Raccoon Police Department
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The Raccoon Police Department (R.P.D.) is a fictional law-enforcement agency that appears in Capcom's Resident Evil survival horror franchise. The police station is situated in the heart of Raccoon City.
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[edit] History
Formerly Raccoon City's prestigious art museum, the building was purchased in the late 1980s by the local government and converted for use by the R.P.D. due to its ample parking space and centralized location near Raccoon City's central business district.
Although the artworks within the building were removed and relocated, it was once again lavishly decorated by Raccoon City's Chief of Police, Brian Irons, a known art and sculpture enthusiast. Irons' inability to refrain from constantly purchasing newer and more grandiose pieces also lead to many of the building's storage rooms being filled with neglected and replaced artworks no longer appreciated by the fickle Chief. The building contained two entrances to the city's sewer system; one through the kennels, and one through a secret room connected to Chief Irons' office. The latter designed and installed by the Umbrella Corporation to better facilitate Irons' duties within their clandestine research operations, as these sewer entrances allowed access to Umbrella's secret underground laboratories.
[edit] Arklay mountains incident
On July 23rd 1998, the Special Tactics And Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) Bravo Team (later followed by Alpha) was dispatched into the Arklay Mountains to investigate a series of bizarre cannibalistic murders in the region. After the Spencer Mansion incident, surviving S.T.A.R.S. members led by Chris Redfield, demanded a full-scale investigation of Umbrella's activities. However, this was promptly denied by Chief Irons, who later officially disbanded S.T.A.R.S., having realised that the surviving member's inquiries could possibly lead to the discovery of his position within Umbrella's secret structure. Utilising the assistance of another of Umbrella's most esteemed lackeys, Raccoon City Mayor Michael Warren, the two succeeded in tarnishing the S.T.A.R.S. unit's reputation and largely suppressing much of their account of the Arklay incident through manipulation of the media.
Suspecting Irons' of collusion with the Umbrella Corporation, Redfield then had several media sources, began a subtle inquiry into the Chief's personal activities, which were then uncovered by Ben Bertolucci. Redfield also requested that the Federal police conduct an investigation into Irons' background, which faxed a report to the S.T.A.R.S. office on September 29th, albeit too late to spare the city from Umbrella's atrocities.
[edit] Raccoon City Outbreak
During the T-Virus outbreak in Raccoon City in September of 1998, Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, and many other survivors sought refuge within the precinct. 1 day before, S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team operative Brad Vickers attempted to seek refuge within the precinct as he was relentlessly pursued by one of Umbrella's most deadly Bio-Organic Weapons, the Nemesis. However, Vickers was brutally killed by the creature in front of his former colleague, Jill Valentine, at the main entrance to the R.P.D.
The R.P.D. precinct was temporarily used as a fortress by survivors of the incident, including the survivors of Resident Evil Outbreak: File 2. The "Desperate Times" scenario details the escape of a handful of officers and survivors the day before the arrival of Jill Valentine and Brad Vickers. However, there is considerable evidence which suggests that Marvin Branagh and the survivors were not the last group of officers to seek shelter within the precinct. Resident Evil 2 shows that many windows previously intact and unprotected have been barricaded haphazardly with wooden planks. Several rooms, including the "Interrogation room" and "2nd floor reception office" have been cleaned up. The two prisoners incarcerated within the basement holding area have been released and Ben Burtolucci has been given the key to his cell. The west wing, which was previously overrun with zombies, has been cleared and secured. There are the bodies of several police officers strewn around the precinct, including an officer who has been pecked to death by crows on the second floor, and the previously intact windows have been smashed. The SWAT (S.P.F.) van on the parking ramp has been returned to its parking place. Marvin requests that the character "rescue the survivors in the other rooms," even though he was the only living person left inside the precinct not to escape alongside Rita and the survivors. The police officer who signals the rescue helicopter on the roof during "Scenario B" is not a member of Marvin's team and, most importantly, the four officers who leave diary entries detailing an attempted escape through the sewers are not members of the survivors group, as none of the officers in "Desperate Times" are murdered by Chief Irons.
Eventually, the building suffered the same fate as the rest of Raccoon City when it was annihilated during Operation: Mission Code XX, officially approved by the United States government, in a final desperate attempt to halt the spread of the T-Virus across the country.
[edit] Known members
- Aaron - First appearing in the "Outbreak" scenario, Aaron was a member of the large taskforce deployed to Main Street to reinforce the defense of the area after the successful completion of "Operation: Mop Up." Surviving longer than many of his colleagues, Aaron winds up fighting alongside Marvin's survivors, who are fortified within the R.P.D. precinct, during the "Desperate Times" scenario of Resident Evil Outbreak File #2. He was something of a role-model to his colleagues, and was somewhat idolized by Kevin Ryman (see below). Aaron is eventually killed as he awaits the return of Rita with reinforcements, when the emergency stairs area he is guarding is overrun by zombies.
- Andy - Appearing in Resident Evil Outbreak File #2, Andy is a playable character unlockable after completing the "Desperate Times" scenario. Horribly wounded, Andy is covered in severe bite wounds, two on his right arm, one on his left, and a deep bitemark on his left shoulder close to his throat. Although Andy's eventual fate is unknown, due to his critical injuries and rapid infection rate, it would seem almost certain that he did not escape Raccoon City alive.
- Arthur - Arthur is the partner of Raymond Douglas (see below). Both officers are assigned the evacuation of as many citizens as possible to retrieval points located throughout the city. Largely successful in the early hours of the chaos, Arthur is eventually killed outside of "J's Bar" whilst attempting to evacuate the panic-stricken and injured civilians who are fleeing from the oncoming hordes of zombies.
- Brian Irons - Irons is the corrupt Chief of the R.P.D; he is a double agent working for the Umbrella Corporation. One of his hobbies is taxidermy. Initially, he covered all of Umbrella's activities to the general public and even the Department, in exchange of large amounts of money; but, after the outbreak he goes insane and starts to hunt down his fellow officers (and the daughter of Mayor Michael Warren, who has left with him to take care of). He blames Umbrella for destroying "his town". He is killed soon thereafter by G, which is the mutated William Birkin.
- David Ford - David Ford is the author of the first of two operation reports found in Resident Evil 2 detailing the gradual defeat of the R.P.D. officers within the precinct late in the week of the outbreak. He reports on many injuries and deaths of his comrades as well as Raccoon civilians. He states that the lack of ammunition and weaponry available to the surviving officers is problematic. David records one of the first sightings of a new creature within the R.P.D. building, which the remaining officers tentatively nickname "Licker". David is killed by zombies on the night of September 27th - his death is noted by Elliot Edward. In a memo written by the same character found in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and the N64 version of Resident Evil 2 reveals that David developed a close "relationship" with his Mossberg shotgun, but feeling the situation to be hopeless he takes to drinking whiskey. It becomes apparent that David suffers a mental breakdown after the situation becomes too difficult for him to cope with, and it is implied that he committed suicide (despited being listed as killed in Elliot Edward's report).
- Dorian - Dorian is another R.P.D. officer assisting the evacuation operation, and is in possession of a SWAT (S.P.F) van to help facilitate this task. Dorian tries to relocate the survivors and several other citizens to a safer region, but is stopped by one of the many roadblocks set up throughout the area. He tells the survivors that, although inappropriate, they should no longer depend on the R.P.D. for assistance. Dorian succeeds in evacuating the survivors when a large R.P.D. taskforce arrives to secure Main Street, opening a path to a safer region of the city. However, Dorian's eventual fate is unknown.
- Ed - A police officer who was killed by Chief Irons, Ed was unrelated to Elliot Edward. Irons' describes in his diary the pleasure he felt as he watched Ed die after shooting him in the back.
- Elliott - A veteran officer leading the three-man team tasked with conducting "Operation: Mop Up," the R.P.D.'s final large-scale defensive effort, designed to eliminate as many zombies as possible through the use of C-4 explosives. After successfully placing the charges throughout Main Street, Elliott and Harry wait impatiently as Eric attempts to prime the detonator device which will ultimately destroy the charges and the horde of zombies surrounding them. However, the barricade stemming the zombies' advance collapses and Elliott is killed as he attempts to save Eric from the approaching threat.
- Elliot Edward - Elliot Edward is the writer of the second operation report seen in Resident Evil 2. He mentions the death of his colleague David Ford, and also details a plan of escape through the sewers beneath the police station. Himself included, he is amongst a group of four surviving officers within the police station precinct on September 28th.
- Elran - An officer associated with the Boys Crime Dept. within the R.P.D. He is mentioned briefly in an August 13th entry from Jill Valentine's diary.
- Eric - Eric is a rookie officer who appears to be the R.P.D.'s explosives and demolitions expert. Alongside Elliott and Harry, he takes part in "Operation: Mop Up," and is responsible for wiring the fuses together and detonating the charges placed earlier by the trio. As he frantically attempts to prepare the detonator device for activation, he is unable to escape the approaching zombie horde after the safety barricade collapses only feet from their position.
- Fred - A surviving R.P.D. officer and member of Marvin's team who ends up barricaded within the station in the "Desperate Times" scenario. He attempts to hold the rooftop as they await the return of Rita with reinforcements, but is killed by the many infected crows which constantly attack his position.
- George Scott - He was assigned the night shift at the time of the Outbreak, September 27th. He is only mentioned on a notice board inside the R.P.D.
- Harry - A nervous and edgy individual, Harry is the third officer participating in "Operation: Mop Up," although it appears obvious that he is not normally a field officer. He and Elliott nervously fire randomly into the large gathering of zombies accumulating at the barricade as Eric prepares the detonator device necessary for triggering the charges placed throughout the crowd. When the barricade collapses, Eric and Elliott are overwhelmed by the zombie horde before they can escape. Harry, though injured, manages to escape to the Main Street walkway staircase before encountering the survivors. Handing over his firearm for defense to Kevin and the other Jack's Bar patrons who escaped with him, he asks that they attempt to locate the detonator pieces which were scattered during the attack so that the C-4 charges can be destroyed. Harry returns in the "Desperate Times" scenario, assisting Rita in the rescue of the precinct's survivors by driving a SWAT van up to the gates to evacuate the group. After this, he and Rita use this same van to escape to safety outside of Raccoon City.
- Jean - An officer found dead in one of the barricaded stairways in "Underbelly" in Resident Evil Outbreak File #2, having committed suicide. His suicide note reads: "I've made it this far, but it's all over now. Everything's getting so dark. Forgive me for being such a piece of shit coward. Forgive me, Kevin, Aaron, Fred. I'm truly sorry."
- Kevin Dooley - An R.P.D. helicopter pilot. Although both the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha and Bravo teams were assigned a dedicated team pilot, Kevin was occasionally deployed to assist both teams as the situation required. On July 23rd, Kevin was assigned as Bravo Team's pilot for the Arklay Mountains reconnaissance operation so that Edward Dewey could focus on navigation. After the team's helicopter is brought down in Raccoon Forest by an engine failure, He is mauled to death by Cerberus "zombie dogs" while the Bravo Team attempts to locate military fugitive, Billy Coen.
- Kevin Ryman - Kevin is the R.P.D.'s resident slacker and all-round nice-guy. He applied for a position within the S.T.A.R.S. unit twice, but both times was denied due to his slack and irresponsible nature. Overlooking his poor work ethic, the powers-that-be instead focused on Kevin's strengths, including his excellent marksmanship skills and superior athletic capabilities, promoting him to a position within the R.P.D.'s Select Police Force (S.P.F.) unit, created to replace the loss of the S.T.A.R.S. after its destruction during the "Arklay incident." Kevin is a playable character in both Resident Evil Outbreak and Resident Evil Outbreak File #2, and one of only several officers to escape Raccoon City with his life.
- Leon S. Kennedy - One of the two main protagonists appearing in Resident Evil 2, Leon arrives in Raccoon City, entirely oblivious to the carnage, after sleeping in due to a drinking binge the previous day brought on by a messy break-up with his girlfriend. After discovering the corpse of a young woman as he drives to the precinct, Leon soon finds that his first day on the job will be anything but quiet. After learning the truth surrounding Raccoon City, the R.P.D.'s Chief of Police and the Umbrella Corporation, Leon resolves to escape the city alive and spread the truth regarding the incident. Ultimately, Leon destroys William Birkin's underground research laboratory, which is entirely responsible for the chaotic situation in the streets above.
- Marvin Branagh - A wounded police officer met by Leon (or Claire Redfield, depending on the scenario played). Branagh is infected by the T-Virus, and later succumbs to his extensive injuries, mutating into a zombie. In Resident Evil Outbreak File #2, Branagh is the leader of the officers that are struggling against the zombie invasion that threatens the R.P.D. He formulates an escape plan, but is bitten and infected as he attempts to barricade the main entrance when the zombies threaten to compromise the precinct.
- Meyer - According to a memo file found in Resident Evil 2 dated September 27th, Meyer is one of the R.P.D.'s better marksmen, and assists in holding off the zombie attack. According to the memo, Meyer was eventually killed in a zombie assault.
- Neil Carlsen - An officer who was killed in the library by the insane Chief of Police, Brian Irons. One of several who suffered this fate when Irons' took to hunting his former colleagues like game.
- R. Lambert - An R.P.D. officer credited with taking a post-mortem picture of a zombie attack victim in front of the "Arukas Tailor Shop." The photo is found in the R.P.D. precinct (Note: In the Japanese version, the picture is attributed to Ben Bertolucci instead).
- Raymond Douglas - Raymond is one of several R.P.D. officers responsible for aiding hundreds of civilians to reach emergency evacuation points during the early hours of the outbreak crisis. A close friend of Kevin, Raymond is fearless and resourceful; armed with a SPAS-12 shotgun, he helps the survivors escape the dangerous streets through an alley adjacent to "J's Bar." He is overwhelmed and killed before he can escape with the survivors, but not before leaving them with a valuable tip on how to eliminate their pursuers.
- Rita - A female police officer appearing in the "Desperate Times" scenario in Resident Evil Outbreak File #2. She is a critical part of Marvin's escape plan, as she is the only officer small enough to fit through the ventilation shaft that will lead her safely away from the besieged precinct perimeter so that she can locate and send reinforcements. Rita returns with Harry in time to rescue the survivors from certain death, although every one of her colleagues who helped orchestrate the plan; Marvin, Fred, Aaron and Tony, are all lost in the conflict. Rita is apparently very fond of Marvin, and is deeply saddened when they are forced to abandon him at the precinct. She is one of only four known surviving R.P.D. officers.
- Tony - The R.P.D.'s dog handler, who appears in the "Desperate Times" scenario in Resident Evil Outbreak File #2. Determined not to leave his beloved dobermann's to die inside the precinct, he heads towards the basement to release them and bring them to the evacuation point. However, the dogs have already been infected, and Tony is mauled to death before he can escape. Kevin can find the mortally wounded Tony inside the K-9 kennel and speak with him before he ultimately dies of his wounds.
The S.T.A.R.S. unit's officers were also members of the R.P.D., although the unit was disbanded by Chief Irons after the "Arklay incident" to help the Umbrella Corporation avoid damning media attention.
[edit] Tactical Units
[edit] S.T.A.R.S.
In 1996, the Special Tactics And Rescue Service was established under the R.P.D. and commanded by Albert Wesker. The formation was founded by Mayor Michael Warren, as a major part to his 'Bright 21st Century for Raccoon City' re-election campaign. The creation of the unit, like many other project of Mayor Warren, was funded largely by the Umbrella Corporation. The team comprised of members from law enforcement, military and civilian backgrounds who were specialized in various fields. As Raccoon City was primarily surrounded by rough and mountainous terrain, and missing persons cases and distress calls received from the Arklay region had experienced a drastic increase since the late 1980's, the public had requested the addition of an armed unit trained in major emergency and rescue response operations throughout the surrounding region. To this end, S.T.A.R.S. was to serve as an emergency management unit capable of executing the duties of not only an elite law enforcement division, such as SWAT, but also those of an experienced search-and-rescue team capable of orchestrating rescue operations across a number of environments, as well. In 1998, mutilated bodies had begun appearing at increasingly frequent intervals, with the discovery of several bodies within the span of only two months. These occurrences, combined with newspaper reports of monsters appearing around the outskirts of town alongside hooded, cult-like figures wielding axes and roaming the Arklay Forest, finally forced Chief Irons to send the S.T.A.R.S. unit into action. The Arklay Mountain mission ended in disaster for S.T.A.R.S., with half of the team killed in action. The surviving members demanded a full scale investigation of Umbrella Corporation, which was denied by Chief Irons. Irons later disbanded S.T.A.R.S., and R.P.D. was forced to create another elite tactical response unit.
[edit] Select Police Force
The SWAT officers seen in the opening of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis are members of the team known as the "Select Police Force". According to the backstory, the R.P.D. quickly formed a second elite unit to replace the loss of the recently disbanded S.T.A.R.S. team. Although not trained or equipped to carry out its predecessor's search-and-rescue responsibilities, the unit was more than capable of undertaking high-profile law-enforcement operations such as serving high-risk warrants, conducting counter-terrorism and hostage rescue operations. This unit officially adopted the title of "Select Police Force". Unlike S.T.A.R.S. officers, all S.P.F. members wear identical uniforms and are visually similar to their SWAT counterparts. Weaponry issued to S.P.F. officers also reflects this similarity, with the Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun and the Benelli M3 shotgun comprising the unit's primary arsenal. Given their elite status, it is likely that the S.P.F. unit spearheaded the primary T-Virus related operations during the earliest point of the outbreak, whilst the R.P.D. regulars focused on perimeter lock-downs and evacuation efforts.
On September 27th, after suffering devastating losses and ammunition shortages, the R.P.D.'s attempts to contain the T-Virus quickly erroded into complete chaos. The bulk of the remaining S.P.F. unit was dispatched, alongside regular department officers, to defend a presumably vital barricade placement under threat of being overrun by the encroaching zombie hordes. The mission ultimately ended in disaster, with the entire defense team, including all S.P.F. personnel involved, being completely wiped out.
Leon S. Kennedy in Resident Evil 2, along with Kevin Ryman from the Resident Evil Outbreak games, both wear an armored police uniform resembling the ones wore by the S.P.F. officers. However, it is never actually stated whether Leon or Kevin were members of this unit.
[edit] Selection and Training
The Raccoon Police Department does not have its own police academy. New officers are first trained at an undisclosed police academy and then assigned to various departments in the region. Officer Leon S. Kennedy, for example, applied for a position in the R.P.D. after finishing his academy training. Other than the famed S.T.A.R.S. and the S.P.F., R.P.D. also has other specialized teams such as K-9 unit and air patrol unit. It is unclear how these teams train their specialized personnel since the police station itself does not seem to have adequate training facilities for these purposes.
It is interesting to note that both S.T.A.R.S. and its successor, while both being police units, does not require their recruits to have any basic law enforcement experience. Most other law enforcement agencies would require applicants for such elite units to serve in the force for at least several years and go through rigorous training. Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine were recruited with only military training and experience (Air Force and the Army's Delta Force) while Rebecca Chambers had no experience in combat or law enforcement whatsoever. Officer Leon Kennedy, a rookie fresh out of the academy, was also assigned directly to the S.P.F. simply for his recognized talents. However, it is possible that Leon's quick assignment might be due to the R.P.D.'s desperate need to fill the roster of the newly created S.P.F. after the loss of the S.T.A.R.S. unit.
[edit] Equipment
- Weapons - It is thought that the official sidearm issued to R.P.D. officers is the Beretta 92FS. Squad cars are also equipped with a Mossberg 500, Remington M870 or Franchi SPAS-12 shotgun. S.T.A.R.S. members are issued with automatic weapons including Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine guns and Steyr AUG assault rifles as depicted in the S.T.A.R.S. team photograph. For S.T.A.R.S. officers, other weapons include the modified "Samurai Edge" customized Beretta M92FS, and the modified Remington M870 Tactical and M1100 Tactical shotguns. S.P.F. officers are armed with MP5 submachine guns and Benelli M3 shotguns. The R.P.D. is also in possession of several grenade launchers, including the M79. Forest Speyer was also in possession of a Milkor MGL Mk.1 grenade launcher at the time of his death during the Arklay Mountains incident, although it is unclear whether this weapon was R.P.D. issued, or procured on site. Officers may also carry personal weapons, Leon Kennedy sporting his personal Heckler & Koch VP70 (or a customized Desert Eagle in other media), and Claire Redfield's discovery of a Browning Hi-Power in the glove compartment of a squad car. Kevin Ryman also carries his favourite Colt M1911A1, and Barry Burton his Colt Anaconda. Other instances include Officer Marvin Branagh's use of an IMI Desert Eagle.
- Other Equipment - S.T.A.R.S. and S.P.F. officers wear tactical clothing, including Kevlar body armor, combat boots, ballistic helmets (S.P.F. only) and shoulder-mounted CCD cameras for tactical reconnaissance. However, S.T.A.R.S. members can choose their own gear while S.P.F. officers are issued with standardized equipment. Strangely, during the Arklay mission, only the S.T.A.R.S. communications officer, Richard Aiken, carried a tactical radio. This may have been due to Albert Wesker's efforts to sabotage any attempted interference or possible outside reinforcement during the Arklay incident.
- Vehicles - R.P.D. patrol officers drive pre-1998 model Ford Crown Victoria P71 Police Interceptors (seen in the introductory scene of both Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis), while S.P.F. officers are deployed in SWAT vans. The R.P.D. also operate at least three police helicopters, one of which (an Aérospatiale/Eurocopter AS350B, destroyed during a failed rescue attempt in Resident Evil 2), is used for aerial patrol and surveillance. The S.T.A.R.S. unit was provided with two Bell UH-1 transport helicopters, due to their standing as Raccoon City's primary armed response team, and the fact that the city itself is almost entirely surrounded by mountainous terrain. As the S.T.A.R.S. team photograph clearly depicts the AS350B in the background, rather than either of the dedicated S.T.A.R.S. UH-1 models, it is possible this helicopter was used by the team before the purchase of the second and third units.
[edit] Differences between games
Though all Resident Evil games take place in the same universe, there are very noticeable changes in the precinct from Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, and Resident Evil: Outbreak File #2.
In Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (which chronologically takes place before Resident Evil 2), two doors in the main hall were boarded-up, making them impossible to enter. Most other doors were locked or boarded-up as well. In Resident Evil 2, the two doors in the main hall were not boarded-up, neither were the others.
In Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, the garden to the left (as the player enters the precinct gates) was blocked-off, along with the stairs on the right side. These were not blocked-off in Resident Evil 2.
There are even more dramatic changes to the precinct in Resident Evil: Outbreak File #2. In the previous games, the main hall had somewhat of a "grey-ish" colour for the walls and floors. However, in File #2, the main hall has more of a tan colouring. Some rooms, such as the interrogation room and 2nd floor reception, were trashed in File #2. In previous games, they were untouched. (File #2 is supposed to take place before the 2nd and 3rd games.) There were also more cars in the garage in Resident Evil 2. Many rooms in File #2 also appeared to be "larger" than those in the previous games.
[edit] Trivia
- There is no bathroom located in the police department.
[edit] In other media
The R.P.D. appeared in the 2004 film Resident Evil: Apocalypse. During the viral outbreak in Raccoon City, a large number of infections occurred in the station, as violent, infected people were arrested and brought to the department, where they attacked officers and other prisoners. By the time the city was sealed, the R.P.D.'s headquarters building was abandoned.
Also, the S.T.A.R.S. (renamed Special Tactics and Rescue Squad) in the film was portrayed as a much larger unit dispersed across several precincts and armed with a variety of weapons ranging from the typical Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine guns and M4 Carbine to other weapons not usually seen in U.S. law enforcement agencies such as Accuracy International Arctic Warfare sniper rifles, SIG assault rifles, and even a M60 machine gun. R.P.D. patrol officers were armed with Glock 17 pistols and pump-action shotguns.
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