Curtail ERT Authority [Implemented]

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

The lack of an ERT whitelist is being played by ear. The ERT are a bunch of mercenaries on contract. A lot of these issues can be handwaved IC'ly as the ignorance of mercenaries.

HOWEVER that does not make these issues acceptable. ERT are given authority for the specific purpose of handling the crisis. If it does not pertain to the mission then they should not really be involved in it.

ERT authority is necessary because it is a trade off for their summons. You are calling for ERT because you failed to deal with the issue yourself. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. The ERT are pro-NT but are still a bit of a wildcard since they do not get to be bossed around by anyone on station. They are rogue-ish pro-NT elements.

Any issues such as ERT ignorance on how they aren't literally assuming captainship of the staion should be ahelped.

[MO_oNyMan]

Agreed. I can't think of a single reason why a bunch of mercs with guns would be trusted to rule the station they don't even know over the loyalty-implanted captain. At least make them implanted. I don't think they should be able to just kick away the captain unless specifically instructed by the CCIA. They were send to help with the emergency, not implement dictatorship

[Azande]

What I'm seeing here is two issues:

1. A lack of ahelping bad ERT, this falls onto Command players.

2. A lack of support from CCIA in overruling bad ERT decisions unrelated to emergencies ( [mention]Synnono[/mention] ), I know in the past I have been overruled/stripped of nominal authority over my security team as Captain/HoS, and basically reduced to an HoP/Officer-Lite by ERT Leaders, I have faxed about these occurrences and I've always been met with 'ERT are in charge CCIA don't really have a say over them"

I think if we give CCIA the ability to, and encourage them to provide orders to ERT on behalf of command if faxes are sent, it'd go a long way to ensure an ERT Leader doesn't keep the station hostage for an hour because they want to hunt the antag that hasn't done anything bad for the entire ERT's stay, and keeps the round in code red to handle this hunt.

[Synnono]

if we give CCIA the ability to, and encourage them to provide orders to ERT on behalf of command if faxes are sent

 

This won't be happening. CCIA Agents do not directly issue orders to ERT due to not being part of their command structure. While they have occasionally helped coordinate teams in the past thanks to us not having a better option, it would realistically come to the team from higher up, relayed via a commander. There is an ERT update that will address this specific issue that is already planned.

 

That being said, let’s be careful not to overreact here.

 

Typically good advice, in life and in spess.

[Azande]

CCIA are direct subordinates of all the Chiefs Officers of the Corporation, including the Chief Naval Director - you are incredibly within their chain of command when they are working within your branch of operation.

[Synnono]

I'm aware of where agents sit on the totem pole. However, they are bureaucrats and administrators, who have about as much business directly managing specialist emergency responders as the station's command staff does. They could certainly raise issues or concerns that ERT's command would hear about, and maybe something would be done from that side, but they aren't going to hop on the comm and start laying down the law to the team itself in most situations. If they do, it's generally because the team itself is requesting some clarification, or the two groups are voluntarily cooperating (shocking, I know, but it happens).

An ERT update is planned to make it unnecessary to involve Agents in ordering ERT around anyway. In the meantime, the better option for players who spot bad behavior is to ahelp it.

[Faris]

The ERT guide is more focused on kit than process right now. We are looking to add the following to the wiki page under the "What do I do?" section.

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What do I do?

As a member of the ERT, your objective is to handle the emergency situation that the station has reported by any means necessary, and return the station to normal operations.

You have a selection of powerful equipment, an ID with all-access to the station's airlocks, and the authority to take charge of the station if you need to in order to accomplish your mission. However, remember that the Heads of Staff and Captain are the real people in charge of the facility. Your team shouldn't be relieving them of their duties or overriding their authority without a good reason for it, such as one being hostile, actively assisting hostile elements, or refusing to perform their job functions.

Once the emergency is contained, your team is expected to hand back control of the station to the crew and depart, or at worst, facilitate an evacuation or emergency crew transfer. ERT members should not indefinitely maintain control of the station.

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While this does not affect ERT's authority, it does create guidance on when they should use it - namely, only when doing so would help them contain the emergency they were called for, and only until that emergency is over. ERT and the station's chain of command are entirely separate structures with separate priorities at this level, and we should not be trying to place one above or underneath the other.

The takeaway for command should be that in calling the ERT, you are not in control of an emergency and should defer to the ERT in helping to contain it.

The takeaway for the ERT is that while you are there to normalize the situation, you are not normally responsible for station operations, and should try to leave anything not strictly important to your mission in the hands of command staff.

 

This is being implemented. I feel this is how it has always been, at least when I've played command or even as ERT itself. So consider this a clarification, if ERT were grossly misusing their authority to the degree it doesn't make any sense, you should ahelp it. ERT bans have been handed out in the past.

The relevant clause is being added to their wiki page in particular. I'll leave this thread open for a bit before archiving it as accepted.