Komarran Security Force
Law enforcement and policing on Komarr is conducted by the whole Komarran Security Force (KSF, also known as KomSec) at three different levels: planetary, sectoral and Dome level. The KSF operates as a general level which encompasses all police forces and provides some other services. Socially, the police operate on behalf of the governing structure (both central and local) and have a limited local (pepole's) mandate.
The Imperial Representative Department of Justice and Public Order is responsible for the law enforcement duties at all levela, although the planetary government itself does not exercise general police powers, but only planetary-level police matters. If a non-planetary crime is committed in a Sector and the fugitive does not flee the Sectoral lands invading the terraforming or planetary lands, the planetary government has no direct jurisdiction. However, once the fugitive crosses a Sectoral, Terraforming or Planetary-reserved boundary is subject to planetary jurisdiction.
The Dome police forces are responsible for enforcing all laws within their own Domed City and very immediate vicinity; the Sector police forces are responsible for enforcing sector law within their own sector, but excluding Domed cities within the sector itself. The planetary police are responsible for the investigation of crimes against planet-wide law which occurs throughout Komarr, regardless wether in Domes or outside. The planetary police also have responsibility for a community policing role (similar to the dome police) in territories subject to the direct administration of the planetary government. All levels of police co-operate on or transfer cases between each other depending on the specific circumstances.
Every Sector has their own nomenclature for agencies, and their responsibilities and funding varies from Sector to Sector, as every Dome has their own Security Service, although all three levels are gathered into the Komarran Security Forces, which is responsible for recruitment, training and deployment of senior ranks, as well as funding and general management of common resources, such as personal equipment and heavy weaponry. The whole security system is overseen, managed and run by the Komarran Security Department, a branch within the Komarran Corporate Board, alongside the Komarran Immigration Services.
The planetary police also provide liaison officers to various posts to assist in relations with the other police forces of the Barrayaran Empire, as well as providing community policing officers to assist in the development of local law enforcement agencies in operations participated by Barrayar.
History
After Komarr's surrender in 2896, occupation authorities retained the prewar police structure until a new system was implemented. The new police system was decentralized. Several independent municipal forces were established in domed cities and towns, and a Planetary Police was organized by Sector. Military control was to be ensured by placing the police under the jurisdiction of Security Commissions controlled by the Central Security Commission in the Office of the Military Governor.
When most of the occupation forces were redeployed after the Komarran Revolt in 2905, a Central Police Reserve was formed with retired soldiers to back up the ordinary police during civil disturbances. The 2898 Police Law was amended in 2906 to allow the municipal police of smaller communities to merge with the Planetary Police. Under the 2990 Police Law, a final restructuring created an even more centralized system in which local forces were organized by domed cities and Sectors under a Komarran Security Force. While the planet-level operational branch is administratively distinct from the whole Komarran Security Force, their top leadership is organized in order to form a close group: the Deputy Director General of Police Services Komarr is always the Inspector General of Police (Head of PPS). Most recent reform proposals advocate for a further centralization, merging the Planetary Police Service with the Komarran Security Force.
Komarran Security Force
The Komarran Security Force is directly subordinated to the Imperial Representative on Komarr but it is operated by the Department of Justice and Public Order of the Komarran Board. The head of the K.S.F. is the Director General of Police Services, Komarr, ranking Actual State Councillor, who in turn is assisted by the Deputy Director General of Police Services Komarr, who ranks State Councillor, 1st class.
The Komarran Security Force handles administrative matters in order to support subordinate police services, as well as administrations and other departments exercising oversight over extra-system transit matters and the Police Tactical Groups.
Administrative Support Division
The Administrative Support Division takes care of administrative matters, both for the whole Komarran Security Force and for the subordinated services. In particular, the Division is tasked to handle the Education and Training Centre, the Heavy Logistics Department, the Personnel and Legal Affairs Department, the Procurement Department and the Komarran Crime Information Centre.
Komarran Crime Information Centre
The mission of Komarran Crime Information Centre is to reduce terrorist and criminal activities by maximizing the ability to provide timely and relevant criminal justice information to the law enforcement, criminal justice, civilian, academic, employment, and licensing agencies concerning individuals, stolen property, criminal organizations and activities, and other law enforcement related data. The KCIC is operated in coordination with the other security institutions: ImpSec, MoPIL, SOCA.
Transit Security Division
Transit Security Division is a branch of the Komarran Security Force; they are responsible for analyzing tansit security and crime patterns throughout the Komarran System as a whole and investigate all issues concerning shipping and commerce between Authority-controlled planets. Transit Procedures had two branches; Piracy and Smuggling. The Division works in close contact with the Space Surveillance Command.
Police Tactical Groups
Police tactical groups (PTGs) are part of the 2977 General Anti-Terrorism Plan which requires the Komarran Corporate Board police force to maintain its own specialised counter-terrorist and hostage rescue units alongside the Internal Troops. The Police tactical groups are established in order to prevent any general rebellion and the intervention of military forces. The PTGs are a paramilitary complex, made of relatively small independent units (one Police Tactical Group every major Dome, which serves also neighbouring Domes) which are trained to conduct urban guerilla warfare. In case of war, they are transferred from Komarran Security Forces to the Imperial Service.
PTGs are police assault units established to respond to high-risk situations which are beyond the scope or capacity of everyday policing. PTG officers directly support operational police in incidents such as sieges with specialist tactical, negotiation, intelligence and command support services.
Rank structure
The Komarran Security Force uses a standardised set of ranks in all its levels of service. The various levels - planetary, sectoral and local - are symbolized by the secondary and piping colour, on the blue uniform:
- Planetary service: Yellow (Orange in formal wear)
- Sectoral service: Dark Red
- Dome service: Purple
- Komarran police - dome.png
Dome police service uniform
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Sector police service uniform
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Planet police service uniform
Planetary Police Service
Planetary Police Service is the planetary and main branch of Komarran Security Forces; "The Police Service", as it is also known, possesses full imperial authority as given to them, gathering all law enforcement departments with planetary jurisdiction. Civilian space stations and crimes and offences committed in the planetary system are under Planetary Police Service jurisdiction. All PPSK departments are limited to investigating only matters that are explicitly within the power of the planetary government.
The role of the Planetary Police Service is to enforce both Imperial and Komarran criminal law and to protect Imperial national interests from crime on Komarr. The PPS is, through the KSF proxy, among the Barrayar's interstellar law enforcement and policing representative, and the Komarran Government's chief source of advice on policing issues. The PPS provides community policing services to the Solstice's government complex, as well as at major Komarran spaceports, and on board of the civilian space station in the Komarran System. Planetary agents are based in each Sector capital city and form the largest component of the PPS staff, chiefly performing criminal investigative duties.
PPS staff is considered as Agents and Officers both of Judicial Police and of Public Security (depending on rank) in relation to the planet-level areas of responsibility, in physical areas where the Planetary Police Service provides local police activiities (Solstice's government complex, spaceports under PPS surveillance and space stations) and when providing support to the Sector and Dome police forces. In all other cases, they are only considered as Agents and Officers of Public Security. Officials in command of the police services in physical areas under the responsibilità of the Planetary Police Service is considered being a Second Level Authority of Public Security, as well as an Officer of Judicial Police (whatever the rank may be); these Second Level Authorities of Public Security depend on the Inspector General of Police (Head of PPS), who is a First Level Authority of Public Security only for what concerns PPS local police affairs.
PPS Organization
The Planetary Police Service is headed by an Inspector General of Police, ranking State Councillor, 2nd class. Under him there are some Chief Inspectors of Police, in charge of the central divisions and of the PPS Uniformed Division, and Senior Inspectors of Police, each in charge of a field office in a large and sprawling dome metropolis. The Planetary Police Service is organized into thirteen central divisions with investigations duties:
- Criminal Investigations Division;
- Behavioural Analysis Division;
- Drug Trafficking Division;
- Firearms, and Explosives Division;
- Organised People Trafficking;
- Serious Major Fraud Division;
- High-tech Crime Division;
- Multi-jurisdictional crime;
- Fugitives Division;
- Money Laundering Division;
- Organised Crime Division;
- Terraforming Protection Division;
- Food&Drugs Criminal Division.
Behavioural Analysis Division
The Behavioural Analysis Division (B.A.D.) is a central department of the Komarran Security Force for the analysis of violent crime that uses behavioural sciences to assist in criminal investigations. The mission is to provide behavioral based investigative and/or operational support by applying case experience, research, and training to complex and time-sensitive crimes, typically involving acts or threats of violence. Despite being a Planetary Police Service unit, the B.A.D. provides support also to Sector and Dome police forces.
PPS Uniformed Division
The PPS Uniformed Division is the uniformed security police division of the PPS which is tasked with protecting all facilities, properties, personnel, users, visitors and operations related to the central government from harm and may enforce certain laws and administrative regulations. The Uniformed Service is also responsible for providing central Special Warfare&Assault Tactics squadrons (which are clearly distinct from the PTGs and are specially trained to intervene in high-risk events).
Sector Police Services
All Sectors operate sector-wide police forces. They may are called "Police Service - SECTOR NAME". Sector police are a police body unique to each Sector, having sector-wide authority to conduct law enforcement activities and criminal investigations. In general, they perform functions outside the jurisdiction of the Dome Security Office, such as overseeing the security of the Sector capitol complex, protecting the Imperial Sector Representative and local officials, training new officers for local Dome police forces, providing technological and scientific support services, and helping to coordinate multi-jurisdictional task force activity.
All of these agencies are under the Sector Department of Public Safety, which is the Sector-level oversight body dependent on both the Komarran Security Forces (and its Director-General) and on the local Imperial Sector Representative. Additionally, they may serve under different departments. Within the Sector Police Service there is a Sector Investigative Office (SIO), a sector-level detective agency. They are plainclothes agencies which investigate both criminal and civil cases involving the state and/or multiple jurisdictions. They also provide technical support to local agencies in the form of laboratory or record services. The SIOs investigate all manner of cases assigned to them. All Sector Police Services maintain a Rural Manhunt Squadron, in order to chase and track down fugitives in the difficult environment outside Domed cities.
Sector Public Safety Bureaus
The Sector Public Safety Bureaus are the operational branches of the Sector Departments of Public Safety in their capacity of subordinate elements of the central administration of the K.S.F. Each Bureau exercises necessary control and supervision over and provides support services to prefectural police within its jurisdiction, under the authority and orders of the Director General of Police Services Komarr.
Each Sector Bureau is a branch of the central administration of the Komarran Security Force, and it is is organized similar to the central administration, being led by a Director. Attached to each Sector Police Bureaus is a Sector Police School which provides police personnel with education and training required of staff officers as well as other necessary education and training. They are located in Sector capitals; the Solstice Dome Police is excluded from the jurisdiction of the Solstice Sector Bureau.
Dome police
Dome police have dome-wide jurisdiction. They provide the full spectrum of police services to the entire Dome and its nearest territory. Dome police forces, named in several ways, have primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within their own Dome. Because Domes are often huge cities, Dome police forces have a broad array of specialized services. However, political security is strictly carried out by ImpSec, which acts separately from Dome Police corps. Most Dome agencies take the form (Dome Name) Police Department, with larger communities typically having larger departments with greater budgets, resources, and responsibilities.
Dome police forces are structured into numerous bureaus and units. As a whole, each police force is headed by the Head of Dome Police Service, a police official appointed by the Governor, with the senior assistants titled "Chief of Department". The Dome Police is tipically divided into ten bureaus, six of which are enforcement bureaus. Each enforcement bureau is further sub-divided into sections, divisions, and units, and the whole service is divded into into boroughs, precincts, and detective squads. Each Bureau is commanded by a Chief of Department (such as the Chief of Patrol Department and the Chief of Housing Department). There are also a number of specialized units that are not part of any of the Departments and report to the Head of Dome Police Service.
Strategic Response Group
The Strategic Response Groups are the high-security units of the Dome Police Service. They specialize in rapid mobilization, responding to city-wide mobilizations, civil disorders and major events with equipment and trained teams. Each SRG maintains order by implementing effective crime and crowd control strategies. The SRGs conduct high-security deployments in conjunction with other units based upon information provided by the Imperial Security and they are tasked to identify and suppress terrorist surveillance of targets through mobile deployment teams, as well as to respond quickly and decisively to terrorist incidents or threats. Each Strategic Response Group can be deployed to precincts and zones as designated by the local Chief of Patrol Department to supplement patrol resources or other needs.
Straegic Response Groups are not designed, equipped nor trained to carry out urban warfare tactics of any sort; in these cases, they operate as a reserve force for the Police Tactical Groups.
Private security
While the general and overall security is one of the primary tasks of the Komarran Corporation, security and intelligence structures set up by private individuals have always been common and widespread. The Corporation is the main actor in the security field, but there are no obstacles to the existence of private security structures governed by the law: the structures of private security are economic entities that provide complementary services and subordinates than those offered by the Corporation.
The main administrative authority is the Private Security Division, within the Department of Justice and Public Order and under the overall supervision of the Komarran Security Force, with planet-wide jurisdiction. At the Department are established:
- The Planetary Register of Private Security Agents;
- The Supervisory Boards;
- The Technical Committee of Examiners;
- The Administrative Office.
The profession of Private Security Agent is reserved for subjects of the Empire, who have fulfilled the draft obligations, who can demonstrate the psychological and physical suitability, who have not been convicted for violent crimes and are enabled to the use of stun guns. In case of necessity, private security agents may be mobilized and pressed into public service by a Viceroy's Decree. Each private security agent has to choose among the four allowed qualifications: Private Security Officer, Private Security Guard, Private Protection Officer and Private Investigation Officer.
The Private security agencies conduct their business by making use of the uniforms approved by the Administrative Office. These uniforms follow the same pattern and the same cut, but differ in the personal identification marks and in the institution for which the activity is pursued. During the conduct of anti-theft and/or investigative services, agents are exempt from having to wear the uniform, although they must bear an authorized badge.
Qualifications
Each private security agent has to choose among the four allowed qualifications: Private Security Guard, Private Security Officer, Private Protection Officer and Private Investigation Officer. All of these qualifications has a specific range of fields of activity, and it is earned by passing an exam. All private security agents must undergo a double PPS/ImpSec background check and body recording (Retina, DNA, palm print, etc.).
Private Security Guards and Officers
Those of Private Security Guard and of Private Security Officer are complementary qualifications, because both are tasked with guarding goods, properties or facilities, but they do differ in permissions and abilities required, as well as in powers granted to holders of the licenses.
The Private Security Guard is the lower of the two qualifications and it is that it is more easily obtained. A Private Security Guard is unarmed and must wear a distinctive and approved uniform. The main purpose of this type of private security agent is to provide security and to observe-and-report. A Private Security Guard license requires 19 hours of classroom based training. This course may be taught by any licensed company directly to new hires, insofar the teacher has the Private Security Guard or Private Security Officer license. At the completion of the course the candidate must pass a multiple choice exam. The license must be renewed every 5 years.
The Private Security Officer is the higher of the two qualifications; a Private Security Officer openly carries a stunner or other strictly non-lethal security tool and may also carry a baton, etc. Private Security Officers also must wear a distinct and approved uniform and can at no time conceal their weapon while on duty and/or in uniform. The main purpose of this type of private security agent is to actively prevent and deter crime. Observe and report is a secondary function and the Private Security Officer is to actively protect the clients and property in accordance with clients procedures as well as sector/planetary law. The Private Security Officers may be granted powers (upon request and authorization) to carry out internal police protection as privately paid law enforcement officers. A Private Security Officer requires a 133-hour course. The training for this license consists of classroom based learning, defense tactics, handcuffing, and stunner training. At the completion of the course the candidate must pass a weapons proficiency test and a multiple choice exam. This license requires the previous Private Security Guard course to be completed first. This course may only be taught by a licensed Private Security Officer instructor working under a licensed security training school. The renewal is subjected to the submission of renewal fee and proof of completion of a 19-hour re-qualification class taught by a Private Security Officer instructor under a Private Security Officer training school. The re-qualification course requires completion of a multiple choice exam and a weapons qualification. This is done every two years.
Private Protection Officer
A Private Protection Officer (also known as a "bodyguard") is a type of private security agent who protects a person or people — usually public, wealthy, or otherrwise important figures — from danger. Most important figures are protected by several bodyguards or by a team of bodyguards. Less-important figures, or those with lower risk profiles, may be accompanied by a single bodyguard who doubles as a driver. In order to earn a Private Protection Officer qualification and license, an individual must pass an exam consisting of general and personal law, as well as of technical-operational matters; PPOs in plain clothes MUST conceal their stunner. The license must be renewed every five years.
The role of a Private Protection Officer consists mainly of planning routes, pre-searching rooms and buildings where the client will be visiting, researching the background of people that will have contact with the client, searching vehicles, and attentively escorting the client on their day-to-day activities. Private Protection Officers often work long shifts in order to provide 19-hour protection, and shifts often include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Since Private Protection Officers follow their clients throughout their daily activities, the work locations may range from indoor office meetings or social events to outdoor rallies or concerts.
Private Investigation Officer
A Private Investigation Officer (also unofficially known as "private investigator") is a Private Security Agent who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Many agencies specialize in a particular field of expertise. Companies offering investigation services must also hold the appropriate business licence and all their operatives must hold individual licences. In order to earn a Private Investigation Officer qualification and license, an individual must pass an exam consisting of general, penal, privacy and personal law, as well as of technical-operational matters. The license must be renewed every ten years; if a former policeman aims to get this qualification within two years from his or her termination of service, he or she may avoid the initial exam.
Many private investigation officers work with attorneys and lawyers, or work as insurance investigators who investigate suspicious claims. Collecting evidence of"bad behaviour" by spouses and partners is one of the most profitable activities investigators undertake. The tracing of absconding debtors can also form a large part of a P.I.O.'s work load. Other PIOs, also known as corporate investigators, specialize in corporate matters, including antifraud work, loss prevention, internal investigations of employee misconduct, the protection of intellectual property and trade secrets, antipiracy, copyright infringement investigations, due diligence investigations, datasphere criminal activity, and computer forensics work.
Private investigators can also be used to perform due diligence to help family affairs; in case of arranged marriages (increasingly common on Komarr due to the growing Barrayaran-originate immigration) they perform preventive information activity, most often on behalf of the bride's parents, but also depending on a Baba.
Some other PIOs, mostly employed by the Courts themselves or by the prosecutions, act as professional witnesses where they observe situations with a view to reporting the actions or lack of them to a court or to gather evidence in antisocial behavior.
Private security hierarchical levels
All authorized private security operators must be organized by their own companies into organic groups, directed by appropriate managers. Managers are recognizable because their substantive professioal title denotes their branch, their seniority level and their company (e.g. "PIO Supervisor - Serifosa Consulting Company"). Seniority levels are granted by apposite examinations held by the Technical Committee of Examiners and each level has its own duties and responsibilities. It is to note that such levels are substantive titles, regardless the position within the security company: so in a small company an Head Instructor may be the operations manager, while in large companies this position is usually held by an operator having the qualification of Security Manager or even Senior Security Manager.
- Agent;
- Agent (more than 15 years of service);
- Group leader;
- Instructor;
- Head Instructor;
- Supervisor;
- Superintendent;
- Security Manager;
- Senior Security Manager.
Planetary Register
Operators who are listed in the Planetary Register are admitted to practice all over the planet, based on the qualification obtained. Access is subject to the passing of the relevant planetary successful examination at the Technical Committee of Examiners.
The Central Supervisory Board, the Sector Supervisory Boards and the Dome Supervisory Boards are responsible for verifying the eligibility conditions and the administrative proper operation and to guard against the improper exercise of the profession of Private Security Agents. The decisions of the Supervisory Boards can be challenged in the hierarchy; against the decision of the planetary council of the professional associations may be submitted to the Komarran Corporate Board.
Technical Committee of Examiners
The Technical Commission of Examiners receives applications for admission to the examination required to obtain a qualification and prepares examination sessions at its headquarters. The Commission consists of nine members, each with a professional qualification corresponding to his/her field of the examination.
Administrative Office
The Office oversees the administration of all agents listed in the Planetary Register, as well as the activities of all offices and committees that make up the department itself. In particular, it takes care of the Planetary Register and preserves the statutes and regulations of each component of the organ department. The Administrative Office also provides for the issuance of the Official Badge and print ID cards.