If it can smash glass, it can harm suspects. This is definitely not a tool for de-escalation at all. Police have been known to use lethal force in defense of property, so this doesn't actually solve any issues, this simply gives the police another tool to use against other citizens.
We already have remote bomb detonation robots that have killed people. This isn't anything new:
> Police in Dallas used a robot with an explosive device to kill a suspect involved in a coordinated ambush against officers.
> The ambush occurred during a protest Thursday night over police-involved shootings elsewhere in the country. Five officers were killed and seven others were injured, as well as two civilians.
First SWAT, then street cops. I'd rather get pulled over and talk to a drone at my window than an officer directly. Much safer this way, I can rummage my pockets all I want.
I have a hard time believing it is a good negotiation tool.
It sounds like something that would escalate things quickly.
There is a reason why the negotiators on SWAT teams are explicitly referred to as “human negotiators”, and not just “negotiators”. The qualifier “human” has been intently stated for years.
This is a device to use when traditional negotiation techniques fail, and/or to find out the condition/location of the suspect for medical attention, or prior to breaching when all else fails.
It's another tool designed to keep people safe (both good guys and bad).
As an aside, I think you've read far too deeply into titles. Nobody emphisizes the "human" title, because there's literally no other way to negotiate. In fact, their actual titles are often Hostage Negotiator or Crisis Negotiator. This isn't CSI Miami nor Law and Order.
Sending an incredibly loud robot smashing through someones window seems like the worst possible way to start a negotiation. Is a highly agitated suspect really going to negotiate via this thing?
No worries, the police officer had good reason to bug her: she had "stolen" heroin from his car trunk ... And no worries, we have judicial oversight! Who does the judicial oversight? Well these guys:
I find it baffling how people trust the police. They are not your friends, not even when a criminal is involved. It is far better to take basic (NOT guns) measures to protect yourself, and when you lose something to just accept it as a cost of doing business. You will be much happier. Frankly your self interest is always to comply with direct requests from the police where required (but still delay to absolute maximum, which for any written request is 2 weeks after a reminder), but refuse any and all cooperation beyond what the law requires. Always. Not (just) because they're very much not helping, but because any cooperation from you may cause the police to come after you.
You realize your sources are from 3 geographically different areas - one of which isn't even in the US?
Everything else you said has nothing to do with the article nor the drone in question. It's just conspiracy theories about cops, predicated off slanted facts from an extreme minority of police interactions.
These are not conspiracy theories. That's what we call farfetched causes for unexaplained events, usually that some famous/large organisation is responsible fro them.. These are "facts". These crimes are far from unexplained and we are 100% sure these people are responsible, and used the powers of the government and/or police force to commit them.
So "what": I believe cops (and others) will use these robots rather than being more reasonable. Mostly against criminals, sometimes against protestors, sometimes in an offensive actions against personal (ie. girlfriends/exes and or family) or political opponents.
It’s not the right tool for every situation, but I think for some situations it’s a useful escalation:
You’re tense, it’s been hours, you’re in a standoff with people who have snipers trained on you and you’re threatening to kill people — but that would be a major escalation, and those snipers might decide they no longer have a reason to hold back.
You’re thinking about how to get out of the standoff when a robot crashes through the windows, whirls down the hallway, and starts talking to you through the door. The same negotiator, but now you can’t just hang up on him. He’s here with you, talking.
The drone isn’t armed, but you’re being aggressively pushed to negotiate or carry out your threat, here and now.
I think a lot of people, emotionally exhausted after hours of standoff, would just fold at that point rather than shoot someone and get the armed raid started.
Again, it’s not a tool for every moment — but I think it’s a good step between just waiting for a phone call during a standoff or shouting at the windows, and sending in armed humans.
That robot's glitch was ahead of its time. Today we would accept that the guy's guy's necktie, or some random shadow/shape in the window, triggered an edge case in the AI's gun recognition neural network. Then, it felt more like a glitch that left the subject_has_gun flag always on.
This seems way, way more dangerous for suspects than existing ground-based SWAT robots. Why smash glass and then blow it everywhere when there are existing robots which can open doors (not just ones that are already ajar)
If you need to smash glass, why not use a rock and slingshot? Isn't that a whole, whole lot cheaper solution? Or a BB gun?
Also if a drone comes flying in a room where you're barricaded, it's time to fire the shotgun at it or just throw a pillow at it. If it crashes to the floor, I'm tossing a towel over it. Take out the battery and toss it back out the window. XD
32 comments
[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 77.7 ms ] threadWhich is exactly why the police would employ it. America's worst, on the case!
> Police in Dallas used a robot with an explosive device to kill a suspect involved in a coordinated ambush against officers.
> The ambush occurred during a protest Thursday night over police-involved shootings elsewhere in the country. Five officers were killed and seven others were injured, as well as two civilians.
https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/dallas-police-ambush/dalla...
It sounds like something that would escalate things quickly.
There is a reason why the negotiators on SWAT teams are explicitly referred to as “human negotiators”, and not just “negotiators”. The qualifier “human” has been intently stated for years.
You didn't think we send humans into armed and barricaded situations to negotiate face to face did you? That would be incredibly dangerous.
There is a reason why human negotiators use normal human communication tools (ie phone or megaphone) to deescalate the situation.
It's another tool designed to keep people safe (both good guys and bad).
As an aside, I think you've read far too deeply into titles. Nobody emphisizes the "human" title, because there's literally no other way to negotiate. In fact, their actual titles are often Hostage Negotiator or Crisis Negotiator. This isn't CSI Miami nor Law and Order.
Then in 5 years some bean counter that decides a robot with lethal weapons is cheaper to use for speeding tickets than an actual officer.
This is the same police force that use bugs and wiretaps to figure out how to punish ex-girlfriends, and not even just on the ex-girlfriend at that:
https://philly.metro.us/former-officer-gets-fine-for-spying-...
No worries, the police officer had good reason to bug her: she had "stolen" heroin from his car trunk ... And no worries, we have judicial oversight! Who does the judicial oversight? Well these guys:
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/28/nyregion/brooklyn-prosecu...
But surely the higher-ups in these organisations have our backs, right?
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/oct/28/secrets-and-...
I find it baffling how people trust the police. They are not your friends, not even when a criminal is involved. It is far better to take basic (NOT guns) measures to protect yourself, and when you lose something to just accept it as a cost of doing business. You will be much happier. Frankly your self interest is always to comply with direct requests from the police where required (but still delay to absolute maximum, which for any written request is 2 weeks after a reminder), but refuse any and all cooperation beyond what the law requires. Always. Not (just) because they're very much not helping, but because any cooperation from you may cause the police to come after you.
Everything else you said has nothing to do with the article nor the drone in question. It's just conspiracy theories about cops, predicated off slanted facts from an extreme minority of police interactions.
In other words... what?
So "what": I believe cops (and others) will use these robots rather than being more reasonable. Mostly against criminals, sometimes against protestors, sometimes in an offensive actions against personal (ie. girlfriends/exes and or family) or political opponents.
For that reason I'd rather not see them used.
You’re tense, it’s been hours, you’re in a standoff with people who have snipers trained on you and you’re threatening to kill people — but that would be a major escalation, and those snipers might decide they no longer have a reason to hold back.
You’re thinking about how to get out of the standoff when a robot crashes through the windows, whirls down the hallway, and starts talking to you through the door. The same negotiator, but now you can’t just hang up on him. He’s here with you, talking.
The drone isn’t armed, but you’re being aggressively pushed to negotiate or carry out your threat, here and now.
I think a lot of people, emotionally exhausted after hours of standoff, would just fold at that point rather than shoot someone and get the armed raid started.
Again, it’s not a tool for every moment — but I think it’s a good step between just waiting for a phone call during a standoff or shouting at the windows, and sending in armed humans.
Also if a drone comes flying in a room where you're barricaded, it's time to fire the shotgun at it or just throw a pillow at it. If it crashes to the floor, I'm tossing a towel over it. Take out the battery and toss it back out the window. XD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ipkq-BASaM
"The same automated robot equipment used to defuse bombs was used to place C4 in place and to detonate that," Rawlings said."
(2016) - https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/08/485262777...
Here is a drone letting a suspect surrender - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/thomas-jef...