[2 Dismissals] Clarification regarding searches during code blue [Binned: 20/03/2018]

Searches on Aurora were slowly transforming to take into consideration human rights and privacy and it's great. However this created multiple contradictions that are now scattered across the game, forums and wiki not that confuse crew and new officer and should be fixed. Not only different sources contradict each other, wiki contradicts itself in the exact same sentence. Here the relevant sources are (contradicting points are put in bold):

In-game code blue announcement text

Captain and security wiki page

Security authority under code blue CCIA clarification somewhere on forums

There was a metric shit ton of discussions on this topic. What it comes down to is that random search and search with probable cause are opposite. If a search is conducted with a probable cause it stops being random and vice versa. The CCIA clause is pretty clear about officers needing a probable cause to conduct a warantless search as well as the obligation to reveal it to the head of staff in case of a location search or to a person recieving a body searched when asked. But the only place this CCIA clarification can be found is somewhere on the forums where most new players don't go.

So to fix the issue the following changes to the wiki pages of captain and security officer as well as in-game announcement text are suggested:

Corrected in-game code blue announcement text

Corrected captain and security wiki page

Blue Alert is a probable reason for a search

Blue Alert is a probable reason for a search

Why would CCIA specify that you need to provide a probable cause on blue if blue itself is a probable cause?

Hi there.

Generally speaking, for IC policy please trust the wiki more than posts somewhere out-of-the-way here, as those tend to get lost and then contradict new things years later. CCIA-to-wiki flow of updates is much better than it was prior to the creation of the wiki maintenance team.

That said, run with this for now and let's not overthink it:

On code blue, random searches of the crew are permitted within reason, like things already say. The reason for the search should be explained to the relevant crew receiving the search (even if the reason is that it is a random search.)

On code blue, location searches are permitted with "probable cause." The reason for the search should be explained to the relevant Head or crew receiving the search, and the Head can ask security to stop if there is no warrant. This is my understanding of how it already worked.

The warrant-less bit is implied and shouldn't be necessary, as all types of searches are already permitted on all alert levels with a valid warrant for those searches.

The wiki should accurately reflect this as of today. But even if it didn't and you found other contradictions, you could always just use the stricter interpretation of the wording to play it safe.

Generally speaking, for IC policy please trust the wiki more than posts somewhere out-of-the-way here, as those tend to get lost and then contradict new things years later. CCIA-to-wiki flow of updates is much better than it was prior to the creation of the wiki maintenance team.

I can't follow the wiki in this situation as while in-game announcement is pretty clear in saying that "random searches are allowed" and CCIA clarification is crystal clear that you absolutely need a probable cause and code blue itself is not enough of a probable cause, the wiki contradicrs itself in saying that random searches can be conducted BUT withing reason. I have no idea what is meant by "within reason" in this context but if your search is "reasonable" then this reason is your probable cause.

That said, run with this for now and let's not overthink it:

On code blue, random searches of the crew are permitted within reason, like things already say. The reason for the search should be explained to the relevant crew receiving the search (even if the reason is that it is a random search.)

On code blue, location searches are permitted with "probable cause." The reason for the search should be explained to the relevant Head or crew receiving the search, and the Head can ask security to stop if there is no warrant. This is my understanding of how it already worked.

That's kind of what wiki currently says. But again I am baffled by "random within reason"

The warrant-less bit is implied and shouldn't be necessary, as all types of searches are already permitted on all alert levels with a valid warrant for those searches.

The "warrant-less" is a substitution for "random" as i feel like it's the cornerstone of the issue at hand

The wiki should accurately reflect this as of today. But even if it didn't and you found other contradictions, you could always just use the stricter interpretation of the wording to play it safe.

I go by the CCIA clarification in my practices as it makes the most sense to me. However i've been playing on Aurora for a while now. When it comes to new players i can only imagine how confused they might get if even long-standing sec players can't cite a solid source to go by. And the reason for a suggestion is to set the policy in stone, erradicating all contradiction to avoid chaos and confusion.

And this can be done in one of two ways:

1) Erradicate all mentions of "reason" and "probable cause". Code blue lets security search whoever they want whenever they want. Heads can shut down a locational search of their own department under their authority which can only be circumvented by a captain-level descision (basically exactly what in-game announcement text says)

2) The preferred (by me) route. Erradicate all mentions of "random". Code blue as a code of suspected danger lets officers conduct searches of people and locations without a warrant (to cut down the time of the response) but they must have a probable cause (that may not be withheld by officers) for a search (as in they need to have a reasonable suspicion that area or a person are related to a crime or present danger to the crew or the station). Heads can shut down the locational search in their departments under their authority if the cause presented by searching officer is not probable enough (basically exactly what CCIA clarification says). Code blue by itself can not be used as a probable cause for a search.

Whichever way is chosen i'd prefer if it wasn't done by saying "this is correct" in this thread followed by its closure. It would be better if the decision got reflected by credible sources (like wiki) where everyone can see it and consult it if they're not sure about the current procedure

"Random within reason" means that you should feel free as an officer to conduct a 'random' search, but to use common sense about it. Don't harass someone by 'randomly' searching them ten times. Don't 'randomly' search someone if you know the threat has already been neutralized just because it's still code blue, et cetera. "Within reason" is guidance, not a contradiction to the random part. Officers will always really have a reason to search, otherwise they wouldn't be searching in the first place.

I don't think a large portion of security has trouble with searches right now, despite whatever extended discussion goes on outside the game, this forum, or our main server discord. If they do, they can feel free to post here and contribute to the thread. As it stands, most of CCIA does not appear to want to make any additional significant changes to the previously-clarified language, and so I'm voting to dismiss this.

I've discussed this with Syn and support both their argument and decision here.

Voting for dismissal.

A week has passed, binning.

Locking and archiving.