Organized crime in Colchester Landing
Crime in Colchester Landing is rare, with most of the crimes that do take place being so-called “petty-crime” such as pickpocketing. Violent crime is almost unheard of, with the last recorded murder case having taken place in 1920. The reasons for this remarkably low crime rate, only around 800 cases a year, can perhaps be explained by the low population and relatively high police presence. However, while the state today is quite safe and nearly devoid of crime, this was not always the case, and the city historically played host to a great deal of less than savory activity.
History
Prior to the creation of a proper police force, and especially during the city-state’s early days, when the population was a mere fraction of what it is today, it enjoyed a far less glamorous reputation than at present. From the city’s founding in 1763 until its near destruction in the Great Fire of 1777, the town was seen as little more than a port-of-call for passing sailors, and indeed, such was essentially correct. For some 14 years the city played host, in addition to the more honest merchants and travellers which oft passed through, to sailors, pirates and runaways, and during this time many decided to stay and make a life for themselves. These men’s ideas of a life were far from an honest living, and thus developed the many small-scale “dockside gangs” which would plague the city until the creation of a proper police force in 1863.
Foremost among these gangs, and the best known today, were the so-called “Fire Boys.” The Fire Boys were something of a local mafia, in that they offered protection to home and shop owners from the all too common occurrence of arson. For this service, all the Boys required was payment. This payment was generally quite substantial, and made on a monthly basis. Inability or refusal to pay was met with threats of violence, and indeed many cases of assault and murder were believed to have been connected to this group.
With the Great Fire of 1777, which all but leveled the original settlement, and the subsequent rebuilding effort under Governor Leander Hamilton, the city began to turn a new page for itself. Leander was determined to bring his city out from the muck, and to bring to it a sense of culture and education. While Governor Hamilton’s efforts did indeed beautify the city, attract many new settlers and improve the overall opinion and reputation of the settlement, it unfortunately did little to curb the growth of the Fire Boys and other gangs.
In the following 86 years, the gang recovered quickly from the Fire, and soon resumed its prior state of affairs. Indeed, things went on much as they had prior, as the Bellmen continued to patrol the streets, so too did the gangs continue to pester these fire brigade/police officers by the ever perennial threat of arson and subsequent looting.
With the advent of a proper, independent and efficient police force in 1863, the Fire Boys found themselves increasingly limited by the now permanent presence of officers on the streets. During this time, the Fire Boys declined both in importance and in number, many being arrested while attempting to set fires or accost locals. The gang, however, would survive, as members branched into more varied activities, in particular the smuggling of expensive and oft illegal goods.
This would prove a prudent decision, as 37 years later, it would be this very shift which would give the gang its last great resurgence.
In the year 1900, a new governor was inaugurated. This man, Governor Cornelius Fleming, was highly religious. Pious and strict, he hoped to continue the work of Hamilton in uplifting the community, only rather than focusing on the city and its reputation, Fleming sought to focus on the city’s spiritual well-being. In order to do this, he enacted the Public Probity Act in 1903.
By this Act, all actions deemed “immoral” were either heavily taxed or banned outright. One such item which was so banned was the consumption of alcohol. Needless to say, the Public Probity Act did not prove very popular among the people, and many turned to outside sources to obtain these banned items. This resulted in a lucrative black market trade in alcohol, specifically, which the Boys were quick to seize upon. In order to feed the insatiable thirst of the city’s inhabitants, the smugglers bought alcohol across the border in Jafala, and then sold it at inflated prices in Colchester. Due to the risk of punishment if found crossing the border with alcohol (a sentence of 1 year), many were more than willing to pay. This boom for the Boys, however, was short-lived, as the Public Probity Act would prove to be as well. With the end of Fleming’s term, and the coming to power of his successor, the Public Probity Act was repealed, in part due to the widespread dissatisfaction of the people, but also due to the loss of lucrative taxation. Under the new Governor, Olen Remmington, alcohol was re-legalised, although it now obtained a tax.
The coming to power of Governor Remmington was the last nail in the coffin for the Boys and other smaller gangs. Under Remmington, the first official Police Service was set up. This new force proved efficient enough at finding, arresting and halting the actions of the old gangs, that by the year 1960, all but a few had disappeared.
Today, the city-state is thankfully devoid of its old gangs, most of which moved across the border into Jafala. While some still make deals and trade with individuals within the city, none are actively based within it.
While syndicates and gangs are rare within the city itself, Colchester Landing’s reputation as a rich man’s playground, and its low taxes, have meant that many leaders and important members of criminal groups often visit, both as a symbol of status, but also in order to make deals or deposit funds at local banks.
In Popular Culture
The Fire Boys have become something akin to the Mafia elsewhere in the public imagination. Many shows, movies and even video games have been made based on the workings of the various families and the lives of famous gang members. Of particular note are the movies belonging to the “Bloodline” series, the Grand Theft Auto inspired Rising Smoke series of games, as well as the novel series by the same name by author Andrew Heningston.