Civil Protection

OVERWATCH FORCES

Civil Protection

The Combine's localised metropolitan policing authority designated to preserve socio-stabilization by any means necessary.

Civil Protection is a Combine faction that operates in each urban district. While specific procedure may vary depending on the environment, the Civil Protection's primary objective is to maintain the status quo of Combine-overseen cities through its unforgiving and totalitarian control of the remaining human population.

Rules

The following are rules that apply out-of-character as Civil Protection. Breaking these rules will result in a blacklist and potential server ban.

0. Use common sense. Clear abuse of the whitelist or messing around in any way will result in a permanent ban.

1. Do not give items to citizens for any reason. This includes administering medical aid to citizens, with the exception being to preserve their life for interrogation or prosecution.

2. If you need to go AFK for a prolonged period of time, switch to another character or disconnect. Do not go AFK outside of the SJ.

3. In The ARK: 2016, mandatory memory replacement has made your character indifferent to the Combine's cause; intentionally acting against the will of the Combine is not allowed.

4. The citizens you contain are your responsibility. Do not leave or switch characters without ensuring that their release is handled by yourself or another unit.

5. You must remain in-character and conduct your roleplay professionally and to a good standard. Being the most prominent and oppressive role to most of the playerbase, this is important.

If you have any questions or concerns concerning the ruleset, you should contact a faction leader for clarification and/or authorization.

Demeanor

Civil Protection is a serious and often difficult position within the server. Those who are doubtful about their suitability need not apply.

While new units are typically given some time to adjust, do not expect any hand-holding. Units must take initiative to learn from more senior units and operate according to the information on the wiki.

Being oppressive and strict as a Civil Protection unit is not only true to the Half-Life 2 setting, but is a requirement to keep the citizen players from taking advantage of complacent or 'friendly' CPs. Appearing procedural and cold to the population dissuades crime and cements the dystopian tone of the server.

Remember that you are outnumbered by citizens, so remaining alert, diligent, and keeping in step with other units strengthens the illusion of control.

Your unit and their family can be disposed of at a whim for poor performance, so keep that in mind when thinking about fraternizing or being lenient with a citizen.

Terminology

Example incorrect phrase	Cohesive alternative
I / Me	e.g. JURY-6
We / Us	e.g. PT-LINE
They / Them	Citizen, subject
He's running / fleeing	Suspect is 148
Going to release the prisoner	10-19, 10-15 detail
Go to	Intercede / Converge
On my way	Inbound
Knock(ed) out	Pacifying (Passive)
Stop your task	Suspend
Going off duty	JURY-6 10-7
Explain the charges for John Smith	10-2 tags on #12345

    Read: Terminology

Adhering to cohesive terminology protocol ensures that other units can properly interpret your communication whilst keeping information uniform and consistent. It is mandatory to use cohesive terminology at all times when outside the Stabilization Jurisdiction, when in audible range of citizens, and on all radio channels excluding PT radio.

Cohesive terminology includes keeping messages clinical, unambiguous, and in the third person; adhering to radio jargon and codes; ensuring messages are descriptive but concise; and using your radio to communicate internally where possible.

It is a best practice to check what you say before completing the message, as it is possible that it can be made more concise, in line with terminology, or may be unnecessary.

City Codes

    Read: City Codes

The City Codes are the 'laws' upon which it is part of the duty of Civil Protection to enforce among the civil populace. The purpose of these 'laws' is to preserve City 11's socio-stability rather than to assist citizens.

Civil Protection units are expected to issue charges based upon conclusive evidence, not solely upon another citizen's word.

Whilst it is possible for an individual to be in violation of multiple city codes at once (such as fleeing whilst carrying contraband), it is not proper to go 'fishing' for multiple overlapping offenses to tack on to their profile.

Prosecuting

When prosecuting a subject as described in this section, state the charges in the following format. This does not apply if the suspect is actively resisting, already unconscious or being issued a terminal verdict.

YOU ARE CHARGED WITH  | CITY CODE | ### VIOLATION NAME | VERDICT
e.g.
Citizen, you are charged with city code 62 ALARMS. Your sentence is a malcompliance citation.
You are charged with city violation code 148 RESISTING ARREST. Your sentence is 10 cycles detention.

Malcompliance Citation

A malcompliance citation is the corporal punishment of a citizen by hitting them with the stun baton.

This should be done while the subject is restrained, and in a secure area.

Detention

Individuals who have been designated 'cycles' in containment should be rendered unconscious, restrained, and searched.

After applying the charge and status, move them to a cell within the Stabilization Jurisdiction and enter their sentence into the terminal.

The maximum number of cycles when charging a citizen is 8.

Terminal Verdict

A terminal verdict is the controlled termination of an individual deemed a threat to social prosperity. This is a consequence of violations at SOCIO-ENDANGERMENT LEVEL FIVE, or lower if the stability index is FRACTURED.

Designees must be moved, pacified, to a cell in the Stabilization Jurisdiction. Before sterilizing them, you must request a character ban by typing /pk <charge>.

Immediate Amputation

Immediate amputation is the immediate on-the-spot termination of an individual.

A subject who is designated for terminal verdict may be immediately amputated if any of the following criteria are met:

• Subject is posing or will imminently pose a direct threat to Overwatch forces.
• Subject is in a restricted zone or about to flee into one.
• Politi-Stabilization Index is at FRACTURED or JUDGEMENT WAIVER.
• Subject is designated for witness sterilization.
• Ordered to by Dispatch or Rank Leaders.

Documentation

All city code violations must be documented on the individual's record before prosecution.

To document a transgression, add a record of the violation number only, and deduct the requisite points. Change the citizen's status to DETAINED if they are being sentenced to cycles, and CITIZEN again when released. For example:

99 | -4
148 | -8
STATUS CHANGE: DETAINED

If a citizen is wanted for a violation, set their civil status to BOL first, then add the record as above, but precede the number with [BOL].

Citizens co-operating with Overwatch forces may be awarded one Civic Deed at the unit's discretion, recorded as 'CO-OPERATION'.

Statuses

Citizens are assigned a status based upon their standing in the eyes of Overwatch. These can be modified by Civil Protection units via their PDA.

CITIZEN

A standard, free member of the city's workforce.

DETAINED

A prisoner who is currently detained and serving their sentence in the detention block.

BOL

A person of interest who is wanted for a city code violation. This will alert any nearby cameras.

ANTI-CITIZEN

A malignant operating within the city whose citizenship has been revoked. This will alert any nearby cameras.

Politi-Stabilization Index

The Politi-Stabilization Index represents the overall stability of the district. There are several different levels that determine the way Civil Protection operate.

PRESERVED

There is no calculated imminent threat to City 11's security, and civil harmony is optimal.

• City operations and activities can continue as normal.
• Firearms must be unequipped.
  • Exceptions: Delivering terminal verdict, escorting detainees, breaching doors, priority identification check, and sweeping restricted zones.

MARGINAL

Civil insurrection is manifesting within the city. There is a potential imminent threat to City 11's security, and units should be taking steps to restore it.

• General Public Service Detail is suspended until stability is once again preserved.
• Firearms can be equipped.

FRACTURED

There is a likely imminent threat to City 11's security and the integrity of Overwatch.

• Rations and General Public Service Detail are suspended until stability is once again preserved.
• An emergency curfew is put into effect.
• All violations of ANTI-CIVIL ACTIVITY LEVEL FIVE and above are now subject to a terminal verdict.
• Firearms should be equipped.

JUDGEMENT WAIVER

Socio-stabilization has been lost. There is an active threat to City 11's security and the integrity of Overwatch.

• Rations and General Public Service Detail are suspended until stability is once again preserved.
• An emergency curfew is put into effect.
• ALL violators are now subject to terminal verdict.
• Firearms should be equipped.

Location Index

    Read: Location Index

It is vital to be aware and knowledgeable of your surroundings in order to navigate city effectively and close in on incidents quickly.

The location index also outlines zone restrictions: where you or the workforce may go in the district. Use it in conjunction with the current stabilization index to ensure that your patrol route is maximising its coverage of permissible zones.

City Operations

Rations

Rations are distributed from the distribution center every day from 0700 - 0800 hours.

The privilege of rations per citizen may be revoked as soon as they act disorderly. This also goes for entire residential blocks.

General Public Service Detail T-9432

General Public Service Detail T-9432 is a daily work-cycle that operates from 1000 - 1600 hours. No further workers are permitted after 1100, and workers cannot leave voluntarily until the shift has concluded.

This work session only goes ahead when there are 3 or more Civil Protection units available to oversee, and is only stopped prematurely in the event of catastrophic equipment failure or if the number of units/stabilization index becomes inadequate.

Citizens are to return all equipment immediately after the workshift, failure to do so will result in 484 THEFT. The workshift must be completed and to an efficient and relatively safe standard. A citizen who fails to complete the workshift safely or properly is liable to a 99 RECKLESS OPERATION charge.

Curfew

A curfew is in effect every day from 2300 - 0600 hours. Citizens have until 2330 to be inside of their assigned residential block.

During this time, doors are restricted, containment fields are locked and Civil Protection are to patrol the streets.

Citizens outside of their residential block for the duration without a valid reason are charged with 603 UNLAWFUL ENTRY.

Specialized Public Service Detail

Some citizens are selected to be on-call for maintenance of the urban infrastructure, such as vending machines and work-shift equipment.

These workers can be identified by a white worker's shirt, as well as a CITY REPAIR status on their profile. These employees are supervised and the liability of a District Public Management representative, the FOREMAN.

All equipment, such as their uniform and machine repair tools, must be returned to the appropriate terminal immediately after their work is complete. Failure to do so holds them liable to 99 RECKLESS OPERATION. Non-workers in possession of this equipment at any time are liable to 484 THEFT.

Employees have no authority over Civil Protection and are considered standard workforce members by Overwatch.

District Public Management

    Further info: Public Management

Other citizens, typically labelled 'collaborators' are employed by the Ministry of Energy to manage localised tasks within the city, such as the aforementioned public service, housing blocks, and distribution blocks. They operate out of the Public Management offices in the city center.

These employees are identified by a white worker's shirt with a blue brassard, as well as an accompanying status denoting their role:

• DIRECTOR: Block Director. They oversee the activity of residential blocks and report criminal activity, as well as taxing apartments without a television.
• FOREMAN: Work Foreman. They are responsible for the hiring, management, and training of Specialized Public Service Detail employees.
• MANAGER: Store Manager. They dispense and inspect business permits and store licenses, and collect taxes and upkeep fees.
• INTERN: Staff Assistant. This individual assists the aforementioned employees in their office duties and can carry out tasks by proxy.

These officials have exemptions on certain specialized equipment, such as their uniforms, request devices, the Director's boiler key, and the Foreman's machine repair kit. Non-workers in possession of this equipment at any time are liable to 484 THEFT.

Employees have no authority over Civil Protection and are considered standard workforce members by Overwatch. However, co-operation in tasks such as property searches and equipment retrieval may prove beneficial to the maintenance of the city's efficiency.

Special Operations

Priority Identification Check

A priority identification check is initiated by Dispatch and is the systematic roll call and inspection of a residential block for contraband and non-citizens.

Civil Protection are to clamp the entrances and begin a search of each room and its occupants for contraband, non-delegated citizens, and code violations.
Occupants that fail to maintain their living area to an appropriate standard, such as not having a working television, are liable to a 99 RECKLESS OPERATION charge.

Individuals outside of their assigned inspection position (their apartment, or for unassigned, the lobby of their residential block) for the duration are charged with 505 EVASION BEHAVIOR.

Witness Sterilization

Note: Witness sterilization will always result in NLR.

Witness sterilization is the amputation of workforce members who have witnessed an event that undermines the integrity of the Combine, or who have been unintentionally exposed to sensitive information.

Individuals designated for witness sterilization are to be singled out, restrained, pacified, and transported to stabilization jurisdiction to be amputated from the civic populace. It may take place unless stated otherwise by an RL or Dispatch.

Persons attempting to resist or evade witness sterilization are charged with 505 EVASION BEHAVIOUR and may be immediately amputated.

Breaching

Units must follow breaching protocol whenever entering a workforce-inhabited room, such as an apartment or distribution block.

To breach, at least three units must be present. A breacher, with an SMG-1, takes a position infront of the door. The pointman, a unit with a firearm, stands on the hinge side of the door, flanked by a point guard, who covers the exit door and prevents egress or entry. The breacher is the first to enter the property and opens the door first, followed by the pointman.

Structure

Civil Protection utilises a quasi-hierarchical points system for its ranking structure. These numbers start from 00 and increase in increments of 25.

Ground units are selected for rank increases provided they pass an automatic evaluation until the rank of 75.

Rank points signify a Civil Protection unit's trustworthiness and experience, and also determine what equipment is available to them, but do not denote authority over other officers.

Protection Team Leaders

The unit in charge of a protection team, called the Protection Team Leader, has the temporary responsibility of ensuring that their team is cohesive and operating effectively.

Issuing basic instructions, maintaining sole radio communications, and organizing their team are all requirements of the designated protection team leader.

Rank Leaders

Rank Leaders are specially selected Civil Protection units who have direct authority to control, monitor, direct, and prosecute officers in their district.

These units, demarcated by an 'RL' rank, oversee ground operations on behalf of the Ministry of Civil Protection and Overwatch.

Internal Transgressions

Civil Protection units are held accountable to their actions and lack thereof at all times, by both Dispatch and Rank Leaders. Delegates acting in a manner that endangers or disrupts Civil Protection operations are subject to penalties up to recyclement.

Some non-cohesive actions and their corresponding violation codes are listed below.

POLITI-ENDANGERMENT LEVEL ONE

• Deduction of 50% sterilized credits.
  • If current sterilized credit balance is less than 30, deduction of 25% rank points.

14	VERBAL INDISCRETION	Violating cohesive terminology protocol..
		Fraternizing with or disseminating important information to citizens.
		Communicating unnecessarily in radio.
99	RECKLESS OPERATION	Entering a RESTRICTED zone without authorization.
		Failure to adhere to breaching protocol.
		Patrolling alone or without a protection team.
		Using non-sanctioned weapons or equipment.
105	OBSTRUCTING PROTECTION	Failure to proceed with city operations.
		Failure to obey an order given by Dispatch or Rank Leaders immediately.
		Incorrect PDA usage, i.e. issuing wrong charges or point deductions.

POLITI-ENDANGERMENT LEVEL FIVE

• Unit deservicement.

243	ASSAULT ON PROTECTION TEAM	Attacking Overwatch forces in any way.
316	CONSPIRACY	Actively conspiring, contradicting, or speaking out against the Combine in any manner.
		Entering a PROHIBITED zone without authorization.
		Aiding or communicating with citizens on a personal level.
422	CAPITAL MALCOMPLIANCE	Directly disobeying an order given by Dispatch or Rank Leaders.
		Accumulating two rank point deductions (-50%) within a set period of time.
505	EVASION BEHAVIOR	Failure to adhere to duty codes during JUDGEMENT WAIVER

Enslaved Vortigaunts

    Further info: Vortigaunts

Enslaved Vortigaunts are conscripts tasked with manual labour tasks such as city sanitation. For this purpose, they may exist outside of residential blocks during scheduled curfew. Biotics may also be used for the transportation of corpses to and from the Stabilization Jurisdiction under the oversight of officers. Enslaved Vortigaunts are subject to a terminal verdict for any violations at or above ANTI-CIVIL ACTIVITY LEVEL FIVE.

Free or un-shackled Vortigaunts are subject to an immediate terminal verdict.

Relationship with City Administration

    Further info: C11 Security Council

Administration, or High Priority Asset, is the term that includes all delegates of the City 11 Security Council and the wider global administration network. These individuals are not members of the civil workforce, but are instead identified by their position in the local cabinet. Civil Protection are not to interfere with their duties at any time without specific directives to do so by Dispatch.

Ministry of Civil Protection

    Further info: Ministry of Civil Protection

The Ministry of Civil Protection is responsible for the liaison between the Civil Protection and the rest of the Security Council. Officials of the Ministry of Civil Protection do this by monitoring the activities of ground units, updating Rank Leaders on directives and mandates, and communicating with the other ministries to prioritize security resolutions.

The Advisor and the Minister of Civil Protection are the only two bureaucrats with direct authority over Civil Protection units and operations, provided that the execution of this authority does not contradict Dispatch.

Ministry of Energy

    Further info: Ministry of Energy

The body responsible for propaganda, Public Management, and workforce quotas is the Ministry of Energy - consisting of a board of Councillors and a Minister. These officials do not have authority over Overwatch operations without prior confirmation by the Ministry of Civil Protection or Dispatch.

Important Controls

F1: Opens the interaction menu
F2: Opens the PDA
/cp <message>: Relays a message in Civil Protection main comms
/pt <message>: Relays a message within your protection team
/code1: Deploys a general waypoint
/code2: Deploys a CODE 2 waypoint
/code3: Deploys a CODE 3 waypoint
/pk <charge>: Character-bans the next person you kill (within 30 seconds)
/kickdoor: Kicks open the door you are facing