Riot Control

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Introduction

Riots are much less common than the burglaries, homicides and alien attacks that Security deals with on a regular basis. However, with enough time spent playing Security Officer or Warden, chances are you will encounter a situation where a riot has broken out or there is a chance of crowd-control measures failing. Knowledge of Legal Standard Operating Procedure, Space Law, and the Guide to Security are essential to handling this. Because Security can be easily overwhelmed by large groups, especially if officers are spread thin addressing other crimes, it's important to act with extreme caution. For the love of Space Jebus, don't run in with your baton, or start throwing flashbangs till half the crew is blind/deaf.

You Will Need

The bare minimum gear required will be your HUD glasses, flash and pepper spray, armor and helmet, and extra bolas and zip-ties. Riot helmets and shields are useful when the situation is escalating or there are assailants targeting Officers or station property. The taser plays less of a role than in normal arrests, but may come in handy for self-defense or firing disabler beams through windows. Riot Suits will offer extra protection from fists, knives, and tools, but will impede your movement significantly and will be seen by the crowd as getting ready for a fight. Your Stun baton is best saved in these situations for stunning suspects downed by pepper spray for cuffing.

Relevant Charges and Punishments

The crime of rioting itself carries a sentence of up to ten minutes and inciting a riot up to fifteen, with consideration to whether the actions constitute mutiny . Under Space Law, Rioting is merely participating in an unauthorized, disruptive assembly that has already been ordered to dispersed. Pay close attention to that, Rioting cannot be charged if no order to disperse was not made verbally, over the radio, or via an announcement by the proper authority. However, that also means actions committed in addition to simply being there are separate crimes. Clauses such as Aiding and Abetting and Resisting arrest will likely come into play. The prohibition on crime-stacking still applies

Example:A rioter breaks a window and punches a doctor attempting to render aid to an injured bystander. When the individual whom started the riot and robbed the bartender in the course thereof is apprehended by security forces, said rioter attempts to free him from custody. He vigorously resists arrest. He will be arrested and charged with Inciting a riot(for aiding the original instigator), Battery, Vandalism, Robbery, and Resisting Arrest, for a maximum sentence of forty minutes in the Brig.

Relation to Enemy Activity

Brainwashed Cult members,Shadowling thralls and forcibly-recruited participants in a Revolution all may serve as instigators and participants in riots. They are technically EOCs, but should be handled with the minimal amount of force needed nonetheless. If, however, it become a matter of you or them, drop their asses. Protect the crew and maintain the rule of law. See "Mutinies" below.

Types and Causes

Employment Riots

A more common provocation for disorder is the inability of unemployed civilians to obtain positions or access due to the absence, incapacitation, or refusal of the Head of Personnel or relevant HR authority. The nature of this bureaucratic backlog inherently gives rise to pissed-off crowds of people with nothing to do but cause trouble. Strong security presence and working to placate the crowd by having someone assign them low-level jobs should prevent violence breaking out. Be prepared to arrest anyone attempting to escalate it or provoke security into retaliating against the crowd as a whole.

Keeping the Peace

Crowd Control

There are many situations where numerous individuals will be concentrated in confined areas due to legal orders, physical safety, or otherwise out of necessity. Most often this will be while in the department lounge awaiting the arrival of the NTV Charon, evacuating on the Emergency Shuttle, or during an emergency evacuation to one of the outpost stations. Maintain 100% alertness, uphold all the relevant laws and orders. If there are multiple people attacking crewmen and causing chaos, it is acceptable use flash bangs to subdue them, but to minimum extent necessary, and only as a last resort to save lives.

Preventing Escalation

Don't flash-bang everyone into deafness, you dolt.

Establishing a Perimeter

Areas where windows allow for disabler fire to incapacitate the crowd without closing are ideal. If high security areas are in the vicinity of the riot, have them bolted down. The AI's ability to bolt doors will allow you to block off crowds where needed. Defending areas with Barriers and Portable Flashers can be most easily done in the brig or near the Bridge

Protect Assets; Arrest Later

You are issued HUDs for a reason; breaking formation or opening airlocks to make arrest on-scene is unnecessary. Mark The involved persons "Arrest" with a note that they were rioting, adding additional crime as they commit them, Beepsky will get them later. Remember you're there to disperse the riot with as little force as needed; arresting individual suspects AFTER the riot is broken up is safer for everyone involved.

The Lethal Option

If loss of control appears eminent and valuable crew and assets are in danger, lethal force may be the only remaining tool to curtail the violence short of a shuttle call. This should be applied to the minimum degree necessary to save life and limb and break up the riot, and only then with the permission of the Captain or Central Command. This does not mean field-execute everyone present. That said, if there are armed, organized instigators actively targeting Security or Command, kill their asses dead.