Civil Protection

[TheOneFreeMan]

Hi all.

I'm in the planning stages of a mod centred around the Civil Protection units, or "Metrocops". I want all the background information I can get, but haven't been very successful in finding info on them. I found a website on some Wiki a while back which had lots of information (or speculation?) about the Metrocops, who they are or used to be, the process of "de-humanising" to advance through the ranks, and most interestingly the voice of the Overwatch control, and the things that they say to them.

I would love to get any tidbits of information about Metrocops, canonical or just speculative, to build up my picture of these guys. What do we know about them? Thanks in advance.

 

[PJ]

they are half human half combine

 

[Mech Man]

they are half human half combine

And that was whole fail. They are not half combine , they are full human. We do not really know a whole deal about what they are like behind the scenes , we do know that they are rewarded with sexual simulations for good work and that they may also be rewarded with upgrades to turn them into full fledged combine soldiers. We also know that they have better living conditions and food than ordinary citizens.

 

[PJ]

And that was whole fail. They are not half combine , they are full human.

"As you can see, the Combine Earth forces are a mix between the Combine technology and Human hosts."

if im wrong my bad

 

[Mech Man]

That's most likely a combine soldier on the left as it says "combine Overwatch". The Overwatch , as you may or may not know , is the official term for the combine's military arm. Metro police are in the policing branch which is known as civil protection. I believe it is also mentioned by the dispatch woman/ AI or whatever that they gain promotions into the Overwatch by doing a good job and thus gaining the opportunity to go to one of their facilities (Nova Prospekt in this case) to have the treatment done. She/it is also where we know that they receive sexual simulations too.

Edit : To back up my point take a look at Barney. He has no augmentations like soldiers do and he was part of the CP.

Edit edit : Also that graffiti shows the Overwatch member on the left as having a distinct mechanical hole in the side of his head , which is characteristic of combine soldiers.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

The picture even says Combine Overwatch, not Civil Protection, you posted a picture which is even says it's not linked.

CP are in fact fully human, they are humans which have obviously given in to the Combine threat and are probably created as a result of Breen's bargaining with the Combine, in order to have a basic policing system which is held together by the fear that humans not co-operating get a significantly worse life. We see the CP storming apartments, beating civilians and trying to kill you. Obviously fully under the command of the combine in order to impress. They also release the manhacks you see flying about, although I'm not sure why they are given this responsibility.

With the combine the idea is forceful evolution via technology. The gunships / striders all have organic material within them, which have been enhanced with combine technology to 'improve' them. Combine soldiers are elite are obviously further evolved or adapted than the CP, and it is hypothesised the CP are hoping to move in this direction to get enhancements to become more combine. The only pure combine race we ever see are the advisors.

Found this in an old thread:

Civil Protection personnel are humans who join the Combine of their own free will in return for privileges and basic amenities like adequate food and living accommodations. Also known as CPs and Metro Cops, they are charged with keeping the local populace in line via intimidation and physical force. Interrogation, questioning, inspections, random beatings, and even outright murder are sanctioned as a means of policing their respective jurisdictions. Civil Protection personnel also patrol the canals outside city limits looking to apprehend escapees. Unlike Combine soldiers, they do not appear to be biologically enhanced, though they wear masks containing vocoders which alter the sound of their voice. The harsh, metallic character of their speech is used as a means of psychological intimidation, making their vocal utterances sound inhuman.

List of Civil Protection Radio commands you can hear throughout the game:

Loose parasitics...
Control, I have a failure to comply with a loyalty check tag here, possible attempt one oh three here.
I have a match on a PB likeness...
Minor Hits! Continuing prosecution!
Non-tagged viromes here.
No visual on UPI at this time.
We've got an outbound biotic in here.
Picking up a non corplexindy here...
Pick up the can.
Pick. Up. The. Can.
I said pick up the can!
Possible ten one oh three at my location, alert tag units.
Possible six forty seven E here, request Airwatch for tag.
Preparing to judge a ten one oh seven, be advised.
I've a priority two anticitizen here.
Ready to amputate.
Ready to prosecute malcompliance citizen ??
Reporting sighting of possible acomplices...
Requesting secondary viscerator, primary has been ??
Running low on verdicts, taking cover!
All units, sacrifice code; one. Maintain this CP.
Shots fired at hostile malignants here.
Yeah, er...roger we'll run standard uh...loyalty check procedure two forty three ?? over.
Still getting that six forty seven E from local civilians?
Storm system.
High speed, subject is now high speed.
All units, suspect is in storm run off system at...
Suspect is bleeding from multiple wounds.
Suspect is using restricted canals at...
Tag one encrotic.
Tag one parasitic.
Tag one bug.
Ten zero! Ten Zero! Viscerator is hunting!
Viscerator deployed!
One viscerator is OC!
Viscerator is off grid...
We are socio stable at this location.
You knocked it over, pick it up.
You want a malcompliance verdict?

We think viscerator = manhacks

Give the forums a search to see if you can find more, we've obviously been discussing this stuff for a good few years now! I checked Raising the Bar, not much extra info in there unfortunately. CP were given a swagger and pushed out chest to make them seem more tough, and obviously stun batons for extra effect.

 

[Full Life 1?]

Civil Protection officers, referred to in brief as CPs, Metrocops or Metropolice, are essentially the thought police of all urban areas on Earth, including City 17. They keep Citizens in line through use of verbal and physical intimidation and, in some cases, summary execution. City 17's Civil Protection force also patrols the outlying canals for escapees.

Civil Protection officers are ordinary human beings who have willingly joined the Combine, either for more privileges, such as additional food and better living conditions, an increase in authority and status over others, or out of genuine sympathy and identification with the Combine's aims. As such, they are not bio-mechanically modified in any way. Their willing collaboration with the Combine occupation as well as their cruelty and disregard for the lives and dignity of ordinary citizens has made them much hated amongst the human populace. Civil Protection officers wear white masks to disguise their faces, with built in vocoders to disguise their voices; these each contain a radio and air filters, and look similar to gas masks. Officers wear a combat vest, leather boots with a black-green uniform and an armband on the right arm, with "c17:14" emblazoned on it. Generally, the uniform and masks are designed to make all of the Civil Protection officers appear and sound identically intimidating.

Civil Protection officers are typically armed with Pistols and Stun Batons. In more critical circumstances, Officers will be issued with SMG1s. Some officers are also armed with a deployable Manhack and/or flare guns to call for help.

Officers are almost always encountered in squads, and will employ very basic tactics, such as covering one another and running to cover when injured or reloading. Officers normally attack in an aggressive manner, and will give pursuit to evading suspects.

When an officer is killed, its radio will emit a prolonged tone similar to that of a "flat-lining" EKG, followed by the Overwatch dispatch declaring the unit down, along with his last known location and orders to nearby units to respond. In fact, the constant radio chatter will generally give away unit positions before they're visible, indicating the generally inferior training the Civil Protection officers receive compared with their Overwatch brethren.

Civil Protection are generally kept separate from Combine military units, such as Overwatch Soldiers or Synths, and stay in a policing role within the cities. They travel in APCs and dropships, and are often accompanied by scanners or manhacks.
edit Communication

Civil Protection officers communicate with the Overwatch dispatcher over their radios; they are thus constantly fed mission objectives, rewards, reminders, and are directed to respond to certain incidents (such as the locations of downed units or other criminal acts).
edit Tactics

CPs aren't as organized and effective as the Combine Overwatch, and generally use weaker, more basic weapons, such as SMGs. They also aren't very accurate.

CPs pretty much always work in groups, so when in a firefight with a squad or two, keep your head down and shoot while they are reloading. As all most of them have ever known is using force against unarmed, helpless citizens, they aren't very experienced with firefights, and make easy targets. CPs also do not use melee attacks unless against an unarmed opponent, in which case they will use a Stun Baton.

In the early levels, a few pistol shots will kill a CP. In close quarters, a couple of hits with the crowbar will kill them. If they drop a stun baton in combat, it can be used as an energy pickup by the player. Later in the game, the best weapon to use against the civil protection officers is the SMG1 which can easily dispatch large numbers of them at once.

* The Metrocop was originally to have other colors on his uniform, such as red or yellow, and the right armband colored red. One version also depicts him with bright blue eyes.
* It was also to have its elite version, just like the Combine Soldier. This Elite Metrocop was to have its eyes more yellow, a different breathing mask, a red patch on his chest, red shoulder-pads and gray trousers.
* A Civil Protection headquarters building was originally to be seen near the Manhack Arcade, bearing the signs "C17 MP", meaning "City 17 Metropolice".

* Certain transmissions heard over the Civil Protection's radios suggest that officers are rewarded with, in the words of the dispatcher, "non-mechanical reproduction simulation" for good job performance.
* Other radio transmissions suggest that additional privileges are gained if the personnel have their memory replaced. It is possible that the Civil Protection personnel work their way up the Overwatch ranks by willfully surrendering more and more human features and characteristics.
* Humorously, sometimes a Civil Protection unit will unprofessionally state, "Dude, area is secure."
* The name Civil Protection could be seen as 'doublespeak' (A term from George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984), which becomes apparent pretty quickly due to the way they treat civilians. Civil Protection could be read as "Protection of the State from Citizens", instead of protecting Civilians.
* There is a humerous Machinima being released by the creator of "Freeman's mind" about a pair of incompetent Civil Protection Officers, named "Civil Protection" for obvious reasons.

Here!

 

[TheOneFreeMan]

Thank you all very much for the thorough replies so far. I'm building up a very nice picture of what's canonical about these guys. Thanks especially to you Hectic, for that list of CP Radio commands.

Incidentally, is it just me or does "non-mechanical reproduction simulation" sound like the creepiest thing ever?

 

[Mech Man]

Incidentally, is it just me or does "non-mechanical reproduction simulation" sound like the creepiest thing ever?

It has been speculated it is just a simulation of human reproduction , and not doin' it with a machine or anything

 

[ríomhaire]

Running low on verdicts, taking cover!

Do the Combine actually call bullets verdicts? That's a new one on me

 

[Mech Man]

Do the Combine actually call bullets verdicts? That's a new one on me

Me too. I also noticed that they call antlions bugs (I presuming they are antlions they are talking about) which sparked my curiosity , when do CPs ever encounter antlions? Thats also the only thing I dislike about the combine , sometimes their awesome radio chatter goes right through me as innaudiable because I can't make what they are saying out over all the static and gunshots / explosions / what have you.

 

[gFrohman]

Me too. I also noticed that they call antlions bugs (I presuming they are antlions they are talking about) which sparked my curiosity , when do CPs ever encounter antlions?

Don't know - is it supposed to be an Aliens reference?

 

[Mech Man]

Don't know - is it supposed to be an Aliens reference?

... What? What has that got to do with aliens?!

 

[gFrohman]

As in "it's a bug hunt" from the movie Aliens.

 

[Mech Man]

As in "it's a bug hunt" from the movie Aliens.

Because the word "bug" automatically means it is a reference to that , right? The citizens call antlions bugs too , it is supposed to be a general slang for antlions in the HL universe. Nothing to do with aliens at all.

 

[gFrohman]

No, not automatically. It's not what I meant at all. Just the first connection that came to mind, that's all. I'm thinking aloud. Perhaps I'll refrain from that in the future, since some are so perturbed by it.

Anyways...

Let's get back to the original discussion, shall we?

 

[ríomhaire]

Tag one encrotic.
Tag one parasitic.
Tag one bug.
We've got an outbound biotic in here.

Is the encrotic supposed to be necrotic? I googled encrotic and found the wikipedia page for necrosis. I didn't realise necrotic is a real word. Necrotic tissue is prematurely dead tissue in a living creature. Seeing as nectrotic is Overwatch speak for zombie it would support the theory that zombies are actually rotting. Makes sense when considering Alyx's comments on their smell, and the fact that barnacles refuse to eat zombies, but will eat headcrabs. Kind of contradicts the gonome though. Surely a creature who's flesh is rotting away couldn't undergo that kind of metamorphasis? It could be that a mawman who consumes enough food will grow to a gonome but a malnurished host will undergo necrosis.

Biotics usually refers to antlions, so it's odd to see that they use the words biotic and bug, as one would naturally assume that bug means antlion (which is probably not a reference to anything but would be more likely a Starship Troopers one than an Aliens one). I suppose it's just the Civil Protection being a bit more human than the transhuman soldiers and falling back to informal speech a little bit more.

This makes me think though. Does biotic mean antlion exclusively? There's really nothing tying the two together. Biotic just means something refering to life or biology. It could be that a biotic is just any outbreak of a dangerous animal, with the Overwatch being the anti-biotics. They do use quite a few medical euphamisms. Maligmants, necrotics and I think the dispatcher refers to clamping and amputating hostiles. Also, the way the Overwatch use adjectives as nouns reminds me of NewSpeak from 1984. Perhaps that's intentional.


I'm still finding the whole "low on verditcs" thing funny. And calling killing Gordon "prosecution." It's like they're pretending they're having a trial. Calling peace "socio stabl[ity]" is also odd in an almost humourous way.

 

[Mech Man]

I think your theory of biotics meaning hostile animals in general to be likely. Although I suppose on the other hand they would need to notify other troops of exactly what the threat is though , for example if they were to fight a bullsquid they would need to be aware that they are about to fight one because a bullsquid has some unique abilities they need to watch out for (toxic spit for example). I guess we won't be finding out for sure unless Valve adds more xen wildlife.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Necrotic or necrosis is something dead or dying so yes, I would guess it should say necrotic, that radio chatter is translated by another member of the forums, who evidently didn't get everything spot on. The standard definition of a zombie from any game /movie would fit the necrotic category.

Biotic is anything which is natural or living. I'd assume this could include ant lions / head crabs / vortigaunts and humans. You'd think 'bug' would be ant lion only though, and 'tag one parasitic' I would definite as standard / fast / poison headcrabs.

I'm not sure about this one thought

Non-tagged viromes here.

If it is referring to Gordon not having some kind of processing citizen ID, I don't think the word 'viromes' is correct.

Loads more in this video, the pitch has been changed for much clearer radio definition. Really interesting!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA8VamGNNRA

edit: Virome: The genomes of all the viruses that inhabit a particular organism or environment.

I think it means non-tagged = not yet been shot. So another reference to mobile zombies?

 

[Mech Man]

Nice vid link Glenn , been looking for that one.

 

[TheOneFreeMan]

edit: Virome: The genomes of all the viruses that inhabit a particular organism or environment.

I think it means non-tagged = not yet been shot. So another reference to mobile zombies?

Maybe that's even a reference to humans themselves. They could be referring to humans as a virus of the new Combine controlled Earth, extending their self-appointed role as "anti-biotics" in this medical metaphor they seem to have going.

It has been speculated it is just a simulation of human reproduction , and not doin' it with a machine or anything

Has it been speculated before that perhaps "non-mechanical reproduction simulation" could be a fancy way of saying actual sex? Non-mechanical implies natural stimulation, and since the suppression field makes actual reproduction an impossibility, the term could merely be the Combine's way of referring to the pleasures of the flesh. If that could be considered a possibility, the implications are quite sinister. Who's providing this "service" for the CP, and are they doing it willingly in exchange for better living conditions, like the CP?

For that matter, are there actually any female Civil Protection officers?

 

[gFrohman]

I would think so - it seems like the radio voice distorts the officer's original voice to where you can't tell the gender. Obviously the in-game models seem all male, so you could say no from an in-game standpoint. Realistically I would think you would have female & male officers - it would be silly if you didn't (and stupid on the Combine's part if they didn't brainwash the other half of the species).

 

[Mech Man]

Maybe that's even a reference to humans themselves. They could be referring to humans as a virus of the new Combine controlled Earth, extending their self-appointed role as "anti-biotics" in this medical metaphor they seem to have going.

Not a bad theory there. Seems to make sense.

Has it been speculated before that perhaps "non-mechanical reproduction simulation" could be a fancy way of saying actual sex? Non-mechanical implies natural stimulation, and since the suppression field makes actual reproduction an impossibility, the term could merely be the Combine's way of referring to the pleasures of the flesh. If that could be considered a possibility, the implications are quite sinister. Who's providing this "service" for the CP, and are they doing it willingly in exchange for better living conditions, like the CP?

For that matter, are there actually any female Civil Protection officers?

I don't think it means actual sex because the combine don't want to encourage that sort of thing. They put up the suppression field to stop human reproduction all together and I don't think it would be sensible to allow them to attempt reproduction in case they somehow find a flaw with the field.

 

[gFrohman]

I don't think it means actual sex because the combine don't want to encourage that sort of thing. They put up the suppression field to stop human reproduction all together and I don't think it would be sensible to allow them to attempt reproduction in case they somehow find a flaw with the field.

The Combine would see no point for sex, since they're striving for immortality - there's no point in having children if no one dies (Breen: "Immortality is within our reach.")

 

[TheOneFreeMan]

I don't think it means actual sex because the combine don't want to encourage that sort of thing. They put up the suppression field to stop human reproduction all together and I don't think it would be sensible to allow them to attempt reproduction in case they somehow find a flaw with the field.

I suppose, but they must know that people out there are going to be having sex anyway (I'm assuming :E), and the Combine don't strike me as being unconfident about the efficiency of their technology. May as well take advantage of it and give CPs their own concubines to make them happy and give them an incentive to serve.

I don't know, probably a silly thought in my head. The words "non-mechanical" just jump out at me as saying it's a non-technological simulation ... and if it's not technological, then that means it's organic. And if it's organic ... well, I sure as hell hope that the only organic thing they're using is human.

Of course, this is probably a sick thing to even be discussing. Not a marvellous impression for my first thread.

 

[Mech Man]

Of course, this is probably a sick thing to even be discussing. Not a marvellous impression for my first thread.

Don't sweat it mate far worse discussions seem to happen daily. Good luck with your mod at any rate. Few mod teams seem to bother researching the universe their stuff is based in any more so this is a good sign.

 

[ríomhaire]

I think they mean that it's a simulation of non-mechanical reproduction. Not that it's a non-mechanical simulation of reproduction. I always figured it was something like the helmets from Demolition Man.

 

[Otto-Grainer]

.
I remember This Old Thread a while back and this topic sure brings back those memories... Ah, there's nothing like studying combine radio chatter. Er, but anyway...

Stop reading here, please.
NOW!

 

[Maturin]

Running low on verdicts

Thats a good one, right up there with 'Vance Subprime.'