Oolite Bulletins

Why are there cops in anarchies? I wouldn't think a system in anarchy would have a functioning government therefore they couldn't be a member of The Galactic Co-operative of Worlds; hence no cops.

Obviously trying to reimpose order - starting, in true GalCop fashion, with innocent traders who just happen to be carrying urgently needed medical supplies and who've been flagged Fugitive due to a computer mixup...

Remember that the government type refers to the planetary government. GalCop polices a system in a standard manner, hence the fact that there are generally more lawless types floating about in lawless systems because the standard level of policing can't cope with the sheer number of opportunists taking advantage of the world's legal attitude.

Plus, co-operation between the system police and the world's government is important in maintaining levels of control, and anarchic worlds just don't give a monkeys.

Plus, it is really good for promotions. More likely to become a high ranking officer with a higher Elite rating... Well, either that or the other way...

Maybe, they're trying to clock up kills but it seems a dangerous tactic given that the police suck at combat.

The navy are good at finishing off thargoids in witchspace but the local boys are a bunch of numpties as far as I can tell.

Cmdr Monte wrote:

Maybe, they're trying to clock up kills but it seems a dangerous tactic given that the police suck at combat.

The navy are good at finishing off thargoids in witchspace but the local boys are a bunch of numpties as far as I can tell.

They do specialize in the taking out of smugglers and pirates above all else. Which, if you have dabbled in either of those two carreers, you'll find that they can be somewhat effective in that respect.

But you have to remember the make-up of the Galactic Co-operative. Not all of the member worlds have a cohesive government, but still fall under Gal-cop athourity, at least in orbital space. Control over stations is shared between planetside and Gal-cop. They police the trade lanes, and will enforce the law to the best of their ability, but the nature of the governments nonetheless invites the brining in of contraband (and the unsavory types associated with it). The co-op will only rarely interfere with the internal workings of a planet's politics, meaning that though inter-system transportation of narcotics is illegal and will be enforced, they won't stop planets from producing those goods and consuming them on their own. The internal laws and politics of member worlds are their own business.

Ironlion45 wrote:

The internal laws and politics of member worlds are their own business.

Maybe they should be reported to the U.N. threatening trade embargo penalties for transgressors.
No! not the United Nations but the 'Universal' Nations !

Wouldn't that be O.N. for Ooniversal Nations?