Mɛŋʌrjɛɔbd

The Mɛŋʌrjɛɔ or 'Watchers' are the Federation of Xah's police and investigation agency and part of the Warrior Caste. Responsible for the enforcement of the law, ensuring the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Along with the Mɛcɔrʌtʧ, or Guardians (garrison troops), they provide much of the security on Xahian worlds and are the main point of interaction between Xah's non-Xahian civilians and the state.

Etymology

As with all words in Pohko, the name of this organisation is carefully crafted by Leader and Technical Linguists.

'mɛ' is a prefix that turns verb into something someone does (one who watches)
'ŋʌrjɛɔ' is the Xahian for 'watch'
'bd' is a suffix to denote plural ('watchers' from 'watcher')

Structure

All Watchers begin their role after graduation as a Patroller - expected to provide visible presence of the law amongst the general population, guard restricted areas and act as the physical muscle in perpetrator apprehension and crime prevention.
If a Patroller shows aptitude for more, then they are elevated to the role of Investigator, and collect evidence, question suspects and witnesses, and liaise with the Technical caste with regards the collection of forensic evidence. A good manner with non-Warriors is essential, as is tact and subtlety in gathering evidence is essential.
After Investigator comes Detective, who are responsible for the collating of evidence into a case, making judgement calls about the identity of the perpetrator, and present the collected evidence and details into a format suitable for giving to judges in the court case. They are often expected to discuss the case in court cases, liaise with the Leader caste and show political acumen and inter-caste skills.
Roles after Detective become increasingly political, and often involve the strategic and tactical level of Watcher deployment and the management of lower-level Watchers. Integration with the Leader caste is essential, and the highest ranking Watchers are always on leadership councils of settlements and worlds.

Culture

Within the militaristic culture of the Warrior caste, Watchers are often perceived as needing to be less violent and more political in their approach, and usually treated differently than other parts of the caste. Most Warriors acknowledge the need for their role, so this treatment is almost never negative, but the crude methods required for the waging of war or the suppression of violent rebels, does not integrate well with the nuances and tact required in policing.
In the 'upper' castes, Watchers are seen with some trepidation; their presence almost always means that there is serious business afoot, things that cannot be resolved internally, and the Watcher's authority to question and detain puts most people ill at ease. Amongst the Worker castes, Watchers are seen as a necessary evil and their intrusive and often bullying attitude towards the Workers is an everyday fact of life. Watcher presence in Worker areas is ubiquitous, and almost all Workers have stories of harassment by Watchers, particularly the Patroller sub-section.
Non-Xahian civilians fear and avoid the Watchers, who have far fewer restrictions in their methods when dealing with and investigating crimes in non-Xahian populations. Although considered slightly less prone to indiscriminate violence than the Guardians, Watcher interrogation techniques are often considered to be borderline torture by many.

Public Agenda

The primary purpose of the Watchers is law enforcement, with the investigation of crimes and the apprehension of those that break the law. Prevention of crime and disorder is secondary, but the emphasis on adherence to the law is on the caste and social pressure, with the visible presence of Watchers being an additional factor.

Demography and Population

Approximately 10% of all Warrior graduates are assigned to the Watcher sub-caste, most of whom score highly in investigative and social interaction, and lack the raw physical prowess required for Soldier or Guardian roles. Numbers on individual worlds tend to be broadly consistent, but typically more Watchers are assigned where there is a high proportion of Workers to other castes. Even on worlds with a high proportion of Workers, numbers are not high; crime amongst the 'upper' castes is rare, and generally handled internally, crime between castes is even rarer, and crime within the Worker caste is often left to resolve itself, unless it poses a wider threat to caste stability. The task of preventing disorder in non-Xahian population is given over to the Guardians, and is more akin to military occupation than policing.

Type

Government, Law Enforcement

Alternative Names

Watchers

Training Level

Professional

Veterancy Level

Experienced

Parent Organization

Federation of Xah

Related Ethnicities

• Warrior Caste