Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

The characters screwed up and got caught in an alley covered in vampire/demon/whatever blood and with numerous weapons, they were caught by the British "Specialist Firearms Command", that is, pretty much SWAT. They immediately surrendered. More on the conditions of their capture later.

I'm wondering about what sort of layout a police station tends to have. Does it have the cells in the cellar? Are there security checkpoints or something like that, or could someone walk straight from the cell to the back/front door and exit?

I'm also wondering how exactly the police tends to do after they have captured some potentially very dangerous people like them? Do they walk down the whole bunch into ... wherever the cells are and shove them in there, and how does the procedure go in short after they have got in there?






- - - - -
So, here is the long version of what happened for those interested in the details:
The Event
Our heroes, the characters went to one of the younger characters school-party to stop a classmate turned evil vampire-thing from turning it into a massacre.
Things went badly, and after another classmate came back as a confused monster and started killing people one of the two policemen at the cafeteria outside ended up calling in a team after they came to the conclusion that it was a dangerous hostage situation.
One of the characters is an acquaintance to one of the cops I might add. Her name is Claire.

After the cops noticed that people were getting killed in there they ran in despite the fact that the fuse box had been wrecked and the place was as black as the night (...it was nighttime by the way). Horribly unstrategic, choice made by Claire in an attempt to play hero. The character, after getting flashlights from the cops car ran in themselves, along with an aging vampire hunter.
They managed to kill one student-turned-monster in there, but it melted into ash and yucky goo.

Meanwhile two characters managed to catch a monster trying to drag a student into an alley. They managed to kill the monster, which reacted in the same way as the one mentioned before.

Soon all the characters had escaped out into the alley while the Team supposed to deal with this were rolling in on the street.
They stayed to long discussing what to do, and the team found them and arrested them.


Characters:
One (VERY attractive) poetry teacher, who happens to be some sort of vampire (fake metabolism, quite difficult to prove to be supernatural without a christian cross)
Found with a modified IMI Desert Eagle 50AE, which he did not have a licence to. The gun has blood in it having been fired at point blank.

Two Students, one of them carrying a sabre with traces of blood. Both 16 years old.
Both are Espers. One having Precognitive powers, and the other having telekinesis.
One of them had a sabre and a pair of brass knuckles with blades attacted to the bottom for stabbing.

A 30-something years old journalist who lives under fake identity. Erased from register's by corrupt policemen. ...who currently want him dead. One of them is at the station and will likely figure out who he is if he gets a bit of info.
Previously wrote about PSI phenomenon and such.
Found with a 9mm without a licence.

Another 30 something guy who works kabbalistic style rituals. The police has no information on him at all.
Found with a used kris.

The campaign is of a 'Secrets' nature so supernatural things are unknown to the mundanes :P


It's worth adding that the cop Claire was reassigned to the city after almost getting killed by corrupted cops in the Journalist's Prologue. Thanks to a retired cop called "Light".

/End Extra information
- - - -



So, does anyone have any answers? :)

Edit: Even with a Lifting Strength of 26, and a Striking ST of 18 physically breaking out of a cell wouldn't really be realistic would it?

Edit 2: I'll be continuing the campaign early tomorrow, so I really need to try figuring this out pretty quick ^_^;;

Re: Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

GURPS Classic: Cops has a brief discussion of station houses on pages 38-39.

British police procedures are discussed in general terms on page 28 of that book.

There is a substantial amount of abstract material on handling criminal investigations and trials in chapters 5 and 6 of the Cops book.

GURPS Mysteries, by the same author, is more about the procedures of crime detection and writing mystery stories for RPGs, but it might help you consider what the police ask.

Re: Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

Regarding the Cells, I would say the layout would be whatever makes the most sense.

I can see there being one large holding area, and a handful of isolation rooms for people who are too dangerous to put in with the others (though I suspect some callous officers might leave the dangerous ones in to teach the others a "lesson".

I would probably put the cells in the basement, and there would be a checkpoint to go past (the checkpoint would probably double as an administration point for acceping bail payments)

Also depending on the Department, there may not be keys for the cells, instead there may be electronic locks with a pad out of the reach of detainees.

Re: Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

Makes sense.How big does a police station with several cells tend to be above ground so to say though?
Also, how would the police treat suspects such as the PCs?

Re: Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

Note that British stations tend to have solid doors with viewing ports, rather than cage fronts or lexan barriers like US facilities.

Also we don't have bull pens in the UK - everyone gets their own cell.
Although I have no idea what happens when they run out of cell space...

Re: Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

It depends alot on the jail. In Greater Houston/Harris County area it is a large population and this housing takes up several buildings. In a small town, all the following steps may take place in the same room!

Particularly dangerous people are processed singly and under constant restraint and guard..

It goes more or less like this.

SEARCH: Everyone is patted down thoroughly, loose clothing is removed entirely to ensure that there are no dnagereous or illegal items in jail. Personal Effcts are collected.

TANK:Dozens of arrested in one room, collect call only payphones on the wall, one toilet in open view.

PROCESSING P&P: Prisonners are called out in groups of 4-10 from the tank and placed in another room where they are processed one at a time for pictures and prints.

PROCESSING SHOWER:Prieoners are called out in groups of 4 -10.Prisoners are stripped to undergarments, and showers are provided, but no soap. As they exit the shower, prisoners are issued jump suits. In the event that the water isnt working, this step is simply refered to as changing.

PROCESSING CHARGING: Prisoners are CHARGED singly. The charges against them are read. They are mirandized for the third time here.

PROCESSING BOND/BAIL: Prisoners are then allowed to attempt to post Bail/Bond.

Placement: After this process, they are then shown to the area Where they will stay untill their case is Arraigned.

Nymdok

Re: Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

Some thoughts...

I don't know much about police procedures, but actually escaping from jail cells isn't that common. The most common escapes I hear about are people who figure out how to slip off handcuffs (I'm not sure how this is done...I think it involves using sweat, blood, etc. to make your skin slippery and then just forcing the things off). But even if you did this...wow, suddenly you're wanted by the police. Lots of seriously bad attention focused on you and your families right now. Probably, you'll have to leave town, etc. unless you want to live totally "underground," hiding in the shadows, living in abandoned warehouses, etc. And even then, you'll have to keep an eye on who knows who you are. (This probably counts as a 20-point Enemy, 9- if you're in town, 6- if you've moved, and/or a Secret.)

Unless the blood on the weapons is clearly not human, they're in trouble. Human blood on weapons is always a bad thing to cops. They might, if no one comes forward and claims a crime has been committed, be able to say "we're making a movie and used a bit of real blood, our own, to get into character." Or something like that. But the blood on the knives, etc. better match their blood. Maybe not such a good idea, considering who some of the characters are.

If they escape and any of the cops are hurt as a result...oh...very bad; we have officially moved into "Okay, now it's worse" territory. :)

Someone else might break them out, but then a) they're still wanted and b) they owe whoever rescued them a huge favor.

In a totally cinematic game, the police chief, mayor, etc. may be willing to "make it all go away." But even then some of the cops will be mad and/or suspicious about what happened and may still be watching you, looking for a way to arrest you and make it stick. In a less cinematic game, a powerful patron might intervene on their part, perhaps explaining to the police that this is now a federal matter, a secret government project, etc., but again, this is a bit of a duex ex machina and the characters will probably owe a seriously big favor or three to whoever has saved them. Too bad it's the vampire prince they were trying to stop...now they have to work for him!

Possibly, just possibly, they might be able to convince the police that the monsters are real, etc. and the police might go, "Wow. This is bigger than us. We've got to help." At which point they become the local versions of Batman.

Realistically, the campaign might be over. The heroes could be exposed for who and/or what they are. Even if people respond with, "Wow, they're monster hunters! They saved all those people!" there might be charges for being involved in vigilante behavior, carrying around weapons, putting minors at risk, etc. Fanatics of one kind or another might go after them, too. And, of course, the monsters will now know who they are, where they live, etc.

I hope this helps.

Mark

Re: Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

I am trying to remember my visit to a police station - I was only four years old at the time. But I have watched a lot of British TV since then...

I think that cells are always individual, they don't have holding areas. Equally cellars are fairly uncommon in Britain. But that doesn't mean that the cells have windows.

Cells are intended for a max stay of 24hrs, no showers or anything like that. A doctor will visit anyone who is injured or ill. If the prisoner is charged he will be moved to the court, and then bailed or put in jail (but in remand, not in with gen pop as they say on prison break (but they won't call it that in Britain)).

A manned desk and a strong door would block the cell area from the rest of the police station if it was a large station (I remember this from my visit). That said I also remember a story of a thin teenager who slipped out of the tiny food/inspection hatch of his cell door and then simply walked out of the police station.

The route from the front door to the cells will be direct and simple, the police don't want to traipse prisoners through the whole station. And the assumption is that once the door is shut the prisoner isn't going anywhere.

That said many police stations are in ancient 19th century buildings where efficiency and planning have zero influence on the layout.

Re: Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

Passadena, Texas City Jail is a single story structure connected to the Municipal Court House. It is essentially one front desk with 3 officers on duty. behind them is the clasic gate. beyond the gate there is a long hallway. Connected to this hallway is

a Kitchenette for trustees to make TV dinners for the other inmates and a pay phone.

a single person shower. 5'x5'

2 isolation/quarentine cells 5'x5'

20 cells, 10 on each side, Each cell can hold 4 prisoners and is 10'x10'. 4 steel plates 3-3.5 feet wide and 10' long are bolted to the walls on opposing sides. There are no matresses or pillows or blankets. There is one light behind 4" plexiglass that NEVER turns off. There is a toilet between the bunks. The walls are solid concrete (not cinderblock or brick). Everything is painted the same dingy yellow and some of the more inventive inmates have managed to scratch Checkerboards into the bunks with the zipperrs from their jump suits. They use toilet paper for for playing pieces, rolling it into a bal when its been 'kinged'.

Police generally are not friendly, but are professional.

Generally Police NPCs :

1. Dont want to hear your story. The judge wants to hear your story, but not for several weeks.

2. HATE suprises. Sudden or irattional movements are met with force to maintain control.

3. Do not think you are funny. Outbursts of insubordination, are normally met with mild force (pushes/shoves) and harsh words. If there is any chance the sentiment might spread, the prisoner is isolated immediately. Otherwise, they may simply decide to make sure you are the last prisoner processed.


Nymdok

Re: Police Station layout, and typical police procedure
 

Are they? I thought that urban police stations in the UK were re-built as IRA-proof concrete bunkers in the 70s and 80s. Even Cannon Row and Bow St. were closed in 1992.