Law Enforcement

Law enforcement in Free City is handled by a network of overlapping and often conflicting agencies, led by the Free City Police Department (FCPD). Other entities include the Port Security Authority, the Internal Oversight Bureau (IOB), and various federal and private contractors.

Despite being heavily funded and militarized, law enforcement in Free City is widely viewed as ineffective, corrupt, and often complicit in the criminal activity it’s meant to combat. In many neighborhoods, especially in The Projects, Delphsthaven, and Chapels, gangs and militias provide more consistent "order" than the police.

Free City Police Department (FCPD)

Established: 1852
Commissioner: Chief Gloria "Iron Hand" Stroud
Headquarters: 100 Precinct Way, Financial District

The FCPD is the primary law enforcement body in Free City, operating over 25 precincts, including specialized task forces and rapid response units. While publicly committed to justice and safety, the department is plagued by:

• Corruption and gang infiltration
  
• Excessive force and unlawful detainment
  
• Widespread use of surveillance and intimidation tactics
  
• Informal alliances with organized crime (especially in Little Rotterdam and Mahogany)
  

Precinct Culture:
Each precinct operates with semi-autonomous culture. Some are known for their brutality (e.g., 7th Precinct, Nawphside), while others are rumored to run side hustles, from chop shops to protection rackets.

Special Units

Maze Task Force:
Specializes in operations within The Maze district and Leak River delta. Known for amphibious raids, drug busts, and violent encounters.

Vice Squad Alpha:
Elite undercover unit targeting high-level narcotics and trafficking rings. Accused of multiple civilian deaths and false flag operations.

Skull Division:
Allegedly disbanded in 2019 after human rights violations, though sightings persist. Operates in shadow ops, blackmail, and wet work.

Street Peace Teams:
Community outreach cops with mixed results; often used as cover for intelligence gathering.

Internal Oversight Bureau

The IOB was founded as an independent watchdog agency to investigate police misconduct and government corruption. While legally empowered to arrest officers and subpoena records, the IOB struggles with:

• Underfunding
  
• Political interference
  
• Mysterious "disappearances" of whistleblowers
  
• Alleged infiltration by gang affiliates and rogue agents

Only a few cases have led to real convictions. Most high-profile corruption trials are quietly dismissed or sealed.

Port Security Authority (PSA)

Free City’s vast and chaotic shipping industry is overseen by the PSA, a semi-private agency responsible for customs, maritime law, and port security. The PSA has been accused of:

• Collusion with smuggling operations
  
• Turning a blind eye to human trafficking
  
• Housing private prisons in dockside warehouses

The PSA operates largely independently from the FCPD and is rumored to take direct bribes from cartels operating out of Free Bay.

Tactics and Militarization

Free City police are known for heavy-handed tactics, including:

• Use of military-grade weaponry (APCs, drones, tear gas)
  
• Facial recognition cameras on most public corners
  
• Night raids in gang-dominated neighborhoods
  
• “Voluntary” interrogations in the Central Lock-Up (The Hold)
  

Bodycam footage is routinely edited or goes “missing.”

Community Relations

Trust between law enforcement and the community is at an all-time low. In many districts:

• Residents refuse to call the police, even for violent crimes
  
• Gang-affiliated organizations run “street courts” and conflict resolution circles
  
• Protest movements such as Justice for Nawph and The 99th Assembly have formed in response to police killings and mass arrests
  

Police reform initiatives often fail to pass the city council or are gutted before implementation.

Controversies and Scandals

• The Chapels Firefight (2016): A botched drug raid led to 9 civilian deaths and no indictments.
  
• The Black Badge Leak (2021): A whistleblower released documents revealing secret police blacklists, illegal wiretaps, and ties to La Famiglia.
  
• Operation FOGWALKER (2023): Undercover officers staged crimes to justify larger budgets; led to internal firings but no prosecutions.
  
• The Saintless Files (2024): Involved the disappearance of key witness Malik Hassan; alleged complicity of precinct commanders and federal agents.

Private Contractors

Due to high attrition and burnout, Free City increasingly relies on private security firms such as:

• RedShield Security (operates Prison Isle)
  
• Vanguard Ops (riot suppression & protest control)
  
• Atlas Risk Group (bodyguards for political figures and CEOs)
  

These firms operate with minimal oversight and often use deadly force.

In Popular Culture

Free City's law enforcement apparatus is portrayed as both feared and farcical in media. From rap lyrics to viral videos, police brutality and corruption are everyday topics. Shows like Blue Code, Dead Precinct, and Nawphside Vice have glamorized the moral decay and trench warfare of Free City policing.