Police departments would still be on foot patrol today if they hadn't embraced new technology over the years. Today though, we see that many departments around the U.S. and elsewhere, have increasingly welcomed a move toward adding an arsenal of military equipment to their departments which has prompted a concern that police around the country have been increasingly militarized as a result of the war on terror.
As the military has grown to further incorporate drone technology into their everyday activities, we've seen that there has been a lack of concern surrounding responsibility as a result over the years. Former drone operators have voiced concern too, passionately criticizing the program, suggesting that it's likely fueling more problems than it is helping anything. The increased dependence on drone use in war today has resulted in countless lost lives of innocent men, women, and children. This innocent death only fuels further conflict and it's why some former drone operators have argued that the drone program is likely one of the most devastating driving forces for terrorism and destabilization worldwide.
But the reasoning for their implementation sounded good, we were told it would keep more military men and women out of danger, and that's always a good thing. But what if the further incorporation of certain technology into policing and warfare, means a degradation of morality, during times of conflict? Not that collective violence is moral to begin with, but there are concerns that robots and drones might have an easier time inflicting some violence upon the public, more so than an individual of that group might have to contend with.
What if in the future they were given an order that was outrageously unjust, but after all the law is the law and they were programmed to enforce it without any discretion? That might establish an environment that would pave the way for countless violations to liberty. However, we've seen agents of the state carry out such injustices in the past, acts that you would think they wouldn't be able to justify obeying, and they didn't need any robots or drones in order to do it.
Robot technology could drastically transform the policing landscape as we know it today. In Dubai, Japan, India, South Korea, Israel, the U.S., and elsewhere, various police departments have already started using robots to carry out different duties.
Whether it's scouring places that police officers can't fit, such as behind dumpsters or under cars, conducting prison surveillance, or showering crowds with pepper spray, there are many ways that robot technology is already being put to use and helping the police perform their daily responsibilities.
These machines which have been endowed with independent action and artificial intelligence, are going to greatly change the way that we experience policing and it's been suggested that they could soon become the first line of awareness for the police in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Police in the U.S. have already used robots to disarm suspects, and in one circumstance in Dallas they used a robot to kill a suspect who had been on a rampage that left several officers dead. That event fueled a discussion surrounding how the police are going to go about using this technology and whether robots should be endowed with the right to use such force. What if police robots end up making things worse than current standards already are? Further pushing us in the direction of no accountability. Police professionals have maintained that they are still required to justify their use of force at any level, regardless of what mechanism (robots or other) has been used.
We know however, that most often whenever violence by the state is inflicted, they're most likely going to attempt to offer some sort of justification. We are hardly ever told that they used violence when they didn't think it was necessary. Even in circumstances where their actions seem wildly unreasonable, we're frequently told it was justified. However, with the frequency with which they do initiate such deadly violence, I have a hard time believing that every justification is sufficient or legitimate in each circumstance. In other words, having to defend their use of violence hasn't permitted officers in the past from acting illegally.
The robotic officers that are being used in Dubai right now are reportedly able to speak 6 different languages and they're able to read facial expressions as well. They've reportedly been sending it to tourist spots for the most part and it's able to conduct surveillance and identify wanted suspects and send images back to the police.
Law enforcement agencies worldwide will need to continue to struggle to find a balance with further introducing this sort of technology into their line of work. Who knows whether they are ever going to pause and ask the public they supposedly serve if they accept and want these agencies to aggressively pursue this new era of policing. Perhaps they might not be interested in seeing their local police department rushing to get drones and robots onto the roads and into the skies overhead.
Pics:
Pixabay