Vol 877 Issue 20 20-1122

Commissioner Globber announces reforms
of Regina Police Department
Commissioner Seymore Globber announced today that he is instituting sweeping reforms of the Police Department. He stated that the reforms are designed for the police to regain the trust of the people of Regina.

It is unknown whether these reforms were triggered by the recent spree of crimes, which left the Regina Police Department looking ineffectual at best, and corrupt at worst.

These incidents included: the wreck of the Regent’s car and theft of the black box while in police custody; the assassination of the Duchess of Regina (and the death of the assassin while in police custody); the attack and attempted abduction of Victoria Aledon at the Ducal estate; and the serial slasher murders.

Not only have these crimes remained unsolved, the police handling of the physical evidence in these cases almost assures that no one could ever be brought to trial for them.

Anonymous sources from within the police department have indicated that although the Regent seems willing to turn a blind eye to the beatings of suspects, and illegal arrests and detentions, she has "put out the word that taking bribes will not be tolerated".

The source went on to say that the Regent has obviously never tried to live or raise a family on an official Regina police salary.

Insiders within the Police Department say that without Regina’s informal system of gratuities, there is no reward for good police work. It will be honest cops who will suffer the most under the new system, since the really corrupt cops will continue to be engaged in protection rackets, extortion and other organized crime.

 Under the current system, officers assigned to a police district collect payments from the merchants that do business in their area, and the citizens that reside there - the people that directly benefit the most. If merchants want extra police attention, they have to pay more; if they want no police attention, in addition to paying more, they also have to promise not to create any "public nuisances".

The police union has openly stated that although some cases of individual payments or gifts take place, that the practice does not constitute corruption, because "no one is forced to pay".

Regina’s actual crime rate has been relatively steady over the years; and if instances of "mutual combat" are excluded from the statistics it has one of the lowest rates of violent crime in the neutral zone.

Many admit that it would be nice to return to the time when plenty of police, maintained by the Imperial as well as the Regina government, walked the halls of the starport and kept the peace.

However, can Regina afford that level of protection? The Regina Police, undermanned and frequently outgunned, have given the people of Regina what they have asked for, and frequently – what they have paid for. Will the new "system" do as much?

Living Section

Corina and Dirk?

Regent and Savage Keeping Close Company

In an interesting and stylish duo, Regent Corina Ling- Raleigh and Actor Dirk Savage, have been seen "about town" together frequently since Dirk's arrival on planet for the filming of the tri-dee Major Case Squad on Regina Up Port. It all began, seemingly with a tango between Dirk and Corina at the Regent's Ball for the Imerial and Zhodani

 delegations. Since then they have been seen in public together picnicing at Aguilon Park with Inspector Globber at the set of Dirk's film, and dancing at The Purple Oyster. Dirk even staged a rather daring "snatch" of Corina from the out of control crowd at Behrel Dom Camreal's Concert on Regina Down Port.

Not that Corina needed any more dramatic dash, but Dirk seems one of the few men up to the kind of press our Regent can generate, in fact he seems to thrive on it.