Interpol in T2K

[pmulcahy11b]

Since I am in lust with Padget Brewster's character of Emily Prentiss in Criminal Minds, it got me wondering - what would Interpol be doing in Twilight?

[Legbreaker]

Falling apart would be my guess. My (admittedly rather limited) understanding of Interpol is that they rely heavily on communications to do their job. With the nukes those communications networks are gone, therefore is Interpol's method of doing business.
Also without functioning civilian governments interested in more than the area they can eyeball, who's going to be all that keen on hunting down and prosecuting criminals who's crimes were committed in another area, possibly even in enemy held areas?

[LT. Ox]

Interpol was formed much for the same reason as our FBI, back in the day if you went across a state line here you could not be followed or apprehended as the jurisdiction laws were very strict.
The reason for that was very basic very few agencies trusted another to be as professional in their operations as their own. Smile.
Now put that on an international scale and you see the problem. Then the smuggling of drugs took on proportions that just could not be handled by any one nation alone. Also the ability to communicate improved; don’t laugh learning about each other made a hell of a difference.
Now take away the ability to communicate, immediate and discrete communications, and take away or lower the priority on drugs and similar smuggling, you have lost the desire to spend resources on a very expensive proposition that returns little in the current scheme of things.
My two cents.

[.45cultist]

It seems that countering smuggling up until the bomb falls is a safe assumption. The war would increase the illicit movement of people and goods.

[rcaf_777]

Interpol is more international Police association than an international police force its main goal is to assistance members countries battle crime, it does this by share information on crimes, wanted criminals ect.

Contrary to what you see in the movies and TV Interpol does not have field agents to quote the web site directly

"Approximately 800 staff members from 100 different countries are employed at the INTERPOL General Secretariat, Regional Bureaus and Liaison offices, working in any of the organization’s four official languages: Arabic, English, French and Spanish. A third of these are either seconded or detached by their national law enforcement administrations in INTERPOL’s 190 member countries; the remaining are international civil servants hired under contract directly by the organization."

So while you man work Interpol your still a member of your national police force, and you only assist local law enforcement.

Interpol HQ is in Lyon France, is it still intact?

[Legbreaker]

Well France did sit out the war (obviously to avoid the necessity of surrendering to somebody like Luxembourg or Monaco), but as has been discussed in earlier threads, was likely hit by nukes from both sides of the conflict...
Was Lyon one of those targets? My guess - probably, if only due to it's industries, transportation and general wealth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon#Economy

[Olefin]

Interpol may still be active in France, Belguim and Switzerland and possibly Sweden (as they rode out the war) - even with the disruption of communications the French didnt see the widespread disruption there was in the US, the UK and the USSR - if civilian authorities are still in control you will see police organizations like them still going - but they have probably switched to focusing solely security issues and things like smuggling instead of just general crime

[Silent Hunter UK]

You could still have an ex-Interpol agent trying to survive... or maybe becoming the sheriff in a small community, like Defiance.

[unkated]

I think Interpol can be used as a back-channel communication link between governments.

I think police organizations, while taking on a security role, will still have some concern over 'normal' crime.

It says Interpol's "work focuses primarily on public safety and battling terrorism, crimes against humanity, environmental crime, genocide, war crimes, organized crime, piracy, illicit traffic in works of art, illicit drug production, drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, child pornography, white-collar crime, computer crime, intellectual property crime and corruption."

Even taking out genocide, war crimes, corruption, and terrorism all (of which may be war-related), there's still actually a fair amount of possible international crime to cooperate about.

Various crimes may have war-related concerns for a given nation, heightening their interest in handling a type of crime. For example,
smuggling as the smugglers may be considered damaging the war effort by pilfering national stores (weapons, medical equipment), aiding deserters, helping to transport spies, etc

So, where relations between France and the NATO governments (W Germany, England, Canada, USA, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway) may be cold, their police may still be willing to talk and share data, and cooperate (stopping crime is stopping crime) on some matters. Similarly, there is no reason for France and Italy or Greece (or the Soviet Union, however limited that cooperation was before the outbreak of the Twilight War) to avoid cooperating on matters related to crime. In both cases, there are personnel who have the personal relationships of cooperation (contacts) that they may use to keep in business.

Actually, it would be in keeping (IMHO) with French attitudes to try to keep Interpol running outside the war zones as an example of French International leadership.

Admittedly, a war zone is a difficult place to pursue criminals or criminal investigations but still...

Winter 2000, Madgeburg, Germany.

Bristol Myers, Leftenant with the 1st Wilts, is called in by his CO, and told to cooperate with a civilian, introduced as Jean Bertrand, Inspecteur Principal de la Surete Nationale de la France (you hear each nasally accented capital letter). Bertrand displays an official-looking badge and ID.

He explains at some length with painstaking detail in heavily accented English that he has tracked a criminal named Hugo Victoire, a French national, using various methods of intercepted communication, reconnaissance, physical evidence gathering, interrogation, to Magdeburg, where he is hiding, having been operating a white slavery ring, inducing German and Polish refugee women and even children (de touts les sex) into the industrie sexuelle in Marseille, some being sold on to North African, South American, and Middle Eastern countries. M. Bertrand appears quite worked up by the end of his lecture.

M. Bertrand wishes to take him in custody back to France to stand trial for his crimes (pronounced creem).

In response to the obvious question, the Old Man tells you this is not a joke, that you and your squad will accompany M. Bertrand about the town and help him locate this Hugo if possible. He will remind you that your file mentions you have a near fluency in French. Inspecteur Bertrand brought some supplies, including some 200 liters of petrol, 20 of which the leftenant can use to drive l'Inspecteur around town during his investigation and pursuit, and another 200 of which will be made available to the battalion upon the successful apprehension of Victoire...

T2K meets The Third Man. Possibily culminating in an exciting chase through the town sewers if you wish :).

Another fun possibility, of course, is that Bertrand in a fake, another criminal going after a rival, Victoire, using the poor communications of the War Zone to keep his cover story...

I picked (on) a Frenchmen, but it could be a policeman of almost any nationality not involved in the immediate region's hostilities.

"... charging a man with murder in this place was like handing out speeding tickets in the Indy 500." - Capt. Benjamin Willard, Apocalypse Now

Uncle Ted

[Silent Hunter UK]

I would point out that it hasn't actually been called the Sûreté since the 1960s (it's the Police Nationale since 1966), but that's only a minor quibble. Good idea!

[.45cultist]

The LEO discovers his smugglers and snakeheads have brought over foreign agents and thier gear. Perhaps the last part of the message was lost when the sending city gets nuked.

[pmulcahy11b]

Interpol HQ is in Lyon France, is it still intact?

I would think it would have more of a chance of being intact than most civilized places. Are there any military targets?

[Legbreaker]

Not that I could see on a quick look, but would either side have risked attacking French military targets? That would almost certainly have prompted the French to declare war - but then so would a civilian target you'd think....
Any French targets would IMHO have to be able to be written off as a mistake, so anything too deep within France would be a big no no.

Edit: And then, two seconds later I find this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_–_Mont_Verdun_Air_Base
Further edit: Yeah, it's a high priority target.
It is a duplicate of the headquarters of the French Air Force nuclear strike force at Taverny Air Base - BA921 near Paris, with an underground command center.
I'm gonna say it's probably the second most important target within France, and almost certainly subjected to a ground burst by a rather large warhead(s).

[LT. Ox]

I have a thought about what happens when the Rules break down.
first I am pretty sure rules break down when you do not have enough to eat, next when the folks that ship you the food (and almost all food is shipped) to the cities stop shipping then there is no food.
NO power and no fuel mean no food, no medicine, and little clean water in fact.
We have some indication (in game terms) of what that means in the USA but I suggest it would be at least as disruptive in west Europe and France trying to keep her borders secure would have little thought to Interpol, of course that is up to the individual GM but about the only role I see is a FORMER member or more accurately a person that had been assigned to them in a much different role in the current situation.

[ArmySGT.]

With their skill sets I would think they would be transferred to Counter Intelligence and be searching high and low for spies.

[LT. Ox]

With their skill sets I would think they would be transferred to Counter Intelligence and be searching high and low for spies.

My thoughts or back in charge of a section.

[Legbreaker]

Even if Lyon and Interpol HQ was in one piece, I can't imagine the French would like what is essentially a foreign intelligence agency still operating within their borders. Those that aren't co-opted by the French are sure to be expelled once the French withdrew from Nato and declared their neutrality.
I can't imagine the Swiss would be all that keen on accepting them either, at least not until the war died down.

I agree with the Sgt and Lt re how the personnel would be used during the war, although I'll add some would join the MPs as well as the various Intelligence organisations. Makes soooo much more sense than leaving them in what is essentially a superfluous administrative position.

[Olefin]

Lyon does have one big military target as well - i.e. the Renault truck works are there - big facility that makes all kinds of trucks and most likely would have been switched over to military production with the start of the war

and even with the French withdrawing from NATO, I could see the US buying trucks from them to use for their forces

the plant is in the southwest part of the city in Venissieux - been there and its quite the plant - they also made medium size trucks for Mack (which is why I was there) - its far enough out that a hit there wouldnt do much to the city

now if you are going for where they make VAB's and the like you want Limoges

[Legbreaker]

The truck works would be at best a secondary target when you've got the back up control site for France's nukes a short way to the north west.
Lyon's looking more and more like a primary target for the first side to break their supposed neutrality.

[unkated]

Lyon does have one big military target as well - i.e. the Renault truck works are there - big facility that makes all kinds of trucks and most likely would have been switched over to military production with the start of the war

and even with the French withdrawing from NATO, I could see the US buying trucks from them to use for their forces


No, you would see the US wanting to buy trucks from the French.

For the French to sell them to the belligerent NATO countries would be to support their war effort, which they oppose.

And to become legitimate targets, a fate France is avoiding.

Aussi, pas de truck pour le NATO - les Boches, les Anglais, et les Americains, ils faut marche ou mourir.

(So, no trucks for NATO. The Germans, English, and Amercians must march 9on foot) or die.)

Equally, unless you wish to be a target of the Force du frappe (the french nuke strike capability) you don't hit them. While not as earth-shattering as a US or Soviet strike capability, it's nothing to sniff at, especially if you have already been weakened. France IS a country with working power and air defense - they will know who hit them.

The NATO vehicle book mentions ONLY a single strike in Lille (NE France).

Uncle Ted

[Olefin]

the French got hit more than once by nukes but not that many - from what the various sourcebooks said it appears that what did get hit was petroleum related, much like it was in other neutrals - but in France's case I am betting it was limited or the French hit back and made it very clear that any more nukes and they would have joined the war

i.e. - "Despite being neutral, France was subjected to nuclear strikes to deny its port and oil refining facilities to NATO. Damage was generally confined to coastal areas, but casualties were severe. Riots and civil confusion caused by the war and the influx of refugees forced the government to close France's borders, then occupy all territories west of the Rhine.

Some areas, particularly the mountains, are in open rebellion, and martial law is in effect. The government in the southern areas is corrupt and dominated by the Union Corse. Marseilles is the largest undamaged city in the country, though it is in a bad state compared to its pre-war condition. Some trade between Europe and the eastern Mediterranean passes through the city, which is entirely run by the Union Corse."

[RN7]

Winter 2000, Madgeburg, Germany.

Bristol Myers, Leftenant with the 1st Wilts, is called in by his CO, and told to cooperate with a civilian, introduced as Jean Bertrand, Inspecteur Principal de la Surete Nationale de la France (you hear each nasally accented capital letter). Bertrand displays an official-looking badge and ID.


Uncle Ted


With the French occupying all German territory west of the Rhine and enforcing the Dead Zone east of the Rhine into Germany I could not see a French government official/policeman lasting to long in Germany