(NewsNation) —Police departments across the country have stepped up the use of drones and robots in the line of duty, but many lack regulations and standards surrounding the use of the technology.
Advocates for more oversight say there’s a greater risk of misuse and potential harm without clear regulations and guardrails, Governing magazine reported.
When it comes to rules and standards around acceptable uses of police drones and robots, “in most departments in the country, there is absolutely none. There are no standards. There are no policies,” Matthew Guariglia, senior policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told the outlet.
Guariglia said police could run the risk of inadvertently hurting someone or violating their constitutional rights without set policies in place.
Robots have been used to spray tear gas in rooms holding barricaded suspects and disarm suspects, and in one instance, a robot killed an active shooter by setting off an explosive, which was deemed justified by a grand jury, according to the outlet.
Drones aid first responders in locating victims during accidents and searching for criminal suspects or missing children.
Since the technology can vary in terms of capabilities and levels of autonomy, proponents say police can use robots to keep themselves safe and get better insights during searches.
“The use of robots and drones by law enforcement has really exploded in recent years. They used to be kind of a niche tool, and they’re quickly becoming a mainstream policing tool,” Max Isaacs, director of technology law and policy at the Policing Project, part of the New York University School of Law, told Governing.
But as the technology evolves, advocates for more oversight say issues will evolve as well.
Robots cannot react to sensitive police interactions, and some departments could become more blase about using them in lieu of face-to-face dealings, Governing reported. Robots can also can be hacked or malfunction.
Guariglia told Governing that constitutional issues with searches and surveillance could also arise.
While drones can be useful for purposes like search-and-rescue missions and following vehicles, the legality of certain types of surveillance remains unclear as the use does not require a warrant.
Fewer than half of states have policies regarding police use of drones, Isaacs said.
The Policing Project has released a policy framework to help departments create parameters for drones and robots.
The framework argues that robots should not conduct lethal or non-lethal force and should only physically make contact with a human in certain circumstances, such as protection during a search-and-rescue effort.
The policy also states that even if robots can move autonomously, a human must oversee — and be held accountable for — its actions.
It also advocates for warrants before robots or drones surveil or enter a property that would require a human officer to obtain a warrant.