SF Board of Supervisors approves use of deadly force by RC mechanicops

[Yoused]

They are not "robots", as the title suggests, but are remote control police droids meant to allow the police to subdue suspects without endangering their own personal wetware.

Supes approve killer robots, 8-3 - 48 hills

With the national press watching, even progressives vote for a disturbing escalation in police power.

48hills.org

This strikes me as a troubling trend. There is a lot of important, far reaching crime happening inside 40-story office buildings, that affects far more people than a liquor store robbery, but we cannot be allowed to consider that addressing those issues might be a better strategy than going after street crime.

 

[Citysnaps]

They are not "robots", as the title suggests, but are remote control police droids meant to allow the police to subdue suspects without endangering their own personal wetware.

Supes approve killer robots, 8-3 - 48 hills

With the national press watching, even progressives vote for a disturbing escalation in police power.

48hills.org

This strikes me as a troubling trend. There is a lot of important, far reaching crime happening inside 40-story office buildings, that affects far more people than a liquor store robbery, but we cannot be allowed to consider that addressing those issues might be a better strategy than going after street crime.

Both need to be addressed. It can't be a one at the expense of the other.

The problem is in SF street crime has dramatically increased and taken a back seat over the last 5-10 years, for multiple reasons, many I've witnessed personally; cheap and plentiful Fentanyl replacing other drugs, homelessness, pervasive mental health issues, high unemployment, inflation, SFPD being down hundreds of sworn officers, exploring no-lockup/cash bail for minor crimes (something I initially supported with the new and now gone DA), covid, etc.

Street crime is also the most visible and impactful problem for SF greatly affecting its tourist business, and gets a lot of media attention.

 

[Herdfan]

Both need to be addressed. It can't be a one at the expense of the other.

The problem is in SF street crime has dramatically increased and taken a back seat over the last 5-10 years, for multiple reasons, many I've witnessed personally; cheap and plentiful Fentanyl replacing other drugs, homelessness, pervasive mental health issues, high unemployment, inflation, SFPD being down hundreds of sworn officers, exploring no-lockup/cash bail for minor crimes (something I initially supported with the new and now gone DA), covid, etc.

Street crime is also the most visible and impactful problem for SF greatly affecting its tourist business, and gets a lot of media attention.

Thank you for being honest about this. Too many on here (ironically not anyone who lives there) is dismissing this as some RW ploy to scare people.

So do you think that the crime has anything to do with some of the store closures we read about?

On a side note, but related, my daughter went to see her college friend up there over Thanksgiving. She had to take a bus (which I think everyone should do at some point in their life) because he wasn't sure he could find a safe place for her to park her car. And he lives in Russian Hill which is supposedly a good area.

 

[Eric]

Thank you for being honest about this. Too many on here (ironically not anyone who lives there) is dismissing this as some RW ploy to scare people.

So do you think that the crime has anything to do with some of the store closures we read about?

We've had a lot of store closures due to frequent roberies, not just Walgreens but also smaller boutique stores which have become a popular target in recent months.

Walgreens closing 5 more San Francisco stores over shoplifting fears

"Retail theft across our San Francisco stores has continued to increase in the past few months to five times our chain average," a store spokesman said.

www.nbcnews.com

On a side note, but related, my daughter went to see her college friend up there over Thanksgiving. She had to take a bus (which I think everyone should do at some point in their life) because he wasn't sure he could find a safe place for her to park her car. And he lives in Russian Hill which is supposedly a good area.

Smash and grabs are very common, in some of the more popular tourist spots you will always spot broken glass littered about. If people are staying in the city I always recommend Uber (or public transportation as you say) but if you have to park just be sure the inside can be seen clearly and there is nothing visible in the car. In nearly every case windows are smashed because they've left something in it.

The other side of all this is that San Francisco is a beautiful city and pretty safe during the right times, if you were ever to come here I would gladly drive you around to see all the sites and wonders it has to offer. We just have to balance things out and look at it realistically, all cities have crime but common sense and a bit of local knowledge goes a long way.

 

[Citysnaps]

Thank you for being honest about this. Too many on here (ironically not anyone who lives there) is dismissing this as some RW ploy to scare people.

So do you think that the crime has anything to do with some of the store closures we read about?

Hmmm... I don't think I've ever come across people believing it's a RW ploy.

I believe store closures in SF are the result of sky high rents, covid causing people to not go out so much, inflation causing higher prices with many people not willing to spend $$$ for discretionary items, and some, mostly tourists, due to street crime.

Some of the above (not street crime) are also responsible for retail closures down the SF peninsula where I live.

 

[Citysnaps]

The other side of all this is that San Francisco is a beautiful city and pretty safe during the right times,

Right times...yeah, that part has changed.

In the not so distant past I never felt unsafe in any SF neighborhood at any time. Even hitting up strangers for conversation and a few portraits in SF's Tenderloin neighborhood for a project, day and night. Give people respect, don't be sneaky with your camera (ie, hip-shots, etc), and respect flows back, with people opening up and wanting to help.

Those days are now gone. A SFPD cop friend of mine blames it on the shift to Fentanyl becoming so available coupled with far more mental health and homeless issues. Still, I want to go back there just to see for myself and maybe do another project.

 

[ronntaylor]

Gee, what could go wrong with that? Everything! I'm imagining all the lawsuits when this goes haywire.

I recall the NYPD used a few of these for arrests and used video for PR; the backlash it caused was overwhelming. To the point that it was pulled back. I suspect NYC will be implementing this soon though.

We'll be in San Francisco in about a month. But NYC is very similar in lots of respects. We show around friends and family that visit and just use common sense. Which we'll do while there. We're attending a conference, so most of our time (well his time really) will be on non-touristy stuff. But will enjoy at least a couple days free to do whatever.

 

[Herdfan]

Smash and grabs are very common, in some of the more popular tourist spots you will always spot broken glass littered about. If people are staying in the city I always recommend Uber (or public transportation as you say) but if you have to park just be sure the inside can be seen clearly and there is nothing visible in the car. In nearly every case windows are smashed because they've left something in it.

The problem for her is her interior is black and the rear windows are dark so you can't see inside to see there is nothing to steal.

 

[Eric]

The problem for her is her interior is black and the rear windows are dark so you can't see inside to see there is nothing to steal.

Understood, taking public transportation, Uber, or parking in a paid garage are all good options. It's also notoriously hard to find parking in the city anyway.