The Police: Guardians of Order in Gorean Cities

The "police" function in Gorean cities is not centralized under one uniform organization, but rather is distributed among various official and unofficial bodies responsible for maintaining order, enforcing laws, and providing security within their defined jurisdictions. They are the practical arm of city and tribal governance.

I. Types of Police and Their Affiliations

1. Council Guard: In cities like Port Kar, where a Council holds sovereignty, a Council Guard with a "distinct livery" acts as the city's recognized police force. This suggests a shift from private or Ubar-controlled forces to a body directly responsible to the governing council.

2. Arsenal Police: Specific to Port Kar, the "police of the arsenal" have jurisdiction within the arsenal's walls and handle thieves apprehended after a certain time, indicating specialized military-administrative policing.

3. City Guardsmen: Generic "guardsmen" are common, often identifiable by specific attire (e.g., "white robes with red sashes and scimitars" for the police of Tor). They patrol streets, maintain order, and enforce laws directly.

4. Warrior Societies (Tribal): In tribal societies (e.g., Red Savages, Sleen Soldiers), warrior societies function as "guards and police." They maintain order in camps, on treks, supervise camps, settle minor disputes, and organize/police hunts. This is a form of rotating "police powers."

5. Desert Police: In regions like the Tahari, soldiers "police the desert," funded by "protection taxes" from caravans.

6. Port Police: Specific to port cities like Brundisium, "port police" regulate entry into cities (e.g., denying entry to refugees who "bring nothing to the city").

7. Western Patrols / Naval Police: Specific naval forces (e.g., the Metioche) "police" sea routes, limiting traffic to licensed vessels.

8. Secret Police: Some cities (e.g., Jad) employ "secret police" who conduct covert inquiries and are often feared for their methods, operating under specific officials (e.g., Cepheus of Jad).

9. Assassins (International Police): The Caste of Assassins (the Black Caste) is ironically described as the "nearest thing to an international police force on Gor," subject to "neither the constraints of walls, borders, or Home Stones." This implies they perform enforcement beyond single city jurisdictions.

II. Roles and Responsibilities

1. Maintaining Order: The primary function is to "keep order in the camps and on the treks," "police the streets," and ensure the city is "strictly policed."

2. Law Enforcement: They enforce laws, apprehending criminals (e.g., thieves, individuals suspected of sedition), and delivering them to courts or relevant authorities. They investigate crimes.

3. Security: They function as guards, ensuring the safety of camps, treks, and trade routes. They are loyal to their specific lord (e.g., Lord Yamada's police).

4. Regulation: They control access to cities (port police), regulate traffic on trade routes (western patrols), and enforce rules within specific areas (e.g., a "vineyard" police in Thentis regulating black wine beans).

5. Investigation (Limited): Some police entities conduct "investigations" into various matters.

6. Public Safety: They are responsible for "organizing and policing" hunts, controlling the populace, and generally contributing to public safety.

III. Position and Characteristics

1. Direct Responsibility: Police forces are typically "directly responsible to the council itself" (Council Guard) or their specific lord/ruler (e.g., Lord Yamada's police).

2. Subordinate to High Officials: They receive orders from high-ranking officials and ultimately serve the city's administration (e.g., Administrators, Magistrates, High Initiates).

3. Armed and Trained: Police forces, especially military-affiliated ones, are typically armed (e.g., "spear-bearing guardsmen," Sleen Soldiers with "police powers").

4. Varying Discretion: While some act as strict enforcers, others might exercise discretion (e.g., "vintners" of Thentis who police black wine trade).

5. Perception: They are recognized by citizens (e.g., "police of Tor"), and their presence implies a level of control and authority over the populace. Some are feared (e.g., Assassins).

In conclusion, "Police" in Gor is a decentralized yet ubiquitous function, performed by various groups from formal Council Guards to tribal warrior societies. Their core duty is to enforce laws and maintain order through direct intervention, apprehension, and, often, physical force, acting as the practical arm of a city's or lord's authority within specific jurisdictions.

- Kati Evans