The Public Safety Office

Mission
fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fu—
— Anonymous Shinigami, moments before his apprehension and summary execution

A discrete entity from the Gotei itself, the Public Safety Office exists under the direct authority of the Captain-Commander and is tasked with the enforcement of Seireitei law and judicial proceedings relating to serious crimes committed by all Shinigami. By design, the Public Safety Office is separate from the other divisions in order to preserve its impartiality and as a sign of its commitment to the greater good of Seireitei itself. The official duties of its members are split into two main areas: the investigative and the judicial, though most—if not all—members have training in both, specializing in one or the other according to personal preference.

The Public Safety Office does not typically deal in crimes of a minor nature as these are generally handled within the division of the offending Shinigami. Crimes such as theft, disturbing the peace, and public indecency are often dealt with by command elements within a division and the resulting disciplinary measures decided on by the division’s captain. For larger crimes of a more serious or far-reaching nature—crimes such as murder, treason, etc.—the involvement of the Public Safety Office overrides any division-specific authority for the duration of the investigation and legal proceedings that follow.

As representatives of the law, Public Safety Officers have the authority to stop and question anyone for any reason, though their ability to place suspects under arrest is more limited: for arrests to be made, a warrant must generally be issued. The head of the Public Safety Office may issue warrants for the arrest of any Shinigami up to but not including those holding the rank of captain; warrants for the arrest of captains must be issued by the Captain-Commander himself. If a crime is witnessed by a Public Safety Officer, however, they are free to make arrests without a warrant and regardless of rank.

Members of the Public Safety Office wear the standard Shihakushō and are free to choose to carry the Office emblem—the kanji for law—in one of two ways: as a circular steel badge roughly eight centimeters across, or a smaller version of the same badge in the form of a lapel pin just under two centimeters across. Where and how they choose to wear the emblem is unregulated, as long as it can easily be presented when asked.

Structure and Facilities
Yes, you can have the lieutenants’ meeting room. It’s not like they ever use it, anyway.
— Kasumi Shinoda

As the Public Safety Office is a great deal smaller than the average Gotei division (and its members hand-picked from all walks of Shinigami life) its ranks are amorphous. All base-level Public Safety Officers are roughly equivalent to the seated officers of a regular division and typically have a skill set to match. Furthermore, they are subordinate only to the head of the Public Safety Office, who in turn answers directly to the Captain-Commander.

As a newly-formed organization and as military police, most of the facilities run by the Public Safety Office, including its headquarters, are humble and unassuming: older buildings in central Seireitei have been hastily converted to satisfy the most basic of needs, quite the opposite of the ineffectual decadence the former Sixth Division reveled in. Tribunals are conducted in the repurposed lieutenants’ assembly hall in the First Division and are generally open to public attendance. Unlike the divisions, the Public Safety Office offers no living quarters for its members.

The Public Safety Office maintains no prisons of its own, instead entrusting this duty to the Second Division, whose own expertise in this field—while strictly speaking classified—is of the highest caliber.

Shinigami Law
Don’t confuse vengeance with justice. In pursuing one you’ll often get neither.
— Nagisa Chinda

The four primary laws of Seireitei and the Gotei are as follows:

1. Directly or indirectly and with malicious intent causing the death or serious injury of a Shinigami or Mortal is prohibited. However, in the defense of self or another Shinigami, clemency may be granted if no reasonable alternatives presented themselves.

2. Unauthorized travel to and stays beyond the length of assignment in realms other than Soul Society is prohibited, as is fraternization with Mortal and Hollow-Breed outside an assignment’s parameters.

3. The creation, distribution, and use of weapons, technology, or Kidō of a dangerous, potentially dangerous, or forbidden nature is prohibited.

4. Any willful action not in the best interests of Seireitei or the Balance of Souls is treason. This includes but is not limited to collusion with, giving aid to or abetting any Hollow-Breed, criminal, or enemy of Seireitei.

Failure to comply with a Public Safety Officer performing their duties or otherwise interfering with or obstructing justice is also a punishable offense. Keep in mind that typical military rules and regulations pertaining to things such as violence against superior officers outside of formal challenges and insubordination still apply to the Gotei.

Exceptions and temporary immunity to the above may be granted by High Command.

Persons of Interest
Roster
Hazuki Tsukimiya, Director

Criminals
Genki Ogawa, Unauthorized Travel, Reckless Endangerment
Nanami, Treason, Assault of Superior Officer
Takahiro Hidekawa, Desertion, Assault of Superior Officer
Toshiro Takahashi, Desertion
Atraerus, Desertion
Tony Aleksander, Desertion
Walkren Dekharr, Desertion

Half-Breed Exiles
Nagisa
(Shinkiro)
(Shinpei Minamoto)
(Shura)
(Phoenix)

Exile does not necessarily indicate criminal status, though it is important to note that as Shinigami, half-breeds or not, those in exile are still subject to Shinigami law.

Selection
The Public Safety Office is always recruiting clever Shinigami with both feet on the ground and who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty (in more ways than one, if necessary). This isn’t a place for dullards, nor is it a place for dreamers; the Office is a practical place for practical people who want to see those who dare defy the laws of Seireitei put behind bars—or if the situation demands, dead. For those willing to risk their lives for the often thankless task of upholding law and order, the Office is a place for them.

Post in this thread if you’d like to interview to join the Public Safety Office, but keep in mind I reserve the right to reject you for pretty much any reason that strikes my fancy. Having led two of the most populous divisions in BG history, I’m going to be aiming for a much smaller group this time, focusing far more on quality over quantity.