(KRON) — The Oakland Police Department said it’s not going to be adding armed, lethal robots to its law enforcement arsenal, following a report from The Intercept that it would be doing so. In a post on the OPD Facebook page, the department said it “is not adding armed remote vehicles to the department.”
However, the department admitted it apparently had considered the use of the robots.
“OPD did take part in ad hoc committee discussions with the Oakland Police Commission and community members to explore all possible uses for the vehicle,” the post states. “However, after further discussions with the Chief and Executive Team, the department decided it no longer wanted to explore that particular option.”
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In a separate social media post Wednesday, OPD said it had investigated 2,192 robberies this year and offered the following tips for reducing your risk of being targeted:
- Do not resist, property can be replaced
- Don’t be distracted by your electronic devices
- Limit the personal items you carry to an ID & Debit/Credit Card
OPD also reported 129 ShotSpotter Activations from between Oct. 10 to Oct. 16.
