Armed Drones and Ethical Policing: Risk, Perception, and the Tele-Present Officer

Area of Science:

• Law Enforcement Technology
• Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
• Public Safety

Background:

• Drones are increasingly used by law enforcement for surveillance and operational support.
• The potential deployment of armed drones by police for threat neutralization raises significant ethical questions.
• Existing ethical frameworks for police use of force need to be adapted for drone technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the ethical implications of using armed drones in domestic law enforcement.
• To examine how established ethical principles of police use of force apply to armed drones.
• To identify challenges police officers may face when using armed drones.

Main Methods:

• Ethical analysis of armed drone deployment in law enforcement.
• Application of necessity, proportionality, and precaution principles to police use of force with drones.
• Exploration of challenges for tele-present drone operators.

Main Results:

• Current ethical discussions on armed drones primarily address foreign conflicts and counterterrorism.
• Police use of drones for surveillance and operational guidance is expanding globally.
• The ethical framework for armed drone use in domestic law enforcement requires careful consideration.

Conclusions:

• Ethical guidelines are crucial for the responsible integration of armed drones into domestic policing.
• Adapting principles of necessity, proportionality, and precaution is essential for armed drone use.
• Addressing the challenges of remote operation is key to ensuring ethical police conduct with armed drones.