Night City Police Department

Why did I become a cop? Well, when push comes to shove, I like to be the one doing the pushing ... you can push real hard with a Hurricane Assault Shotgun.

 — Unknown cop, Protect & Serve

The Night City Police Department (NCPD) is the primary law enforcement agency of Night City.

History

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2070 - 2076

After the Unification War ended in 2070, the Government of Night City and a number of corporations tried to restart the resort project at the Pacifica district to the south of the city. However, the established local community fought back to keep them out from what they considered their new home. Both the BARGHEST and Voodoo Boys led the efforts to keep the authorities out, each controlling a small area of the ruined district. Further attempts by the NCPD to kick them out were met with full scale riots that lasted for weeks. Fearing that clearing the area would end in a bloodbath, then-chief of police Ramos ordered the forces to withdraw from the most resistant places. In 2072, an NCPD task force was expelled from Pacifica by the local groups organized by the Voodoo Boys, with the gang soon becoming the de-facto authority in the western area of the district. Soon after, on October 17 of that same year, the precinct at Coastview was officially disbanded by Deputy Commissioner Claudia Feldman — with the full support of Mayor Lucius Rhyne. This resulted in the district being recognized as a combat zone, as it was easier to contain it than solving the problem.

In 2076, Mayor Rhyne planned to cut costs, and labeled the NCPD as not "profitable" enough. With a proposition to privatize the force, the PD was soon after transferred to private ownership. The former chief of police was replaced by a dataterm sales executive known as Jerry Fawlter, who prioritized money above everything else. He fired half of the officers, reduced patrols, and ordered beat cops to prioritize writing tickets instead of stopping or solving crimes. The reorganization also involved a drones-for-cops replacement program, charging citizens 5€$ per minute to make 911 calls, and strengthening partnerships with privatized prisons. All these changes only worsened Night City's crime rate, while at the same time the private security services exponentially increased. By the end of the year, the NCPD was no closer to becoming profitable and getting its debt under control.

2077

By 2077, apart from Pacifica, the NCPD rarely travelled to the Northside Industrial District of Watson due to the overwhelming level of violence and criminal activity there. Most of the city suburbs were also poorly secured, as the PD was spread too thin to maintain overwatch, instead leaving security to local groups such as 6th Street or corporate cops. The Badlands were not patrolled at all, as this region was outside of the city limits, instead leaving its safety to private contractors which were allowed to shoot to kill anyone involved in suspicious activities. The safest neighborhoods in NC were at City Center and Westbrook, while Heywood, and the remainder of Santo Domingo and Watson ranged from moderately to dangerous. The PD maintained a threat level system to keep Night Citizens informed about the unsafe districts.

Around early-mid 2077, when the NCPD's capitalization dropped 17% from its levels in January, the Mayor's Office began considering an alternative solution to what was termed the "police problem": hiring firms from the corporate security industry to police Night City instead. With the appointment of Commissioner Fawlter, the Police Department had remained outnumbered and occasionally outgunned. Most cops had lost faith in their thankless job, and an atmosphere of apathy and corruption pervaded the whole department. Police officers also had to "play by the rules" (most of the time), so their mortality rate was relatively high. Due frustration born out of powerlessness and overextension, it wasn't uncommon to see a number of officers reacting with brutality and aggression, or even corruption. This in turn resulted in a negative public opinion. Nevertheless, a few cops still wholeheartedly believed in defending the ordinary citizen and making sure the concrete jungle didn't fall into complete chaos, as for them a gun was still a tool to protect and serve. However, for every one that believed their badge meant something, chances were their partner or boss were unethical, instead favoring the megacorps whom hold the real power in Night City. Any crimes related to corporations and their shady businesses were removed from police jurisdiction sooner or later, leaving cops to deal with petty crimes, gruesome murders, riot control, or gang activity.

Even if underfunded and understaffed, the PD of 2077 still had the resources of a small army, with armored vehicles, AVs, and all types of weaponry at their disposal. Any willing officers were a danger for most gangoons, who were either arrested, or executed if they refused. Plus, MaxTac — the NCPD militarized force — was still one of the most dangerous organizations in Night City, with their funding remaining a priority due to their visibility and reputation gaining points for public relations. However, the cyberpsycho-specialized police was perfectly fine with collateral damage as long as they accomplished their objective. A major sponsor of the NCPD around this time was Night Corp, though other important corporations like Militech or Arasaka also put their interests in the Police Department expecting something in return. On the other hand, whenever police officers had difficulties with their job due to a corp, politician or gang, oftentimes they recruited mercenaries to help in their investigations, especially when it was outside of their jurisdiction. To increase its effectiveness and reduce the mortality rate of officers, over the years the department petitioned the Night City Council to enact policies that grant it more legal authority and protections. As of 2077, NCPD officers had several extreme procedural abilities, including: officers may detain individuals without bringing charges against them for up to one year; shooting an individual in a limb is regarded as a warning shot, not a usage of lethal force; vehicles that do not immediately pull over when flagged for a traffic stop may be fired upon; and collateral damage, including civilian deaths, is (unofficially) permissible when using lethal force to neutralize a cyberpsycho.^{[citation needed]}

Database Entry (2077)

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NCPD

The Night City Police Department – the law enforcement this city needs and deserves. Now, they say the best way to know a city is through its police force. The NCPD is an underfunded, underequipped, understaffed organization where every officer puts their life on line each day. It's no surprise then that most badges in the NCPD have lost faith in their thankless jobs. An atmosphere of apathy and corruption pervades the department, while many officers on the street react with brutality and aggression due to the stress and nature of their work. Nevertheless, some badges still wholeheartedly believe in defending ordinary citizens and making sure the urban jungle doesn't descend into complete chaos. For them a badge still means something in this city and a gun is still a tool to protect and serve. Run into one of these zealots and most gangoons will get on their knees, hands behind their head. Refuse, and they're almost certain to get a bullet. Of course, like everywhere else, real power is held in the hands of corporations. The police force's official sponsor is Night Corp, but the NCPD is also beholden to the interests of Arasaka and Militech. Oftentimes, when official investigations get stonewalled, the NCPD will hire mercenaries on the sly to obtain evidence in areas under corporate jurisdiction that forbid any police presence. None of that changes the fact that when people are in trouble, they call the NCPD, who arrive on the scene to protect and serve to the best of their abilities.

Divisions

Patrol

The Patrol Division is the backbone of any modern police force and is the largest division within the NCPD. The primary purpose is to efficiently distribute police officers who are tasked in patrolling any given sector to enforce the law and reduce crime, of which there is a lot. The Night City government is constantly giving more resources and manpower to the patrol division mainly due to the dangerous nature of the role and the rise in crime.

Beat Patrol

Beat cops are the boots on the ground and are tasked with patrolling their designated sector. In years past beat cops typically patrolled alone, but due to the rise in crime they now go in pairs. They have to respond to any threats from gangs, corporate shootouts, riots, drugs, psychos and your everyday disgruntled citizen. Once a shift starts, they are on their own and are expected to deal with the majority of incidents alone, unless it calls for the cavalry.

Traffic Patrol

Traffic is considered a lame job; the lowest on the totem pole and typically given out as punishment by a higher up. Their role is primarily to enforce traffic laws and the traffic flowing. Nobody particularly likes traffic cops, not even other cops.

Cruiser Patrol

Cruiser Patrol is a step up from the standard beat cop. Known as the black and white, they drive a police outfitted vehicle and typically assist beat and traffic cops on their patrol of a sector. The largest and most populated cities have an increased number of these patrols. When compared to beat and traffic, cruisers have the luxury of being sat down in the warm, and behind some thick sheet metal. Cruiser patrol is a little more dangerous simply due to the high profile and large target of a car.

Airborne Patrol

Airborne provides aerial patrol and surveillance services for the city using helicopters, gyros, and aerodynes. While they are equipped with the latest in aircraft machinery, the Airborne Patrol is basically a support branch. They can get anywhere they are needed quickly, but their low numbers and high demand means a lag time in response. Higher priority crimes are always dealt with first.

Investigation

The investigation division is much smaller than that of the Patrol division, but is seen as a step up. This department carries out all criminal investigations within Night City, and detectives often come across some of the more brutal crimes carried out. Due to the nature of the investigations, uniforms are rarely (if ever) worn, and many regulations are often waived. Officers are often assigned vehicles and special equipment, and is common for them to come into direct contact with dangerous criminals. While they don't need to patrol the streets, detectives must know them better than the average cop.

Vice

The Vice department primarily deals with narcotics with an emphasis on trafficking, possession and distribution as well as prostitution, gambling and weapons crimes. The majority of cases are undercover work, with Vice cops possibly spending months at a time infiltrating dangerous gangs in the worst parts of the city. They are usually outfitted with a variety of cybernetics that deal with infiltration and surveillance.

Robbery

The robbery department deals with all things theft, and covers armed robbery, burglary, auto theft, grand larceny, fraud, counterfeiting, and embezzlement. Money and resources are poured into this department due to its dealings with high-value crimes. Members spend the majority of their time dealing with paperwork, and some are known to go undercover when high-value heists are suspected. More often than not they are seen racing to the scene of a robbery, guns drawn and aimed at the perps' still inside.

Homicide

Homicide deals with everything from mass-murder to aggravated assault and the ever growing corporate murders. Homicide detectives can deal with up to 50 murders in a single day in Night City and, as a result, many are cold and distant, and some have developed psychological issues of their own. With increasing violence from gangs, crime syndicates and the corporations, Homicide is very busy and more often than not the crimes go unpunished due to the lack of evidence.

Special Investigations

The Special Investigations unit, also known as S.IN. deal with more large scale and serious crimes that include multiple departments or even LEDiv's. Crimes involving mass murder, corporate espionage, wide-spread organized crime, high profile kidnappings, and counterfeiting. Shocking or brutal murders are covered by the S.IN. when regular departments struggle to solve the case. Other divisions within the police tend to dislike the S.IN. due to them receiving more money and often taking complete control of an existing case.

Tactical

The tactical division is there for when the talking stops, which is quite often in Night City. They deal with high-risk situations such as hostage rescue, riots or cyberpsychos. They are trained in all types of Situational Response, including anti-terrorism and urban clearance activities. Its officers are all uniformed with the best gear and vehicles the police department has to offer. The nature of their work means that if they cannot deal with a situation, it becomes a problem for everyone.

S.W.A.T.

Special Weapons and Tactics are a rapid response unit trained to deal with high-risk situations and heavy weapons. Teams consist of 10 highly trained and well equipped members. They typically use their own custom tactical police vehicles, and are loaded with as many combat oriented cybernetics as they can handle. SWAT officers typically deal with hostage rescue, heavily armed shootouts, sieges, and security for high-profile targets.

MaxTac

Main article: MaxTac

MaxTac (or MAX-TAC) is the C-SWAT team of Night City. Its SPAR (Special Purpose Assault Rescue) units are a step above SWAT and deal primarily with cyberpsychos and the most dangerous crimes in the city.

Riot

The Riot team are on-call 24/7 and are the non-lethal equivalent of SWAT. They are trained in non-lethal procedures, though accidents have happened, and might happen again. They are known for crowd control sealing off entire city blocks just to successfully disperse all the rioters. The NCPD has a policy: if you don't want to get hurt, don't riot.

NetSec

The Net Security Division (also known as NetSec or NETSEC) provides an enforcement, monitoring, and information service on areas of the Net within a specific city. While NETSEC's main priority is to track down the most dangerous and daring criminal netrunners, they also provide all other sections with up-to-date information straight out of the Net. Not all municipalities have a NETSEC; many rely on the services of NetWatch, the International Net Security organization. Besides monitoring for illegal netrunning, NETSEC also performs its own information search runs-NETSEC runners often provide valuable information on suspects or corporations (which can lead to a conviction). This is rare, but cops will know a great deal more about their suspect after a netrun details all his affairs... NETSEC officers tend to be somewhat highly-strung, and are allowed into NCPD without Academy training. NETSEC monitors prospective operatives and recruits them, deputizing them in a similar way to CorpCops. These individuals then become officers within NETSEC with access to top level software and hardware, allowing them to become even more proficient in their chosen area of netrunning.

Internal Affairs

The Internal Affairs Division (IAD) is the bane of most police officers; its job is to investigate officers suspected of committing gross misconduct in the pursuance of their duties, or who are corrupt, dangerous, or perform other activities which either abuses their position, or endangers the Department as a whole. Experienced investigators, IAD officers are selected for their ability to sniff out when a cop is "bad."

IAD is not well liked by other divisions. They have the ability to turn an officer's life upside down on the mere suspicion of illicit involvement. An officer under investigation by the IAD may be suspended, or worse, and there is always a stigma involved as your partner and buddies wonder if you really are a dirty cop.

Administration

Admin Div is manned mostly by non-cops: secretaries and other desk jockeys performing most of the administrative duties of the police department. While it is possible to transfer to Admin, nobody really wants to, unless they've had a real good scare or have been seriously wounded. Admin positions, unless very high up, hold little or no prestige among other officers.

Notable Members

Main article: Night City Police Members

Leadership

Commissioners

• Commissioner Ramos (unknown (2071))
• Jerry Fawlter (2076 - present)

Deputy Commissioners

• James Teal (unknown (2020))
• Claudia Feldman (unknown (2072))

Precincts

Main article: NCPD Precinct (disambiguation)

Equipment

Late 2070s

The Night City Police Department has access only to basic or outdated equipment that is generally insufficient for their needs, due to being consistently underfunded and expected to turn a profit. Some officers resort to obtaining better equipment at their own expense. Cutting-edge weapons and gear on par with what corporations lavish on their security forces and contractors is usually reserved strictly for MaxTac. One exception to this is the recent procurement of some Militech Centaur exoskeletons for a few lucky Patrol Division officers (alongside a number of examples for MaxTac), a belated response to the increasingly dire crime situation caused by the current NCPD Commissioner's (not to mention the City Council) disastrous policies.

Weapons

The Night City Police Department has a threat level code "B2B" which means night city police are equipped with "Automatic Weapons". By 2077, the Militech M-10AF Lexington serves as the sidearm of NCPD officers. They also use the Saratoga, Ajax, Constitutional Arms M2038 Tactician and Defender, and Nokota D5 Copperhead.

Armor

The Night City Police Department has a threat level code "B2B" which means night city police are equipped with "door gunner to metal Gear" (SP 25)

Technology

In 2077, the Night City Police Department is armed with Militech Minotaur mechs which can be seen around the city. They also utilize Militech Wyvern reconnaissance drones which arrive first to the scene of a suspected crime in progress. Zetatech Bombus drones (also used for reconnaissance), Militech Griffin combat drones, and Robot R Mk.2 patrol robots are also part of the post-2076 NCPD inventory, all part of Commissioner Fawlter's infamous drones-for-cops policy.

Vehicles

2077

• Archer Hella EC-H i860 NCPD Enforcer
• Brennan Apollo 650-S Scout
• Chevillon Emperor 720 NCPD Ironclad
• Militech Behemoth
• Militech Hellhound "Man o' War"
• Militech Manticore
• Thorton Merrimac MSP3 Dreadnought
• Villefort Cortes V6000 NCPD Overlord
• Zetatech Atlus