Gavin Newsom Urged To Ban California’s “Killer Robot Cops”

Californian communities are facing the prospect of “killer robot cops” policing their streets, activists have warned.
In a letter shared with Newsweek, The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) outlined the risks posed by weaponized robotic devices, in particular their employment by law enforcement across the state.
“It is too easy to pull a trigger from behind an office desk,” the ACLU’s letter read. “If police can kill remotely and risk-free, it is inevitable that they will kill more often.”
The letter, sent to the offices of California Governor Gavin Newsom on September 6, was in support of a bill currently being considered by the California State Legislature.
The legislation, which has already passed in the state Senate and general assembly, would prohibit individuals and organizations, with the exception of companies currently under contract with the Department of Defense, from “operating a robotic device or unmanned aircraft that is equipped or mounted with a weapon.”
Newsweek has contacted Governor Newsom for comment.
Newsom has until September 30 to pass or veto the bill, but law enforcement agencies have pushed back against the proposal and sought to exempt themselves from the prohibition.
According to the ACLU, amendments desired by California police “would have allowed them to send killer robot cops into California communities already victimized by abusive over-policing.” These amendments were later rejected by State Assemblymember Akilah Weber.
In a subsequent letter, the police voiced their opposition to the bill arguing that it would bar them from “delivering less-lethal force,” such as flash bangs, against armed suspects.
This, they argue, would “require officers to expose themselves to gunfire and life-threatening situations…rather than utilize remote controlled technology to safely bring a dangerous situation to an end.”
Newsweek has contacted the California State Sheriffs’ Association for further comment.
The ACLU said that, were police permitted to use weaponized robotic devices, this “would worsen the epidemic of unjustifiable police use of force in this country.”
Their opposition also stemmed from wider concerns over “the militarization of police forces.”
“Rather than spending millions in taxpayer dollars on arming officers to the brim and pushing police to view themselves as ‘at war’ with communities, we have consistently advocated for sensible reinvestment of these precious dollars into life affirming supportive services that are known to greatly improve public safety, such as housing support, employment opportunities, and community development,” the ACLU said.
While their employment in military situations is more widely known, the use of robotic technology by law enforcement is not a recent development.
In 2016, the Dallas Police Department employed a robot equipped with explosives to neutralize the sniper who shot five police officers during a protest.
“We saw no other option but to use our bomb robot and place a device on its extension for it to detonate where the suspect was,” Dallas police chief David Brown said following the incident.
More recently, the New York Police Department deployed a “fully autonomous” security robot to patrol the Times Square subway station.
The five-foot-three “Knightscope K5” was introduced to New Yorkers at an April 2023 news conference announcing the “deployment of innovative policing technologies.”
However, the robot was unable to use stairs, required constant chaperoning from NYPD officers, and was retired from its post in February 2024.
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