ORICHALCUM UNIVERSE SIDEBAR: United States Federal Patrol

[Johnny1A.2]

UNITED STATES FEDERAL PATROL

In my Orichalcum Universe, several decades from now, much of the Federal-level law enforcement apparat has been reorganized into an organization called the United States Federal Patrol (USFP). Among the former organizations that have been folded into the USFP are the FBI, ICE, ATF, DEA, TSA, and most other Federal law enforcement groups. A few exceptions exist, including the Postal Inspectors and the Coast Guard.

The USFP has multiple functions, as might be expected considering the variety of organizations it either absorbed or replaced. In some ways, it functions in relation to the USA as a whole in the same way that State Police forces do to individual States. There is a uniformed branch that makes up the majority of the USFP personnel, analogous the uniformed officers in metropolitan police. Uniformed USFP personnel perform the large majority of all enforcement duties, including border security, enforcing Federal law domestically, enforcing Federal court orders, immigration enforcement, etc. The USFP also provides emergency services of various sorts.

The USFP also has an investigatory branch that performs most of the former investigative functions of the former FBI. They are usually not uniformed, and have access to enormous resources. Most of the investigative personnel are former uniformed USFP personnel, but a few are recruited directly from other organizations. This branch of the organization contains some specialized subgroups, for tasks such as quarantine enforcements, intelligence cooperation with UNISA or other intelligence services, or specialized financial investigations.

The United States is divided territorially into six Patrol Regions, of varying territorial size. All States lie entirely within one of the six Regions, but from time to time the Regional divisions change in an effort to keep the populations of the six Regions approximately comparable. There also a Territorial Region, which is comprised of all U.S. non-State Territories. All off-planet non-State possessions of the USA fall into the Territorial Region for Patrol purposes.

As with all Federal executive branch organizations, the USFP is ultimately answerable to the President, usually through the office of the U.S. Attorney-General. Actual organization command of the USFP is in the hands of the Commissioner of the USFP, and eight Deputy Commissioners, one for each Region plus the Deputy Special Commissioner, all of whom are appointed by the President, subject to Senatorial approval. In theory, the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners serve for as many five-year terms as the elected officials wish to reappoint them, in practice there is a very strong customary imperative against any one person holding any of these offices for more than two terms. Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners can be dismissed at will by the President.

Below the Deputy Commissioner level, the Patrol becomes organizationally complicated. Along with the seven Regional Commands, there are also Special Commands, which cross Regional boundaries for special purposes. In theory, there is a clear division of responsibility between the Regional and Special Commands, in practice there is often rivalry and friction. The various Special Commands are supervised by the Deputy Special Commissioner.

The Patrol Regions, and their headquarters cities, are:

• Region 1: East Coast (New York City, New York)
• Region 2: Upper Midwest (Chicago, Illinois)
• Region 3: Upper South/Gulfcoast (Memphis, Tennessee)
• Region 4: Texas/Great Plains (Houston, Texas)
• Region 5: West Coast (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• Region 6: Off-planet States (Tycho City, Armstong)
• Region 7: Territorial Command (St. Louis, NCD)

Congress mandated that the State Regions should be of 'approximately' comparable population, but as of 2100 Region 6 is still much smaller than the others in population. Region 6 is all full States of the USA not located on Earth, and their combined population is still relatively small in 2120. Region 7 actually has a combined population larger than that of Region 6, though many of these are to be found in the U.S. New Capitol District at Saint Louis.

Each Patrol Region has a headquarters city, where the respective Deputy Commissioner and headquarters complex is to be found. The overall Patrol command headquarters is to be found in Saint Louis, along with the Territorial Region HQ. The four off-world States of the Union comprise Region 6, which is headquartered in Tycho City. Alaska and Hawaii are part of Region 5, Nunavut is Region 2, and Panama is Region 3.

Theoretically, USFP jurisdiction is only in the United States or U.S. territories, including enclaves such as U.S. embassies and consulates. In practice, foreign polities sometimes permit the USFP to operate in their territories on a case by case basis, or by mutual treaty agreements.

To be continued...

[Johnny1A.2]

UNITED STATES FEDERAL PATROL continued...

REGION 1: 'East Coast Command' circa ~2120 A.D.

States: Maine, New England (formerly Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island and Providence Plantations), New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, and Carolina (formerly North Carolina and South Carolina).

Regional Headquarters: New York City, New York
Subregional Headquarters: Boston, New England; Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Charlotte, Carolina)

Population: ~275 million

Deputy Commisioner: Alfred Norlen

Patrol Region 1 is the most populous single Patrol Region, and economically the wealthiest. It also has a substantially higher rate of Federal crime than any other Patrol Region as of 2120. Region 1 has the largest number of Patrol personnel of any Patrol Region.

Patrol Region 1 Command is also responsible for enforcing customs and immigration law and maintaining controlled substances interdiction in the busy Atlantic seaports of the coast. For that purpose Region 1 maintains a subforce of personnel permanently stationed at each major port, specializing in precisely these tasks.

In 2120 as now, New York City is major world-wide financial center, and so the Region 1 Command has a large contingent specializing in financial crime and stock fraud and related matters.

Patrol Region 1 Command also provides coordination to the Territorial personnel assigned to the sparsely populated New Isles off the Atlantic Coast.

To be continued...

[warellis]

Honestly I think this consolidates some agencies that are better off left alone to be specialized in their fields.

[Johnny1A.2]

Originally Posted by warellis

Honestly I think this consolidates some agencies that are better off left alone to be specialized in their fields.

There are plenty of people in and out of government in 2120 who would agree with you. It's still being vigorously argued about decades after the event.

In practice, some of those agencies sort of still exist, within the overall Patrol structure, in the form of groups of Patrolmen specializing in those areas.

[Johnny1A.2]

UNITED STATES FEDERAL PATROL continued...

REGION 2: 'Midwestern Command' circa ~2120 A.D.

States: Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nunavut, Ohio, Sylvania (formerly peninsular Michigan), Wisconsin.

Regional Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois.
Subregional Headquarters: Indianapolis, Indiana, Kansas City, Missouri.

Population: ~230 million

Deputy Commisioner: David Selite

Patrol Region 2 is considered by many to be the 'quietest' of the Regions. Though it certainly has its share of criminal activity, it pales next to Region 1. Still, Region 2 is economically important and the Chicago/Great Lakes area has more than its share of violent crime by any standard.

Chicago has reclaimed its place as the second largest metropolitan center in the USA in the early 22C, and is also second only to New York City as a financial center in America. Thus Region 2, like Region 1, addresses a substantial amount of financial crime, and there is a special liaison office between NYC and Chicago addressing just this issue.

Region 2 is also home to the largest agribusiness and food service companies in the United States, and the Region 2 Patrol is assigned primary responsibility for 'food security' issues in the event of war.

Region 2 also faces the long northern border with Imperial territory, and it is responsible for most of the American law enforcement on the Great Lakes. Since this often overlaps with military matters, the Region 2 command liaises heavily with the War Department and UNISA. Since Nunavut is also Region 2, and is faced with Imperial territory on its borders as well, this adds to the complications. Between Superior and Nunavut, and the Great Lakes, international tensions often affect Patrol policy in Region 2.

REGION 3: 'Southern Command' circa ~2120 A.D.

States: Arkansas, Florida, Gulfcoast (formerly the States of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi), Panama, Tennessee.

Regional Headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee.
Subregional Headquarters: Atlanta, Gulfcoast, Miami, Florida, Panama City, Panama*.

Population: 260 million.

Deputy Commissioner: Ron McQue

Region 3 is the second most populous and second richest Patrol Region, and also contains much of the industrial and manufacturing activity of the USA in the early 22C. The State of Gulfcoast, created as a merger of four previous States all with coastlands on the Gulf of Mexico, is an emerging rival of Texas and California, and home to several important Naval bases. Panama is also home to a major Naval presence and Army presence, due to Imperial territory on the north and south, and access to both the Atlantic and Pacific on east and west, and of course the Panama Canal complex. Panama is also the site of one of the major spaceports of the United States, which leads to further Patrol presence there.

The largest city and foremost financial center of Region 3 is Atlanta, Gulfcoast, which holds the distinction of being the headquarters of more multinational corporations than any other city in the USA, even slightly edging out New York City.

Region 3 is also the second most active Patrol Command. They deal less with international affairs than most of the other Regions, but Region 3 has a substantial level of Federal criminal activity, especially in Gulfcoast. Drug enforcement of various sorts is more intense in Region 3 than anywhere else, for a variety of reasons.

Region 3 is also well-known as the location of the largest settlement of Neos in the USA.

*As a rule, Patrol policy is to avoid placing headquarters in State capitols, Panama City is an exception because of the geographic and military situation in Panama.


To be continued...

[Johnny1A.2]

UNITED STATES FEDERAL PATROL continued...

Region 4: 'Great Plains Command'

States: Arizona, Colorado, Dakota (formerly North Dakota and South Dakota), Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Wyoming.

Headquarters: Houston, Texas.
Subregional Headquarters: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Bismarck, Dakota, Casper, Wyoming, Sioux Falls, Dakota, Wichita, Kansas.

Population: ~190 million.

Deputy Commissioner: Li Chen Jones.

Region 4 is the least populous of the 'primary' Patrol Regions, with only Regions 6 and 7 having fewer people. It has a relatively small Patrol presence in terms of personnel, but maintains multiple facilities simply because the region is so enormous in area.

Relatively lightly populated, this region faces long borders with Imperial territory on both the north and the south, with the result that Region 4 houses the largest permanent U.S. Army garrisons in the USA. Texas remains the economic and social dominant force in Region 4, by far, though Colorado is a significant second-tier rival.

Mining and ranching are important industries in Region 4, though cutting-edge technology clusters have emerged in Texas, Colorado, and Nebraska.

To be continued...

[AlexanderHowl]

How are you supporting over a billion people in the USA? Are we talking a dystopia society like Judga Dredd where human life is hardly worth the bullet to end it?

How do you end up with a billion people in the USA anyway? Population growth is +6.7% per decade with immigration in 2020, and it is trending down. It is supposed to stabilize by 2040 and turn negative after 2050, like what is happening in Europe right now. At best, the population will be 500 million in 2100. At worst, it could be 300 million, less than the current population.

[Johnny1A.2]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

How are you supporting over a billion people in the USA? Are we talking a dystopia society like Judga Dredd where human life is hardly worth the bullet to end it?

Nope. Life in the USA in 2120 is actually fair-to-decent for most people (it's not utopia, some poverty and misery still exists, but for most people life is OK to decent). They support ~1 billion people the same we support ~300 million, by means of more advanced technology and complicated infrastructure. The USA of 1850 couldn't have supported 300 million, either. It's not even necessarily any more crowded than today, because one of the paradoxes of large rich populations is that you can afford to spread out.

How do you end up with a billion people in the USA anyway? Population growth is +6.7% per decade with immigration in 2020, and it is trending down. It is supposed to stabilize by 2040 and turn negative after 2050, like what is happening in Europe right now. At best, the population will be 500 million in 2100. At worst, it could be 300 million, less than the current population.

The short answer is: several major waves of politically and economically driven immigration, interspersed with closed periods, combined with female fertility refusing to follow trends any better than it has in the past, plus cloning/artificial people and life-extension techhnologies and other technological 'newness' that did not exist in the past. The long answer is that it's a long story. Global population in 2100 is about 12.5 billion, with Asia still leading.

[Johnny1A.2]

UNITED STATES FEDERAL PATROL continued...

Region 5: 'West Coast Command'

States: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington.

Headquarters: Las Vegas, Nevada
Subregional Headquarters: Honolulu, Hawaii*, Los Angeles, California, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington.

Population: ~255 million.

Deputy Commissioner: Deborah Troy-Tate.

Region 5 is the third most populous Patrol Region, coming in just below Region 3. At times it has surpassed Region 3 in population and it might again, its economy is vibrant and active and California is in a steady rivalry with Texas and Gulfcoast for the position of 'richest and most influential U.S. State'.

Region 5 faces the vast Pacific, trade in its ports easily rivals the East Coast. Militarily the West Coast Region is heavily active, with major Naval facilities at San Diego, California, San Francisco, California, and Seattle, Washington. Hawaii is so heavily garrisoned and defended that the phrase 'Fortress Hawaii' gets commonly used around the Pacific Rim. Naturally, all this affects Patrol activities.

Los Angeles, for its part, has slipped back to fourth place in American municipal populations, coming in behind New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta. It nevertheless remains rich, important, and a major center of trade, industry, and finance.

Talk of California splitting along northern and southern lines has largely evaporated, in part because social and technical changes have eased stresses within the State, in part because it would undercut the ongoing semi-friendly rivalry with Texas and Gulfcoast.

Region 5 has the largest 'home grown' terrorist/activist movements in the USA in 2100, some of them ecologically based, some historically, some less comprehensible. The Patrol spends a significant amount of effort tracking and trying to neutralize these groups, some of which are quite dangerous on a local scale.

Nevada has changed significantly. Over the course of the 21C, Mormon influence has grown in Utah and spread heavily into Nevada, interacting oddly with the libertine culture for which Nevada was historically known. Las Vegas remains a gambling and entertainment center, but outside that city, 22C Nevada is rather more restrained than its 2020 self. Prostitution is no longer legal and gambling is heavily regulated when permitted at all outside Las Vegas. Of all the States of Region 5, Nevada actually sees the least Patrol activity, with the exception of a heavy presence in Las Vegas proper.

One activity the Patrol in Region 5 spends a great deal of effort upon is watching over the intricate, complicated, and vulnerable water supply infrastructure that enables habitation and agriculture in the desert regions of the American West and the Great Plains. (Region 4 cooperates in this, of course, but the heart of the system is in Region 5.) Attempts to interfere with this infrastructure, or even implied threats to do so, are taken very seriously. The Patrol has no sense of humor on this subject, and a large force of officers and support personal dedicated to this one task.

The only parts of Region 5 that directly abut foreign territory are the State of Alaska, which has a long border with Imperial territory, and the borders between California and the Empire south of San Diego and between Washington State and Empire on the north. On the other hand, the vast volume of trade and foreign nationals passing through the ports and airports of Region 5 keep the Patrol more than busy enough watching for trouble and enforcing immigration law.

*Honolulu is another special case of a State Capitol hosting a major Patrol facility because of local conditions.

Region 6: 'Extraterrestrial Command'

States: Armstrong, Goddard, Skyway, Tsiolkovsky.

Regional Headquarters: Tycho City, Armstrong.
Subregional Headquarters: None.

Population: ~1.8 million

Deputy Commissioner: Nancy Calloway

Least populous of the primary Patrol Commands, Region 6 is made up those full States of the American Union that are located off Earth. In practice, this means the four U.S. States on the Moon in 2120. Relatively large in area but still small in permanent population, Region 6 has by far the smallest number of Patrol personnel of any Region, though relatively large as a percentage of population, because of the military and criminal issues involved in the Lunar settlements.

The American States on the Moon, and the associated Territories (which fall under Region 7) do not directly abut any other foreign territories on the Moon, but several Imperial territories and a handful of independent areas are not terribly far away. Valuable mineral deposits in Goddard and Skyway make for both criminal activity and espionage, keeping the Patrol officers in Tycho City active.

The Patrol is also responsible for guarding the public infrastructure that sustains life in the American States on the Moon, and even more so than Region 5 and the water system, the Patrol has precisely zero sense of humor on this issue. Tampering with the life support infrastructure justifies shoot to kill, and there will be little difficulty for any officer in justifying such an action.

Some types of crime that are common on Earth are relatively rare on the Moon, simply because of the circumstances. Smuggling is relatively easy to control, at least on and off the Moon (between sites on the Moon is slightly more difficult) and illegal entry is almost unheard of simply because of the physical barriers to such activity. Likewise, fleeing law enforcement is harder than on Earth for obvious reasons.

If the Region 6 Patrol does less of that sort of enforcement, their search and rescue duties are more immediate and pressing. The most common form of emergency that arises for Region 6 Patrolmen is getting to someone in time before their air runs out, they are exposed to too much radiation, or they overheat or freeze.

[thorr-kan]

Originally Posted by Johnny1A.2

UNITED STATES FEDERAL PATROL continued...

REGION 2: 'Midwestern Command' circa ~2100 A.D.

States: Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nunavut, Ohio, Sylvania (formerly peninsular Michigan), Wisconsin.

OK, I'll bite.

Sylvania? *Which* peninsula?