Local Authority
Overview
The Local Authority (or just “Authority”) is the official designation in GATA for local law enforcement, which is overseen by local governments of their districts, who themselves answer to the Second Quorum.
There are Atlan Authority regulations that dictate the general operational principles, procedures and limitations for the Local Authority, however the details of their enforcement styles and cultures varies widely between districts.
Establishing Local Authority
Originating from local gangs and community defense organizations. It's common for kids that grow up wanting to be operators to end up joining the authority when they grow up. The Local Authority doesn't strictly follow in the lineage of the police forces of the Old World and their institutional histories, however they share many practices.
When GATA incorporates new districts, the extant sources of law and order in those communities are deputized by their provisional governments and form the basis of a new, legitimized enforcement arm. Today, the quality of a prospective district's Local Authority plays a much more significant role in its evaluation by the Second Quorum.
Active Operations
The decentralized nature of the Local Authority allows each district to tailor law enforcement strategies according to their unique societal and technological paradigms. Local Authorities overseen by the local government and equipped with ample resources by the Second Quorum.
Local Authorities can request limited access to certain advanced technologies if their District Representative can bend the ear of the AIC Liason for Gate Patrol or Collections resources, or rally the Second Quorum to sign an appeal to the First Quorum for Angelis support, a much rarer affordance.
Local Authority is typically split into a number of Divisions dedicated to a local service area. The Local Authority's jurisdiction ends at the district's Gate and Field Wall. Transgate crime requires coordination with Gate Patrol.
Some tension tends to exist between Gate Patrol and the Local Authority because of the special paradigm enjoyed by Gate Patrol, affording them access to more advanced technology and better intelligence via AIC-related keys.
Cross-district Coordination
The Local Authority can use The System to coordinate operations and share information with Local Authorities in other districts for matters concerning cross-district crimes or larger security threats, but their information sharing is limited by the WPP Act.
Involvement in Gray Zones
The Local Authority doesn’t have jurisdiction within Gray Zones inside their territory, however it is not expressly illegal for the Local Authority to maintain extended blockades when Gray Zones are causing the district issues.
In the event that crime in Gray Zones involves district citizens or breaches of NDA law, the Local Authority is not authorized under GATA law to intervene, however they may choose to request the assistance of Angelis.
Reserve Protocol
When a district is in crisis, a Second Quorum representative can request that other districts temporarily provide additional personnel and material support.
Transferred personnel receive temporary gate keys, and have access to whatever technology is paradigmed in the district to which they are deployed.
Often, Reserves are used for tactical and high-risk engagements in order to prevent the erosion of the Local Authority's community integration. However, this does tend to result in increased mortality, even if they are able to more unflinchingly achieve their objectives.
Crisis Response
The Local Authority plays an important role in emergency response and disaster management, working under the direction of their local government.
Angelis' Rapid Response is often the first responder for the most serious emergencies, but the local authority are the primary support and, after the initial stages, they transition into taking the lead over the medium/long term recovery project.
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