Standard Operating Procedure (Blackshield)

Blackshield Standard Operating Procedure

General Duties

The duties of Blackshield are first and foremost the protection of the colony and its citizens above all else. Blackshield personnel are to be on standby in the event of, but not limited to, pirate attacks, hostile dangerous fauna sightings, disappearance of the prospector team members or colonists, disappearance of mining team members, or the presence of hostiles groups such as excelsior, smugglers, or a hivemind.

All Blackshield personnel MUST be:

• Able bodied, or suitably supplemented. (For example, in the case of muteness must carry and be adequately able to operate a TTS device.)
• Low to Medium security risk.
• If serving any active sentence for a crime, must be non-violent or acquire permission from Blackshield High Council office to remain in service.

All Blackshield members should adhere to these procedures:

• When serving in Blackshield, you are serving the colony as a whole. What is for the best of the colony should be kept in mind, rather than what benefits you individually. Putting the colony as a whole at risk, or acting in one’s individual benefit, are grounds for dismissal.
• Blackshield personnel are to act professionally while on the job. This includes when dealing with operations at the gate. Blackshield’s Commander, as well as the on-duty Sergeant, may apply disciplinary action upon those who fail to act in a proper and professional manner that violates SOP. These punishments include demotion to docking personnel’s pay.All Blackshield personnel, when in the field or in any form of combat, are required to be kitted in proper armor. This armor is to be kept on their person, either worn or in their bag, at all times.
• All Blackshield personnel are required to be armed at all times. Blackshield personnel must be ready to use their armaments against any hostile forces. Non-lethal ammunition or firearms may be used, but lethal ammunition must be had on a member of Blackshield at all times.
• Orders from the Commander and Sergeant, in that order, are to be followed where possible, unless doing so breaks colony law. Violating a law knowingly by the order of one’s superior officer is not a legal defense and will make the Blackshield personnel aiding a culprit themselves.
• Blackshield personnel may request new equipment at the discretion of their Commander or Sergeant. In the case neither is available, a Supply Specialist or Warrant Officer may be requested to supply said equipment from the Blackshield armory if deemed an emergency.
• Blackshield personnel may not sell or loan their issued gear for any means. Any and all gear issued to a trooper is to be returned either to the armory or their department locker effective immediately.
• Blackshield personnel are to mainly handle external security, such as at the gates, perimeter, or operations within the colony’s surrounding jungles or deep-maintenance. Blackshield personnel are not to infringe upon other colonist’s jobs due to idle time.
  • For example, while a Corpsman may provide medical aid to those injured, if Soteria personnel are available the Corpsman is to hand all injured colonists within the colony over to Soteria personnel for professional treatment immediately. Similarly, Blackshield personnel may not infringe upon Marshal activities unless required to, or given permission to do so. Etc.
  • Blackshield may volunteer to aid other departments when idle, but must drop what they are doing upon orders from a Sergeant, Commander, or declaration of an emergency.
• Sergeants may impose temporary sanctions (not permanent demotions or firings) to Troopers and Corpsmen found to be in violation of SOP or law, but must consult with their Commander if present. If not present, the Sergeant may demote but must inform the Low Council of the demotion.
• Sergeants imposing sanctions must follow Sanctions procedure, found within General SOP.

Gate & Deep Maints Operations

Due to close contact with Prospectors and other personnel, as well as being the main entrance to the colony, the Gate and the Fence are important to protect, patrol, and operate around. The gate is also the one place where the Blackshield retains full law enforcement authority.

All colonists are covered by the Right to Leave in General SOP. Colonists may be searched as a condition to leaving if deemed necessary by personnel. Colonists also have a right to reentry at any time, but are required to be searched for contraband before reentry.

A gate log is to be kept of those leaving incase of medical emergency. Their name, destination location, rank, and job are to be recorded if the outgoer consents. Colonists are not required to supply this information, having a right to leave the colony at any time within reason - as stated in General Standard Operating Procedure’s Right to Leave policy.

• When manpower is available (3-4 active (Non-SSD) Blackshield staff), the gatehouse is to be manned by at least one Blackshield member in exemption for combat operations or breaks, which in the case of breaks should be within a reasonable amount of time.
• Calls for gate operation should be answered and handled in a timely fashion.
• Marshals can be requested to fill in for temporary periods of time in the case of external operations or training. Marshals doing so are required to adhere to this section of SOP.
• The gate is to remain bolted on both sides at all times when troopers are present. When people arrive, unlock the side they are on and allow them to come through, then bolt the door again to allow them to be searched without fear of their running away.
  • The gate may be bolted when no personnel are at it. However, upon being called to it by a colonist the gate must be unlocked and the colonist permitted entry within 5 minutes maximum of their call to the gate. Failing to do so means colonists may let themselves in, be it through hacking the door or other means, if Blackshield do not do so. Right to Enter is a right.
• Colonists leaving through the gate, or announcing they are entering deep-maintenance, are to be reminded to turn on their suit sensors or take a death alarm implant. Blackshield personnel may not enforce this standard, but are required to advise it.

Gate Logging

All returning colonists should be noted down in this same log, as well as any incoming outsiders who have been granted entry by the Low Council. While entering all colony personnel, including Blackshield personnel, are to be searched in the gatehouse area for contraband. Colonists are to be given the chance of entering to declare any contraband on them and turn it in; if the colonist does so the contraband is to be confiscated but the colonist is NOT to be charged for its possession. Finding anything the searched person didn't announce is considered valid grounds to charge them with a §106 or §206 depending on the severity of the item in question.

Gate log forms can be found here. All people entering and exiting should be logged on a new line each time.

• The Form should show the name of the individual or group members leaving, their intended designation and a rough estimate of their return time.
• If a colonist lacks equipment such as armor, weapons or refuses to put on suit sensors, this should also be noted.

Blackshield personnel, similarly, have authority over deep maintenance operations and medical evacs pertaining to deep maintenance. While deep-maintenance is part of Blackshield jurisdiction, it may similarly be utilized by Marshals if believed to be used in a crime. Marshals may also aid Blackshield personnel in their operations within deep maintenance due to being both an internal and external security issue.

• Marshals entering deep maintenance, or aiding Blackshield personnel in Blackshield deep maintenance operations, are to adhere to Blackshield orders.
• Security forces are to operate in close proximity in deep maintenance due to its unknown nature and horrors lurking with it. Deviation from legal orders while in deep maintenance, no matter the reason, will lead to the permission of deadly force used against you and forceful detainment.
• If available, Blackshield are to coordinate deep maintenance operations with either a psionic user of its own ranks or seek aid from a Soteria empath. Other psionic colonists may be taken in as temporary volunteers at the discretion of the Blackshield department.
  • Active members of the church likewise should be consulted if Blackshield feel it necessary to prevent mental breakdowns or provide comfort to the Shield force due to the horrors of deep maintence.

Relationship with Colony Companies & Departments

Blackshield has various relationships and expectations with the different companies and departments found within the colony itself. These expectations and responsibilities will vary depending on individual interaction.

Blackshield responsibilities with Marshals:

• Blackshield personnel, curing any emergency, are to cooperate with the Marshal department. Defense teams organized by Blackshield and Marshals are to keep in professional communication with one another and work together.
• Blackshield may assume the role of internal security if no Marshal officers are present or if active Marshals request or permit aid. Blackshield are to act alongside Marshals if requested and if within their jurisdiction.
  • Blackshield must follow Marshal SOP regarding arrests and prisoner rights when acting as internal security. Failure to do so will result in various charges dependent on violation.
  • When aiding in a legal matter, such an arrest, Blackshield personnel must listen to Marshal officers. Sergeants can not pull authority over a Marshal officer, regardless of job or pay grade.
• When performing internal security work troopers should endeavor to keep at least one non-lethal capable ranged weapon(Generally your martin should suffice). Though shield are not required to hold any more than this single gear they are reminded that Marshal SOP is to be followed when acting as internal security and use only necessary force. As per Marshal SOP, Suspects who offered armed resistance or non-compliance while brandishing weapons may be met with all available force.
• Contraband confiscated by Blackshield is to be turned over to the Marshal department. An exemption, however, is explosive contraband - if not used in a crime. Explosive contraband may be kept by Blackshield if recovered and placed into secure storage. All other contraband is to be turned over or placed in Marshal evidence lockers effective immediately.

Blackshield responsibilities with Prospectors:

• Prospectors hold the right of salvage in designated regions outside the colony. See Salvaging Rights for specified areas. The Foreman, however, may permit Blackshield to join them on expeditions or issue a permit to Blackshield to clear areas for them. Payment or salvage may be negotiated between the two teams.
• Blackshield are not to take salvage from locations covered in the colony’s Salvaging Rights claims. Blackshield may, however, use the space teleporter north of the trash beacon and retrieve salvage from maintenance.

Blackshield responsibilities with Soteria:

• Blackshield personnel, such as Corpsmen, may not assume a position over a Soteria recovery specialist, Soteria medical doctor, or Soteria researcher, if they are active and available. All injured personnel are to be handed over to them.
• Blackshield personnel, such as Corpsman, may offer to fill in for Soteria if none are present or if requested directly by Soteria.

Medical Evacuations & Shuttle

Blackshield personnel are expected to perform evacuations in the field, or from deep maintenance, if a colony member is incapacitated, killed, or otherwise in life threatening danger. Blackshield are the frontline-defense of the colony and must keep its inhabitants in mind, including their safety and well-being.

• By default all colonists opt-in to allow for medical evacuation if they are injured, incapacitated, killed, or endangered. Colonists may only opt-out by directly stating to Blackshield at the gatehouse they do not wish to be retrieved if they are incapacitated or killed. Blackshield are obligated to aid any colonists in dire need outside the colony.
• Colonists who refuse to take safety precautions when leaving through the gate or to deep maintenance, such as refusing to state their destination, turning on their suit sensors, or refusing to get a death alarm implant, surrender their inherent right to be rescued by Blackshield by medical-evac.
  • Blackshield may still do such medical-evacs if they choose to, but are by no means obligated to do so if the personnel requiring an evac is negligent or uncaring about safety precautions as highlighted.
• Upon rescue by medical-evacuation, the rescued colonists are to be charged 800 per-person. Additional fees may be applied within reason as well to cover Blackshield expenses, including ammo, medical supplies, or injuries sustained by Blackshield during the operation.
  • Blackshield personnel found to be unfairly charging rescued people exorbitantly are subject to charges; such as a 205 Extortion charge. All fees are to be charged at the behest of a Sergeant or Commander, if available.
  • Rescuing someone directly outside the gate house’s door, or directly inside the gatehouse, does not count as a medical evacuation.
  • Medical-evaced colonists are to be stabilized and brought to Soteria medical, if medical or research staff are around and capable of providing treatment. If Soteria recovery specialists are active, the patient should be handed to them at the gate immediately for treatment. In the case where Soteria staffing is not capable of doing so, the Blackshield triage center may be used.
• If the Medical Evacuation shuttle is used by Blackshield personnel for recovery of a colonist, it is to be clearly and publicly announced that the shuttle is leaving. All Blackshield personnel are required to inform their department of where they are heading to using the shuttle before departure.
  • The Medical Evacuation shuttle is also permitted to be used by heads of staff at low council discretion, or by Soteria personnel if announced in a timely fashion.
  • The Medical Evacuation shuttle is found directly north of the Blackshield gatehouse, right near the colony’s entrance. Other shuttles may be requisitioned by Blackshield, but only in the case of a code blue or red emergency and requires low council permission.

Blackshield Armory

Similar to the Marshal armory, the Blackshield armory consists of two parts. The barracks room, containing the lathe and ammo, and the secure armory back room. The front room is considered to be a normal Blackshield room that can be accessed by Blackshield personnel as needed. The secure armory behind the blast doors is the Blackshield armory, being considered a secure room - just as the Marshal armory is.

• The Blackshield armory can be accessed by both the CO and the Sergeant, holding specialized armaments and ammunition for field actions. This gear is there to be issued when required for combat purposes or in cases of emergency. All gear within it should only be issued to Blackshield personnel and should be returned to the armory at the end of the shift.
• While the Premier, Marshal WO and Supply Specialist have access to the Blackshield armory they are not to use said access unless in an emergency situation or upon the request of Blackshield personnel over security concerns. Even when accessed by either person the issued equipment may not be issued to anyone but Blackshield personnel. Violation of this can result in either 411 or 508 charges levied against the offender.
• The Blackshield armory falls under the jurisdiction of the CO. If no CO is present, authority over the Blackshield armory falls to the Sergeant. The CO may also delegate authority over the issuing of gear from the armory to the Sergeant.
  • Equipment from the Blackshield armory may be loaned to the Marshals by a CO with paperwork.
• Equipment may be traded from Blackshield’s teleporter or armory at the discretion of the Commander or Sergeant, if no commander is present.
  • Trades are not to be for monetary profit however; only for a trade of goods or supplies equal or greater than the item traded.
  • Blackshield may, however, provide the Marshal Supply Specialist or Warrant Officer items to sell for the joint department account. All money is to be deposited in the joint account upon sale.