Records

This section is to help you prepare to create records of people. As you RP being a cop you will find you speak to three main types of people. Suspects, Victims, and Witnesses. We need to keep track of these people. Many a times the so called witness might be a bad guy! So here are some things to remember when doing an interview of someone.

Get their IC Full Name, Address, Date of Birth, Race, and Phone number. Now, if they ICly refuse to give it out. "Witness says, 'I don't have to tell you that!'" Kindly.. KINDLY! Remind them that failure to identify is a crime, it can also be obstructing a government official. Tell the character they can go to jail. In a polite manner if you have to. Try being politely insistent IE: "Really. I need to have this information, I can get fired if I don't have it." If being nice doesn't work. Try the threat of arrest and jail approach. If that doesn’t work, then arrest the character, if it fits. That is an OPTION. You don't HAVE to arrest them.

Next we have the fact that Players decided they won't give you the player the information. This pose is a typical reaction to get from a player.

"Witness gives Officer Ewing all that information." Then they leave it at that without whispering the info, or Paging it to you. This is NOT acceptable.

Players have set birth dates, phones etc etc. We need to get them. You will also get pages such as. "Witness pages: I gave you all that information ICly, you don't need to know it." Unfortunately we do need it. If staff must be called to assist getting it, then that is fine. Now they May ICly not say it aloud! They can pose whispering it, and either using whisper code to do it, or posing a whisper and paging it or +mail is perfectly fine. As long as the information is given. Remember just because a player balks at giving such info out does NOT mean they are a Super either. We've seen THAT assumption more than once. Most times it has been because they are Lazy Players. Which brings us to the next step. YOU the player need to put it to a record. There is no reason not to within 24 RL hours. I think that is reasonable.

We've already covered what goes into a Police Report. Well. What does your character ask the other characters? The same thing. When, where, who, what, why etc etc. Now you can use Victims, Witnesses, or Suspects opinions easily in police reports! Just quote it. Within reason. "He did it because he is a fuckwit." No, doesn't look good! But "I think he did it cause I fucked his wife" Yes. This works! It's a motive!

HOW to ask is up to you. Are you the good cop? Or the bad cop! The choice is yours, be aware such choices either way could have consequences! I hope this helps in assisting what you all have for a job description. It seems like hard work. It really isn't. +policehelp Record is your friend! If you DO have a hard time figuring out how to use the records, feel free to page any police staffer or +mail policestaff if you can't get the field to go up. It is what staff is here for. Happy Gaming!