STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
We've covered the basics, and gone over how to determine when somebody's doing something wrong. This section is going to discuss WHAT security is supposed to do once called, and how to go about enforcing the rules fairly and with a positive impact on the RP.
Even the most routine call for security can turn into a true emergency in the blink of an eye. Whenever security is requested to a particular incident, an appropriately sized team will be dispatched by Ops. In most cases this will be two officers (if you're OOCly alone, feel free to also control an NPC partner!), unless backup is requested. The first few moments of an incident are key. The security team should first determine the nature of the problem and request any other resources they might need: security backup, medical teams, engineering teams, etc. From there, things become more situational.
Note: The NPC-Only security response is detailed on the DS13 Information Page. Please refer to
this section for details on how security responds to an incident in the event that no player-characters are OOCly available to RP when security is called.
HEIGHTENED ALERT STATUS
Security's primary duty, at any alert level, is protecting the station and its inhabitants from harm. When there is a station-wide danger or emergency Command will elevate the station's alert status, automatically triggering a number of actions that security takes a direct role in.
At Yellow Alert, additional security teams are called back on-duty and placed on standby. Their primary additional responsibility is to help civilians and off-duty personnel back to their quarters or to the nearest designated shelter areas (all of the usual social RP areas such as the bar and the embassy lounge are considered shelter areas, so we don't usually need to make people move their RP!). Additional security is also likely to be posted around the shelter areas, to keep everyone safe.
Red Alert takes things a step further. In addition to the above, security teams are actually deployed around the station to stand guard over critical systems and to reinforce all checkpoints and guard posts. Security is also responsible for distributing sidearms to on-duty personnel from other departments, as appropriate to the situation.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Often when security is called, tensions are high. Characters may be arguing or fighting or having the worst day of their lives. For security, however, that's the norm. In the face of it, security officers
must remain in control. They should stay calm, professional, and knowledgeable.
In an ideal world, whenever security showed up, everyone would stop what they're doing and follow instructions to the letter. We do not live in an ideal world, nor do we roleplay in one. By the time security approaches, tempers are frayed (or lost) and more often than not characters (and occasionally players) will get defensive.
It's important for security characters to remember that their first line of defense and their most often used tool should be their words. Take charge of the situation, separate those in conflict, and listen to their respective complaints. The
vast majority of conflicts can be resolved verbally and without the need for any more severe actions.
As important as conflict resolution is ICly, it's doubly-so OOCly. We, as players, may not always be entirely happy with a scene's outcome, especially when security needs to get involved. Being mindful of the OOC landscape is just as important as keeping control of the scene ICly. If characters are fighting because
players are fighting, it may be time to call in a staff member to mediate while security calms the IC situation.
ENFORCEMENT / CONFISCATION
In the case of minor infractions, especially those involving prohibited items, this first action of a security officer is actually an OOC one.
Check with the player of the offending character to make sure they are INTENDING to be doing something wrong. Half of all weapon policy violations are because someone simply OOCly forgot to hit the hide weapon button. Similarly in other cases, the player may not have realized that what they were doing would be considered wrong. If possible, you can link them back to the section of this guide that details why. Checking OOCly first gives the player a chance to correct the offending behavior on their own terms, without security's involvement at all. This is not limited to the players of security characters. If you're considering
calling security on another character, you should extend the same courtesy.
Once it's been established that a player intends for their character to be in violation, it's time for security to take action. The initial approach should be polite and informative: Approach the offending character and let them know what they're doing wrong and what they'll need to do to correct it. "Excuse me, Commander. Bolian Frog-Lizards are prohibited in this sector. You'll have to either return it to your quarters or turn it over to security until you're ready to depart the station." Remember: your goal is compliance, not punishment. Most interactions won't go past this stage; the situation will be resolved and (hopefully) the character will know better next time.
In the event of repeat offenders or people refusing to comply with security's instructions, a firmer hand may be required. If the offender is not a civilian, security can attempt to contact their superior officer or
insist upon whatever enforcement/confiscation is necessary. If the infraction is not a threat to public safety, security can also choose not to force the matter immediately and instead simply file a report and allow Command to resolve the situation at a higher level.
The use of force should always be the very last resort, reserved only for the confiscation of items that may pose an actual and immediate danger, and only after the owner has refused to turn those items over willingly.
Once an item has been confiscated, it will be taken to the security office for safekeeping. In most cases the item(s) can be returned upon the owner's departure from the station. If there is any question or the situation is particularly unusual, the decision of if, when, and how to the return of the items can be left to JAG (if the items are actually illegal/contraband) or to command.
DETENTION & ARREST
Security has broad authority to
detain suspects for various reasons. Detention is simply the act of restricting a person's movement. This can be as simple as ordering someone to stay where they are, or confining them to quarters, or even as far as placing them in the brig. Detention is
temporary and
does not require the suspect to be charged with a crime. Being detained does not create a mark on a characters' record, nor does it imply guilt of any kind. There IS a limit on the length of time that a character can be detained without charge, so this method cannot be used to hold people in the brig indefinitely. While we are not going to provide a specific maximum length of time for OOC reasons, it can be safely assumed that this limit is measured in hours. Detaining someone for a prolonged period of time will be considered an abuse of power and dealt with harshly by command.
Once security is ready to charge a person with a crime, one possible outcome is
arrest. Placing someone under arrest is a
severe and formal action with the potential for a lasting impact on the character in question. Arrests are not to be made lightly, or on suspicion alone. A character under arrest must be removed from the scene and placed in the brig. There is no option for 'house arrest'.
Most commonly, security will detain someone for questioning or for safety reasons. After the immediate situation is resolved a decision will be made to either release the suspect or proceed with an arrest. Non-security players please note: attempting to escape detention will almost certainly result in an arrest and the escalation of the situation in a way that does not end favorably for your character.
POST-ARREST
After an arrest has been made, the involved security officer MUST file an AAR. As this is a situation that literally removes a character's ability to RP normally, we also have an OOC responsibility to resolve it as quickly as possible. Command and JAG will review the arrest report and make a series of determinations. While these are
not determinations that security itself will be making, it is important to understand the sequence of events.
The first step is always to determine if the arrest was valid. If security doesn't provide enough detail or evidence or if it appears they acted improperly, it is likely the suspect will be released without charge.
If it appears there is enough evidence to proceed with official charges, the next step is to decide if the accused needs to remain confined in the brig. Unless the alleged crime was violent, the answer here is very likely to be 'no'. Releasing the accused from the brig takes a huge amount of OOC pressure off the players involved, and allows that character to return to social RP while the rest of the process plays out. If the decision is made to release the accused, and if the accused is a member of Starfleet, it will also be necessary to determine whether or not they are allowed to return to duty. In the case of extremely serious (read: violent) charges, the accused may be forced to remain in the brig for the duration of the process.
Finally, Command and JAG will determine the exact formal charges to be levied against the accused. This will usually be delivered with a reprimand notice, detailing a proposed punishment. This notice is, essentially, a plea deal. The accused may choose to either accept the reprimand (and associated punishment) or request a trial by court martial. If a case moves towards court martial, the burden of providing sufficient evidence to prove the accused's guilt will fall largely back on security. This is why it's so important to gather sufficient cause for the arrest and to write a thorough report.