The San Francisco police department in its policy draft seeks to use robots with "deadly force' to respond to "critical incidents".
The document outlines ways to use its collection of 17 robots, including 12 that are not operational, for specific security purposes, according to The Guardian.
The proposal seeks to use the remote-controlled devices for "training and simulations, criminal apprehensions, critical incidents, exigent circumstances, executing a warrant or during suspicious device assessments".
The robots mentioned in the proposal are generally used for bomb disposal, and area inspection, according to a police spokesperson.
The department's late Remotec model robots come with an optional weapon system and its model F5A that can load shotgun shells is often used in bomb detonation.
The proposal seeks to use robots to kill people in the event of risk of loss of life to public or officers is imminent.
Robots with the ability to kill would help officers with 'ground support and situational awareness", according to the report.
Though the original draft did not mention "deadly force" and it appeared in the draft after a member of the city's board of supervisors opposed using robots "against any person".
The department rephrased its statement reportedly justifying the use of 'deadly force" as a means to face imminent danger with no other options available, as per the report.