Cops Can Deploy Killer Robots in SF-but Only in Extreme Cases

[Leroy N. Soetoro]

https://sfstandard.com/politics/cops-can-deploy-killer-robots-in-sf-but-
only-in-extreme-cases/

Killer robots dominated discussion at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors,
which OK’d some rules to let SFPD use the machines in life-or-death cases.

Supes also passed a resolution on people standing up to human rights
violations in Iran, bolstered anti-discrimination rules for city
contractors regarding gender expression and authorized audits for various
city departments.

Meanwhile, they hinted at a possible accord over the fate of Department of
Elections boss John Arntz.

Rise of the Machines
The most heated discussion involved the police robots, of course.

Supervisors spent two-and-a-half hours deliberating on when and how police
could deploy the remote-controlled machines.

The so-called “killer robot” rules stemmed from a much larger policy on
how SFPD can deploy all its military equipment. But the idea of robocops
policing the city captured national attention, inspired fiery debate and
ultimately passed with an 8-3 vote.

Board President Shamann Walton opposed the idea with supervisors Hillary
Ronen and Dean Preston joining him in dissent.

SFPD has had the robots in its arsenal for a while, but can now use them
when police encounter suspects deemed a fatal threat to officers or the
public.

The remote-controlled robotic vehicles had been allowed for surveillance
or to dismantle bombs. Under the new rules, they can now be used to
deliver deadly force if the chief or two deputy chiefs say there’s no
other option.

The discussion leading up to the vote touched on themes invoked in
episodes of “Black Mirror.”

Ronen—who opposed the item entirely while ironically inspiring an
amendment that allowed it to pass—reiterated concerns over police using
force and raised philosophical arguments against remotely operated
killing.

“SFPD has killed 58 people since 2000,” Ronen said, noting how the
department has yet to enact reforms promised to the U.S. Department of
Justice. “There are so many arguments against this. […] Distance will make
killing easier. We don’t want that.”

Preston chided SFPD Deputy Chief David Lazar for what he called absurd
theoretical examples of where remotely operated force might be justified,
such as when a heavily armed gunman killed 60 and wounded 400 at a 2017
concert in Las Vegas.

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” Preston said. “San Francisco is not a
war zone. […] We voted against Tasers. If SFPD can’t be trusted with
Tasers, they sure can’t be trusted with killer robots.”

Preston also condemned the San Francisco Police Officers Association for
using social media to criticize his stand on the issue.


Meanwhile, supervisors Rafael Mandelman, Myrna Melgar and Catherine
Stefani spoke in support of the amended rules, citing emotional arguments
by opponents and the rise of political extremism as justifying the
provisions.

“The hyperbole and over the top language is disappointing,” Melgar said.
“This isn’t taking money away from ambassadors and other measures.”

“I am in such a different place from some of my colleagues in my
understanding of what we’re discussing,” Mandelman said. “We’re thinking
about far-flung and unlikely hypotheticals because Chair Peskin pressed
the police department to already do that in the context of a technology
the department has had for over a decade.”

“What bothers me about this conversation is the false narrative, the
rhetoric surrounding this is disingenuous and lacks context,” Stefani
said. “The militarization of our society has already exploded. […] There
were over 600 mass shootings this year.”

Standing for Human Rights in Iran

Iranian American Supervisor Ahsha Safaí’s resolution in solidarity with
protests in Iran and calling for an end to “human rights abuse on the
demonstrators in Iran and the immediate release of political prisoners in
Iran” passed unanimously.

The resolution condemns the Islamic Republic’s crackdown on protests
across the country as well as the death of activist Mahsa Amini.

While the nonbinding resolution isn’t likely to influence Iran’s action,
the human rights situation in the country has captured the imagination of
Bay Area residents, who have held multiple demonstrations across the city.

Recognizing Gender Expression—Finally
Gender expression is now expressly protected under the city’s laws against
discrimination.

The goal of the revised language is to make “the definitions of gender
identity/sex/orientation to be less binary and more inclusive,” according
to staff from Mandelman’s office, which sponsored the changes.

Existing definitions, according to the legislative digest, were “based on
a limited understanding of the spectrum of identities, which has evolved.”

More Anti-Corruption Measures
Preston lost one on killer robots but prevailed on another of his oft-
mentioned issues: fighting corruption. He suggested, and his colleagues
agreed, to have the Budget and Legislative Analyst conduct two additional
audits.

One involves purchasing and contracting in city agencies, such as the
Department of Public Works, which can approve contracts worth more than
what normally requires board approval. Another audit will examine
conflicts of interest at city agencies.

Preston, who chairs the board’s Government Audit and Oversight Committee,
described the audits as a way to be “more proactive” in tackling
corruption.

Roll Call, and a Possible Elections Department Solution?

Last week, the Elections Commission decided to basically fire longtime and
well-regarded Elections Department director John Arntz. Peskin and other
elected officials have urged the commission to renew Arntz’s contract when
it’s up next April. And he made clear that no one on the board wants to
fund a search for his replacement.

Commissioners said inviting others to compete with Arntz for his job hews
to the city’s Racial Equity Plan by giving a more diverse pool of
candidates a shot. But many speculated that the decision had more to do
with politics around “open source voting,” a system that has yet to be
approved by the California Secretary of State. Supporters of the open-
source scheme showed up Tuesday to back the commission’s stance.

At Roll Call, Peskin hinted at a different sort of resolution. Describing
recent communications between the board and Elections Commission as
productive, he pledged fund a search for a new direction—in five years’
time.

Another Roll Call resolution came from Supervisor Connie Chan calling on
the city to support victims of gun violence by allowing them to sue
weapons manufacturers, which they can now do under a law passed in
Sacramento earlier this year.

And in a follow-up to his hearing on the Baker Places nonprofit double-
dipping scandal, Safaí is sending a letter of inquiry to the Ethics
Commission, Department of Human Resources and Department of Public Health
asking for a closer look at some 22 other DPH employees with arrangements
similar to those of Jail Health Services Director Lisa Pratt.

Pratt resigned from her job at Baker Places after The Standard revealed
her dual employment, which violated rules against working second jobs on
city time.

Mike Ege can be reached at e...@sfstandard.com


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