thoughtformed

I've been doing well, thank you for asking. Keeping busy, for the most part - we're desperately short on man power for the police force, so I've been working double shifts.

Edited 2013-08-04 07:35 (UTC)

I'm sorry, I can't help out with that.

[Because, from what he saw, Chief Beifong is not fond of employing underaged persons...]

I'm aware - Chief Beifong-sama didn't let me join until my eighteenth birthday, and she almost didn't even then.

Ouch. Is she running something like a police academy, then, too? Or unified training?

She might, I suppose, if there were actually any interest in joining the force. Unfortunately, I don't believe anybody's showed even a hint of interest. The vigilantes on the island are the only reason we can still maintain anything resembling order here.

Ouch.

Though I guess at least there is help. And I don't suppose vigilantes would want to cross over or something. I mean, since they became vigilantes in the first place and all.

Yes, and I know she dislikes relying on them. It's not as if we have a choice, though. If we all only worked full time, there'd be fewer than four of us on duty in the entire city at any one time. As you can imagine, that's not quite enough, in a city of fifteen thousand. Especially with everything that happens here.

And no, I probably wouldn't count that as very likely.

... awman, that s...stinks. People should respect and love the badge a little more!

Perhaps. However, given the government we represent, I can't say I blame anyone who doesn't.

Except you don't only represent the government out there. You also represent this community's work to be safe and orderly. To protect one another.

That's worth respecting.

Ah - that's true. Goodness knows if there were a way to do what I do without depending on that government, I'd be doing it in an instant.

But again, of course not everyone will understand that. I appreciate the vote of confidence, however.

... I think that's the vigilantes' gig, actually. But we're going back to what Chief Beifong would and wouldn't do. Which I understand.

You're welcome, though it's hardly anything more than simple common sense.

Indeed it is. However, it takes a certain sort to be able to pull that off. They have to be able to command trust and respect in the populace.

The uniform, even representing the government as it is, lends itself to a certain authority and legitimacy that will do, in lieu of the real thing. Without it, if I were to run around with a gun taking down bad guys, I doubt I'd fare half so well. The public would never accept me as a hero.

[Cuuurious.]

Why not? What do you think they'd have against you, if you're saving their lives?

Many people look down upon people trying to take the law into their own hands. I suppose I have no direct confirmation, but I've heard people that aren't exactly fond of even the Avengers handling things the way they do. And I could never begin to live up to, say, Captain Marvel's example.

Now, I know there are heroes here who don't have supernatural powers, like Red Robin - but I'm not even anywhere near his level of skill, and I believe even he gets flak about it. If you're a hero like that, I can only assume you've dedicated your life to fighting crime, and helping the people. That can give people something to trust, to believe in - they know you have their best interests at heart. Even those who break the law see heroes with caution and a kind of respect.

I haven't dedicated my life that way. I joined the force because it needed to be done. I'm still going to school, I have other things going on. I'm not an expert fighter or martial artist. Without the badge, there would be no reason for people to trust me, or barring that, no reason for them to respect my claim to authority. Why should I get to decide what's right and what's wrong? How do they know what my intentions are? And I don't have the force to back up such a claim - everyday citizens would be able to stop me. If I'm not wearing the uniform and I get into a fight, how would anyone else know that I wasn't the bad guy? Especially if I were wielding a gun?

Much as I dislike it, this badge is what allows me to do the things I do, to help where it's needed. It's what lets the public know that I'm the good guy, that I know what I'm doing, and I'm here to help. It's what gives me the authority to pull this off. It's simply something I wouldn't be able to command on my own.

Batman doesn't like guns!

[The comment comes in too quick, then Dick bites his lower lip, but forges on.]

Back in my world, Batman's Red Robin's mentor. I am not really acquainted with Red Robin, not like that, but I don't imagine he'd like guns, either.

But I see what you mean. It's... I think there are different sides to it. On the one hand, you can't expect to become a vigilante and just... have people's trust. It'd take years to earn it. The same as a good police officer would, really, only since there are usually fewer vigilantes, they are under way more scrutiny. Also, they have less backup.

Another thing is that the Avengers? Red Robin? They're still people. Sure, they put themselves over the law, to one degree or another. But they make mistakes, too. That's part of why people judge them.

... sorry, I - Batman is a big thing in Gotham, where I come from. Batman and Robin. Especially since the police force was really... corrupt, when they started out, well. A boy's gotta have people to look up to, right?

Smart man, Batman - I don't like guns, either. But, like the badge, they provide me a means to fight crime and keep order I would not have otherwise. I'm not... bad at hand to hand combat. But I'm not great, either, and most criminals aren't so kind as to not carry weapons themselves. I'd only get in the way or get myself killed, if I went in unarmed. I'm no Batman, or even Red Robin.

And like you said - it would take years to earn trust as a vigilante. Those are years this city doesn't have, without people enforcing the laws - and we don't have enough of those, just now. Plus - I admire people who devote their lives to this. I really do. But that's... not me.

Edited 2013-10-08 11:43 (UTC)

text;

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked

locked