Board approves police equipment policy but narrows language on robot deadly‑force use after heated debate

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Nov. 29 approved, on first reading, a city ordinance adopting a comprehensive police use‑of‑equipment policy required by Assembly Bill 481, including a narrowly written condition under which an unmanned remotely piloted ground vehicle (robot) may be used to deploy deadly force.

The board voted 8–3 on the amended ordinance after a prolonged debate that focused almost entirely on whether the policy should allow robots to be used as a deadly‑force option and, if so, under what guardrails.

Supporters, including the policy’s sponsor, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, said the ordinance implements state law while adding explicit constraints. Peskin offered an amendment that the board adopted to replace the original phrase “outweighs any other force option available to SFPD” with more specific language requiring that officers “cannot subdue the threat after evaluating or using alternative force options or de‑escalation tactics,” and that only the chief, assistant chief of operations, or deputy chief of special operations may authorize use of robots as a deadly‑force option.…