"Thank you for calling the Philadelphia Police Department. Please hold."
Law Enforcement in Philadelphia provides the very best protection and service that money can buy. Unfortunately, the majority of Philadelphians can't cut such checks. So they have to make do with whatever's left, which is typically late to arrive, uninterested in doing anything more than taking down a report, and if you're very lucky they won't shoot your dog before they leave. Almost since its inception, the Philadelphia Police Department has been marked with scandal, corruption, and controversy. Corruption in their narcotics division has led to the reversal of hundreds of convictions. Philly police officers have been caught selling heroin while in uniform, beating suspects who wouldn't supply them the drugs to sell, and even for using the credit cards of inmates in detention to fund casino nights and exotic dancers.
All of that is recent history. All of it is true. And all of it happened in a world without supernatural forces beyond their ken pulling their strings from behind a veil of eldritch power and dread secrecy.
In the real world, all cops are bastards. In the World of Darkness, that would be a compliment.
With all that said, there are those who join the force with the hope of creating positive change. Turning in the dirty cops, making clean busts, improving life for their community and its citizens. They are few and far between, and rarely long for the force. Such individuals face a constant uphill battle, a relentless unmerciful slog against a strong headwind of community mistrust, governmental neglect, and deeply entrenched white supremacy and corruption.
Philadelphia has many street gangs. One of them wears the badge.
Rules and System
Status in Law Enforcement reflects affiliation with the Police force in some capacity. The following list is by no means exhaustive and is intended as a guidepost.
Status 1: Patrolman, Dispatcher, Resource Officer
Status 2: Detective, Sergeant, SWAT Officer
Status 3: Watch Lieutenant, Detective Sergeant, Internal Affairs
Status 4: Precinct Captain, Detective Lieutenant
Status 5: Chief of Police
Members of law enforcement are assumed to have access to the following equipment. Bolded items are required to be carried by officers while on or off duty.
1 service sidearm. Either a Light Pistol, Light Revolver, or Heavy Revolver.
1 badge. Badges are numbered and required to be carried, if not universally displayed.
1 alternate sidearm or compact alternate sidearm, personally owned. This must be reflected as a Heavy Pistol, or a snub nosed revolver reflected as a Light Revolver.
1 Kevlar Vest
1 Police Cruiser, SUV, or unmarked sedan. These vehicles come standard with a radio, road flares, and a shotgun.
1 Shotgun
Ammunition for the service sidearm, alternate sidearm, or compact alternate sidearm. Department issued only.
1 Night Stick
1 Pepper Spray
1 Taser
1 set of handuffs.
Joining the Sphere
There are some limitations to which spheres can join the Law Enforcement sphere. Changeling does not permit application into the sphere as a Lost character who is a police officer, bounty hunter, warden or other correctional officer, or prosecuting attorney. This is not a complete list and may be updated at any time, but should give a good idea of what is not permitted. 2.0's Clarity rules make a Changeling police officer of the law a practical impossibility.
Aside from that, however, a vampire would have trouble working the day shift, and a werewolf would have difficulty keeping his cool while being yelled at by Antifa as he guards the perimeter of a Proud Boys rally, but these are complications to membership, not outright barriers. If you intend to join the force in play, or enter play as a member of the force you will be asked to put some thought into how you meet the obligations of a 40-60 hour work week backing the badge in addition to the responsibilities of your other template.
No individual may enter play with law enforcement status higher than two. If an existing character enters law enforcement while in play, it is possible to enter directly at status two depending on what position they are entering.
Private detectives are not considered to have Law Enforcement status and are not subject to these considerations.
Officers are expected to have the minimum requirements:
Other skills, attributes, and merits are beneficial to the job but are not tested requirements.
Theme and Society
Philadelphia Police and its District Attorney's Office are seen in modern days as being at odds with one another. The DA's office is mouthing the words of restorative justice, of cashless bail. It cites the corruption within the Philadelphia Police Department when pushing for outcome based sentencing and more humane policing practices. Meanwhile, review of officer involved shootings are lagging years behind, even as the Philadelphia PD is experiencing one of the lowest periods of officer involved shootings in its history.
Calls to the Police Department for any sort of non-emergency can take hours-- sometimes days --to see a response from the Police. Drivers have taken to using dash cams to chronicle the accidents that may take place rather than hope that an officer will show to document the events of a car crash. There's really only one way to ensure the police will even turn up when called: discharge a firearm, or donate heavily to political campaigns. At least in certain neighborhoods. The Main Line never has to worry much about police response, while the people of Kensington hide their children and pets when the cruisers make their infrequent jaunts through Philadelphia's streets.
Paradoxically, there's always more than enough overtime in the budget to fully staff events, escort parades, and guard demonstrations. Sure, that bike cop has an Iron Eagle tattoo, and that Lieutenant over there just shook hands with the guy from Identity Europa before ordering the clearing of Love Park of all those black clad counter-protesters. But that's just how the sausage is made in Philadelphia. A casing of money and power with a filling of the ground up lives of the poor and the working classes.
And then there's you, officer. Where do you fit in?
