Int. No. 871
By Council Members Gutiérrez, Nurse, Hudson, Louis and Hanif
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the police department from using a robot armed with a weapon
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 14 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 14-199.3 to read as follows:
§ 14-199.3 Use of armed robots prohibited. a. Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Robot. The term “robot” means an object or system that senses, processes and acts, to at least some degree, and is operated either autonomously by computers or by an individual remotely. The term does not include unmanned aerial vehicles.
Weapon. The term “weapon” means a device designed to inflict physical injury.
b. The department shall not authorize the use, attempted use or threatened use of a robot armed with any weapon.
c. The department shall not authorize the use, attempted use or threatened use of a robot in any manner that is substantially likely to cause physical injury, regardless of whether or not the robot is armed with a weapon. This provision does not apply to any device when used solely for the purpose of deactivating explosives.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
JDK
LS #11046, 13969, 12951
4/13/26