War Ministry Decree: Court Martial Of Tarlok

[Hemingway7]

Office of the War Ministry
Greygate Prison
Regalian Holy City

Sept. 4 310 AC

Count-Elector Heinrich von Schwarzkrau zu Moritzburg
Viridian Knight
War Minister

The War Ministry thanks all personnel responsible for holding the former constable, Mister Tarlok, accountable for his actions while in the line of official state duty as a State Metropolitan Constable.

In summary: Mister Tarlok demonstrated excessive and undue force in dealing with criminals and obscene independence from the State Metropolitan command structure. Mister Tarlok also broke himself out of Greygate Prison and generally refuted every disciplinary measure taken to remediate his behavior.

This court martial serves to re-instill public confidence by separating Mister Tarlok's conduct from the hard work, dedication and upstanding morality of the State Metropolitan constabulary.

It also serves as a reminder to all constables and members of the military that they shall be held accountable for how seriously they take their role while serving the Empire.

We recall the words of His Holiness, Emperor Alexander I, from his proclamation on the evolution of the Violet Order in February:

"Naturally, it is the right of the guard to inflict harm on those who seek to inflict harm on others or the state or all that it holds holy and righteous. However, the Lord Commander also appraised us of the fact that some Guards, perhaps, take glee in this situation beyond what one can reasonably expect. Too often does the Lord Commander find himself in the position to handle public relation matters beyond the scope of law enforcement, and too often do crimes go unpunished or reduced in efficient punishment due to a certain amount of pre-applied extrajudicial damage to the subject or illegal material.

The Crown proposes, that even if truth and perception are not one and the same, optics matter when it comes to how effective the Guard can perform its crucial duties to the state."​

Verdict:

• Criminality of Low Law: Tarlok attacked a criminal imprisoned in Greygate on Aug. 28 in the Greygate cells. GUILTY.
• Criminality of Crown Law: Tarlok escaped Greygate prison and aided another criminal in escaping Greygate prison. GUILTY. Distinction granted in that the panel of peers found Mister Tarlok escaped Greygate prison, but some did not think he aided the prisoner in escaping during his testimony.
• Criminality of Low Law: Between Saturday Aug. 27, and Monday, Aug. 29, an incriminating report on Mister Tarlok disappeared from the Greygate records room. NOT GUILTY.
• Negligence in conduct: Tarlok has on numerous occasions displayed negligence to his duty in the excessive use of force. GUILTY, WITH DISSENT FROM COUNTESS ENHEDUANNA ABANSADDI AND COUNT ARDIGE VIDUGGLA.

The War Ministry notes the dissent toward the fourth charge presented, and implores those who find no objection to Constable Tarlok's behavior to consider the following:

• Commoners don't deserve to have every bone in their body crushed for trespassing just because they are being annoying while doing it.
• Criminals should not be hunted down and extrajudicially slain in the streets on a vendetta by off-duty Constables.
• Constables should not place prisoners' arms inside their mouths.

Punishment:

• Mister Tarlok will be dishonorably discharged and barred from all Regalian Military institutions. This includes the State Metropolitan. This may be appealed to the War Minister after all punishments have been carried out.
• Mister Tarlok will apologize to the state officials whose time he wasted by squandering his second chances.
• Mister Tarlok will apologize to those whom he harmed with use of excessive force.
• Mister Tarlok will perform community service as organized by the Civics Ministry until he has accounted for a 1,000-regals fine.
• Mister Tarlok will serve a month-long banishment to Crookback, only to return to the city proper for community service and spiritual services when escorted by a member of the State Metropolitan.

It is with hope that Mister Tarlok will reflect upon his actions in exile and recognize some appreciation for law, dignity and accountability before he returns to the city proper.