Brytisc Gendarmerie

Brytisc Gendarmerie
File:Brytgend.png Patch of the Brytisc Gendarmerie
Active	1903-present
Country	Brytene
Allegiance	Brytene
Branch	Template:Country data Confederate Brytisc Fleet
Type	Gendarmerie, Mechanised Infantry, Special Forces
Role	Infantry
Size	33,021
Garrison/HQ	Lundene (HQ)
Nickname(s)	The Whites, Snowtroopers
Motto(s)	Security and Liberty

Security and Liberty - Motto of the Gendarmerie

The Brytisc Gendarmerie is a branch of the Confederate Brytisc Fleet in charge of public safety and police duties among the civilian population in Brytene. It also contains a military police force and a special forces component (SRF) and has a strength of more than 33,000 personnel.

The Gendarmerie works alongside regular police units to provide armed support, crowd control, and counter-terrorist services, though it is officially a branch of the military.

Rank and structure

Rank

The Gendarmerie uses the same ranks as the rest of the Confederate Brytisc Fleet. However, the commanding officer of the Gendarmerie is a Commissar (OF-7) and is subordinate to the Rihtgemot.

Structure

Officially, the Gendarmerie is organised into 18 regiments of approximately 1,400 each, with the rest of the staff being support and administrative staff. In reality, the Gendarmerie operates in company-sized units which are suborned to the local police force, where they are used in specialist roles such as riot control, counter-terrorism, armed response, and other duties.

History and tradition

The Gendarmerie was originally formed in 1904 during the First Atlasian Great War, as manpower began to grow short and the Admiralty recognised the need to have a trained force garrisoned at home to maintain order and defend against incursions.

The decision was made to split the police force into a mainstream civilian policing unit and a professional, armed force which could perform both as a home guard and as a specialist policing unit.

Since then, the Gendarmerie has focused more on the policing side of their duties, although the Gendarmerie remains a potent fighting force and Gendarmes fought during the Whitebay Crisis. Gendarmes are often used for civilian duties and peacekeeping in the Pepper Atoll region.

Equipment and training

File:Gendarmebry.jpg

Gendarme at Lundene International Airport

The Gendarmerie are known for their blank white armour, giving rise to their nicknames. Designed to increase visibility and make them stand out in a crowd, they are also known for their distinctive helmets, though these are typically worn 'visor-up' to improve public relations.

They are equipped primarily with small arms and less than lethal weapons, and drive modified civilian versions of various military vehicles.

Special Response Force

The SRF is the counter-terrorism unit of the Brytisc Gendarmerie, similar to the GIGN or SAS. Consisting of approximately 300 soldiers across four companies, they are specially trained in hostage situations and counter-terrorism activities.

Weapons

The Gendarmerie utilises primarily small arms, such as the KA-P7 handgun, the TAS-HOGG shotgun and the KA ULC. For dangerous tasks and counter-terrorism, the Gendarmerie also have access to the wider armouries used by the rest of the Fleet, though typically only the SRF need heavier equipment.

Gendarmes also use less-than-lethal weapons such as extendable batons, tasers, and sprays. They also routinely use service animals such as horses and Saxon Elkhounds.

Vehicles

The primary Gendarmerie patrol vehicle is the Rukki Arbitrator motorcycle, but they also use modified versions of the Nihtgenga LAC and the B-IW_Brytisc, outfitted with tear gas, water cannons, and other non-lethal crowd control weapons. They also have access to a limited number of Santana Light Helicopters, and have reserve armouries for use in the event of a national emergency or invasion.