again require extreme circumstances that should be later REQUIRED to be proven true.  (The State has an obligation to provide all evidence after the fact in most cases anyway.)

I have fear that we will begin to use the robots to bomb suspects without doing the correct police work.

For example we believed on what we thought was good intelligence and been wrong before.  Specifically in our ward with terrorists where we mistakenly have bombed schools and other innocent civilians.

I also believe on occasion that police officers can be corrupt.  That on some level there is always the potential for a good officer to become or be a bad one.  

To remotely bomb a space should be an ABSOLUTE last resort for those two reasons alone.

This will kind of set a precedent. 

 If some one is on a drug bust some kind of raid and they say they fear for their lives for a breach, it is conceivable that the state could freely bomb almost any building at any time.

 What if we suspect a domestic terrorist is at a home making bombs right now, and we say he is heavily armed, and we bomb that area.  Then we later find out that the state was wrong and they kill a civilian?

This is why it's a complex issue and a bit of a big deal.

I believe it's also important in this day and age for all police to film their interactions.  While on duty nearly all of their actions should be recorded, and would think especially using explosives to kill.