The San Jose Police Department (SJPD) used a robot to locate a woman hiding in a ceiling at San Jose State University last week.

The SJPD responded on December 21 to reports of an alleged armed assailant in the women’s bathroom of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, which is operated jointly by the university and the San Jose Public Library system.

Police deployed a robot with a camera attached into the bathroom, where the woman was discovered hiding in the ceiling.

Officers entered the bathroom and urged the woman to come down. She eventually complied and was subsequently arrested. She was discovered to be in possession of a fake firearm, prompting police to dismiss any active threat.

The San Jose Public Library tweeted that the university location was closed for the remainder of the day.

In June, the SJPD released a comprehensive list of its military-grade equipment, as required by California Assembly Bill 481.

This state law requires every law enforcement agency to disclose which military-style gear it has and adopt specific policies on how the equipment is used. It is up to the city council to formally sign off on those policies, focusing on public accountability.

The 93-page SJPD list included a number of robots and drones designed for reconnaissance and tactical situations. None of the drones or robots are equipped with weapons chassis.

“This is equipment used not only by San Jose Police – but by other departments – to keep our community safe, to keep our officers safe, and it is the only reasonable alternative when specific situations occur,” said Police Chief Anthony Mata, according to KTVU FOX 2.

The SJPD reported the use of drones mainly for surveillance or tactical situations.

San Francisco had previously approved the use of robots for lethal operations, as reported by The Dallas Express. The weaponized drones were intended to be used as a last-resort measure.

The city’s board of advisors walked this approval back in a unanimous vote on December 6 due to public backlash, as The Dallas Express reported.