an we trust our cities finest?

The Herald has returned, and for joy. It's time for a new round of excellent journalism and ground trembling news!

And what better way to kick off, than by taking a look around the glorious city of Stormwind, more specifically everyones favorite City Guard!

It is no secret that the proud Guardsmen, currently led by Lord Virexor Razordawn and his proud officers Maxous Steinmetz and Marcus Goodwin, has suffered quite some critic over their time in existence. Saving the lives of innocent citizens, making everyones day pass on as swell as possible and generally being your friendly neighborhood man-in-blue.

But if they're really this great, these law enforcers, how come that they over and over again subject of the public eye? Or that of the press? Or even the nobles?

I'm led to assume that when they really are subjects to all this slander so many times, that some of it might have root in it. Is it really possible that our city's finest might have a few rotten apples in the basket? “NO!” the Guards yell and spring into action when I, a fairly normal Stormwind citizen bring this doubt to them. “NO!” just as the nobleman shouts when you raise the idea that he might be corrupt. That he then leaves no sentiment when brought to the gallows for treason is quite another thing, cough cough Lord Ettenstone.

To put the actual point of this dramatic introduction in place, I will start by telling you, dear reader, my story;
My name is Modessa Ravenheart and I've graduated with top degrees from some of the finest educational facilities you could dig up, respectfully in law and politics. The common term for this, I believe, is lawyer. Now as the citizen I am, I feel the personal need to use these skills to aid my fair city. And after doing a good deal of consideration and generally using this mighty fine mind of mine, I decided that I would devote myself to the betterment and improvement of the Stormwind City Guard. But why, may you ask, would the Guard need a lawyer? They are the law, aren't they?

So I got the idea for a little thing I've chosen to call an Internal Affairs Agency. Taking the existing concept of the Disciplinary Officers from the Guard and turning it into an independent, unbiased office who's job it is to make sure that the Guards obeys to the very same laws and rules that it is their job to enforce. To make sure that no badges are waved unrightfully. That the rules and guidelines of the City Guard are as strictly enforced as any law. For surely you must agree that we cannot allow slack or bad and dull discipline within the organization aimed to protect us and our city from the threats within?

You see, nothing at all prevents a Guard from committing a crime. Except for the law, as it is with any others. But if they're the ones enforcing it, what would stop them from conveniently not enforce it in the event of a Guard breaking the law? I can assure you, my friend, that there has been several occasions where Guards has broken quite ordinary and basic rules and laws, and has gotten away with it. For example, enforcing their way onto private property without a warrant. Disrespectful behavior against ordinary citizens and hardworking folks of Stormwind. Disregarding the very basic and common rules that make up the City Guard.

Now can you tell me that this does not show the very same lack of discipline that I mentioned earlier?

But didn't I mention the proud Disciplinary Officer Marcus Goodwin? The man supposed to make sure that these mishaps does not occur? And if they do, the least he could do is to punish the perpetrator? Then how come that crimes such as these still go unpunished?

Well, if you caught your best friend and/or colleague stealing an apple or drinking on the job, would you hurry right on up and report it to the Guards?

In the same way, if a Guard was caught with his hands in crime do you think his colleagues and friends would immediately act against it as deserved? I do personally have my doubt.

So I thought that the appropriate way of dealing with this obvious issue would be to insert an agent to keep an eye on the Guard. Someone paid, not to deal with crime, but to deal with Guards breaking their own rules. Someone who wouldn't address such issues with friendliness and forgiving towards his or hers “friends” and colleagues. Not a Guard, but an Internal Affairs Agent.

Cause really now, do we feel safe when we have Guards guarding Guards who're potentially as criminal as your common thug or pickpocket? Do we trust the Disciplinary Officer to strike down hard on his friends? I ask again, would you report your best friend for criminality in the blink of an eye? Dare we report such crimes to someone wearing the exact same uniform as the one we just saw the criminal wear?

Wouldn't it be better if you had the chance to go to someone independent and unbiased? To someone who actually would act against all this? Wouldn't that be better?

Well, apparently not.

Cause when I brought my suggestion to the City Guard and the Lady Alderman Azulai Aerien, I was met with just that “How dare you suggest that anything would ever be wrong with us?!” attitude that I described earlier on. “How dare you insinuate that my very close friends and colleagues would ever do something wrong?”. This was the attitude and response that my fairly friendly and surely most helpful and efficiency-improving suggestion was met with.

Trust me, I went to the Command Center about five times over three days, and I witnessed at least one obvious rule break at each visit. That is as far as I'm concerned not proper discipline.

So in a city where apparently slacking discipline within the Guard becomes a more and more often occurrence, are we still willing to trust and have faith in that proper action is taken against off-breaking Guardsmen, when the opposite is somewhat clear?

The answer to that is of course up to you, dear citizen. It is your city after all.
King's Honor.

Modessa Ravenheart.
Lawyer.