Guards

As the name implies, guards are Licentia's, um, guards.
Due to Zero's antagonism towards law enforcement, there are very strict regulations on this particular job although exact restrictions vary depending on the commune. For instance, all members of Taqfleck are forbidden from doing more than 35 (previously 25) hours a week of guard work. The most famous restriction on guards in Taqfleck is the Vampire Rule, which states they cannot enter a dwelling unless invited.
The vast majority of guards are present on their respective commune's outskirts. Guards are also present in common areas and wandering about, but are strictly forbidden from using guns on members of Licentia except to prevent murder. In most circumstances, only guards on the outskirts are armed. Non-infected are strongly discouraged from working as guards for their own safety but not forbidden. Internal guards usually patrol the neighborhood they are a part of.

Career

Payment & Reimbursement

Members of Gadsden are compensated for their shifts with rations. In fact it was because of this that the total number of hours guards can work per week was increased in Taqfleck, as Gadsdens are not eligible for food distribution and therefore must either work this job or get a job outside the commune to support themselves. Members of other neighborhoods in most communes get no compensation. However, the Boston commune uses labor vouchers, and thus this job is compensated like any other.

Perception

Purpose

Externally, guards provide defense from non-infected who want to attack the commune, although nowadays this role is sometimes performed by Licentia's military instead. Internally, guards are called when anti-social behavior cannot be resolved without a third party or if a non-infected is attacked by an infected in a RAASC (Rumase-Associated Altered State of Consciousness). Guards also provide protection to people who fear violent retaliation in Licentia, such as victims of domestic violence. (Licentia expels members who have committed domestic violence, but while that investigation is pending both parties may file for protection.)
Large communes have a hotline number that can be called to request a guard escort at night and the Tramfleck system often has a guard assigned to the late-night routes.
Guards are forbidden from performing investigations unless they are small enough to be outside the scope of Licentia's legal system, such as figuring out which person in an apartment building is for whatever reason hoarding the vacuum cleaner (although the Vampire Rule might make such an investigation difficult). They are allowed to contribute to an investigation by providing eyewitness testimony.

Social Status

Because money is not used in Licentia and essentially all necessities are provided, theft and related crimes are rare, so in stable communes they have a reputation for just dealing with belligerent drunks.

History

The first guards were in Taqfleck. When developing this role, Saoirse "Zero" D'arcy was careful to avoid creating what she refers to as red cops, but also feared total decentralization might lead to mob justice and "that other bullshit in the late 60s." Further complicating matter is the fact that Taqfleck had to operate in land in California "and if there's one thing California hates it's when the underdogs have the guns."
Guards used to be forbidden from patrolling their own neighborhood to prevent neopotism, but this was repealed not long after Salvo's food theft incident, as guards from Salvo were being violently targeted by people from other neighborhoods. The current ideology is the opposite, really: People know their own neighborhood best and therefore ought to be in control of how it is guarded.

Operations

Tools

White body armor helps guards stand out and indeed that is usually what they wear while on-duty. They are prohibited from wearing this body armor while off-duty. "Undercover" guards do not really exist as they cannot perform investigations. The extent of weapons that they carry, if any, depends on local rules and norms.

Type

Public Services

Demand

Rates of violence within Licentia are relatively low in stable communes, but as acts of violence against infected is common, they are quite necessary at the outskirts.

Legality

Because they are so visible and are often the first thing seen at the entrance to a commune, Licentia takes care to make local guards operate in a manner that is congruent with local laws.

Used By

• Licentia