Guards

The Guards are the police force of Duntown. They are responsible for keeping the peace and investigating crimes in the city, but do not have the power to detain people for more than a couple of days without judicial oversight.
They also no longer have significant control over the implementation of justice once a conviction is secured, with much of that now falling to Malmeck Industries and the Stonefast Company, who do not officially operate within the city's boundaries.
The Guards on the street are people from within their communities, who know the areas well, and often use personal influence to keep crime under control. This sometimes involves more hands-on community interventions, like facilitating youth groups, securing donations for the poor and finding people jobs. The result of this is that there is little low-level crime in Duntown, but cross-city white collar crime is more difficult for the force to tackle.
Street Guards who show particular intelligence and moral integrity may be asked to join the Detectives, who are based at Canalside. Detectives have the power and most of the resources needed to tackle larger-scale crimes.
The bane of the Sheriff of the Guards is South Armontside, a neighbourhood to the east of the city. It is, in fact, the toughest area of the city and only careful policing by the street Guards maintains a level of 'acceptable' criminality. When heists, murders or rackets are committed, the trail of clues always leads through South Armontside.

Structure

Duntown is not a particularly large or dangerous city. Thus, the Guards are a small force, with one of the city councillors elected every year to be the Chief of Police. There is no term limit on this, and it is very common for the councillors to prefer continuity of service in this role.
While the council and the Chief of Police are in control of the Guards, the most senior member of the force is the Sheriff, and he or she is the one who gives the orders to the rank and file. Below the Sheriff are three Constables Principal, who are senior former Constables. There is one Constable for each council ward, and each may have up to ten guards to keep the peace.
Alongside this force, there are a number of centrally located detectives, headed up by a Detective Constable, who reports to the Sheriff directly.

Public Agenda

Crime is not a hot-button issue in Duntown. This is at least partly because most criminal activity is limited to South Armontside, and rarely troubles the more affluent parts of the city. However, this is treated as a somewhat embarrassing fact, and the Sheriff will often say that "there are no no-go areas in Duntown".
The city council recently voted to place at least part of the criminal justice apparatus in the hands of Malmeck Industries. This move was opposed by the Sheriff and the Constables Principal in private, but not publicly.

History

The history of the Guards comes from the founding of Duntown in the year 0. The first human settlers had built the city as a port town and welcomed humanfolk from all over the world. As a result, many of them were entrepreneurial in bent, and could be found either side of a moral line in the sand. The founding of the city saw the first laws instituted and, immediately with them, the need to keep these laws by force.
It so happened that a company of deserting soldiers who had stole a boat arrived at the port, seeking refuge. The city's first Provost, Provost Laughlin, made a deal with the band of men, making them the first guards, and their leader the first Sheriff. Rather than a tender and a contract, as things would be managed now, they swore an oath. Hence the motto of the force is Pactvm serva - keep the promise - rather than anything about serving the people.

Pactvm serva

Founding Date

1

Type

Government, Law Enforcement

Alternative Names

Porkers

Leader

Sheriff Duff

Leader Title

Sheriff

Location

Canalside