San Francisco police have requested that robots be allowed to use weapons to kill dangerous suspects and criminals. This was reported by Mission Local.

Media reporters reviewed the proposal that the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) sent to the city’s Supervisory Board. The document seeks to allow American police officers to use “lethal force” with the help of robots in emergencies.

Police officials have proposed authorizing robots to kill dangerous suspects if they threaten to injure or kill civilians or officers. The first edition of the document was not accepted by the Supervisory Board, the request will be re-examined on 29 November.

In a conversation with The Verge, police stressed that they have no specific plans for the use of lethal robots. “Extremely dangerous or spontaneous operations that require the use of lethal force by a robot will be a rare and exceptional case”SFPD officer Eva Laokvansatitaia told reporters. Currently, there are 17 remote-controlled robots in the San Francisco Police Department, but only 12 of them are working.

Lawyers and public figures reacted negatively to the police attempt. “We live in a dystopian future where we are debating whether the police can use robots to execute citizens without a court, jury or judge”said attorney Tiffany Moyer.

The authors of The Verge emphasized that American security forces are already using robots for physical elimination. In 2016, Dallas police used a robot with explosives to take down a suspect who killed five police officers.