(Associated Press MediaNet) - Seattle, UCAS. In an official press release, Lone Star Security spokesperson Mandy Honeywell reported that gang-related arrests are up over 20% over the previous month, indicating that Lone Star personnel are encountering increasing levels of resistance in impoverished sections of the metroplex. "The gangs have been growing more active as of late, but Lone Star stands ready to deal with them if they step out of line," she reports. "We take our duty to safeguard the law-abiding citizens of Seattle very seriously."
While local civil liberty advocates have decried the tactics employed by Lone Star, most city officials appear to be supportive of this new initiative. "As long as the Star stays on top of them," replied a senior official who declined to be identified, "we don't care what they do. Someone has to take out the garbage."
<<<MediaWatcher>>>
Very nice. Because anyone who belongs in a gang is just trash to be disposed of. Fascists.
<<<Fatima>>>
If it keeps them off my block, I could care less.
<<<Clockwork>>>
So what's causing all the aggro? I haven't heard about any of the gangs in my area going to war.
<<<JoeyBoy>>>
Doesn't have to be. Lone Star has their contract with the city up for renegotiation at the end of this fiscal quarter. So they step up patrols in the barrens and institute "Stop and frisk" orders for anyone wearing colors, sporting chrome, or doing anything else suspicious. (Like 'driving while being metahuman'.) Walking around the Barrens without some kind of hardware qualifies as assisted suicide in my book, so they are guaranteed to find enough on the frisk for a weapons charge. And anyone arrested in the Barrens is almost guaranteed to have some ties to a gang, so the arrest is classified as gang-related. The Star gets to inflate their crime statistics with these manufactured arrests and get everyone nervous. And since there isn't really any massive outbreak of gang violence, it looks like they are doing their jobs. Their public approval ratings climb, and they are in a better position for contract renewal negotiations.
<<<Dr. Spin>>>
What's really sick is that you are probably right.
<<<SPD>>>
I don't have to like something to recognize it when I see it.
<<<Dr. Spin>>>
Maybe we ought to arrange a 'special' welcome for these frisking patrols.
<<<IceZee>>>
The Star suits would probably love that. Dead cops always garner public sympathy.
<<<Dr. Spin>>>