Los Federales

The Federal Capitol Police Service ("FedPols", for short), is the law enforcement agency responsible for policing all non-incorporated properties within the Federal District of Columbia.  It additionally maintains liasons with every private security company employed with the region, and does a good deal of security contracting itself.

The District is split into 7 precincts, each run by a chief appointed directly by the Commissioner of the jurisdiction.  There is an 8th precinct, which is overseen by the at-large commissioner.  This 8th precinct is responsible for private contracts and corporate security, as well as liasing with outside private security contracting, and with maintaining the boundary of the White House Exclusion Zone, leading from Pennsylvania Avenue to the Potomac River on the western end, and past the capitol and down by the Marine barracks on the east.

The District

In addition to the normal jurisdictional conflicts while on corporate property and agencies from outside jurisdictions, the FedPols run in to 5 abnormal jurisdictional challenges routinely.  These are 1) With the D.C. national guard, which is under the direct jurisdiction of the FDC Commissioner; 2) The urban militias, which fall under the command of the D.C. national guard and represent private citizens' interests; 3) The Secret Service, which maintains the White House Exclusion Zone; 4) The FBI, and 5) the CIA.  Of these, only the CIA are unable to claim jurisdiction of an incident or conflict.

Despite the heavy security presence, the District is largely considered to be unsafe.  The jurisdictional complications of the FDC lead to regular armed disturbance, gang involvement, and, at times, open warfare, particularly along the Anacostia River in the Barrens.  Furthermore, the imbalance in policing between jurisdictions has led to lengthy police response times in all but the city of Washington, Arlington, and Alexandria.  The urban militias represent privately armed civilian groups who treat their own neighborhoods as "incorporated" areas, defending and protecting them.