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I've begun reading Enforcer by Matthew Farrer and I've become a little confused when looking at these fellows. I know they are, essentially, the Imperium's equivalent to a Police Force, but I'm not sure what that entails. From planet to planet, are they:


a) The entire Police Force of that planet, a vast planet-spanning organization that enforces the law right down to street patrols and common duties that our local police force would deal with.

b) The equivalent of the Federal Police Force on that planet, smaller and they have bigger things to deal with. While the planet has its own local police forces (which may report to the Arbites, or not).

c) Depends entirely on the planet.

I think it depends on the planet, some worlds are looked after by pure Arbite forces, while some are a lesser local equivalent, but all have at least one "Pure" Arbite to oversee things. In that situation he/she'll be in charge of the planets entire Law enforcement agency.

Mostly option B, though planets with a larger administrative presence/larger population will have a larger number of Arbites to keep things under control.

I think B is the closest one. In some cases proper Arbites are sort of like Inquisitor Lights, and in other cases they're a sort of administrative liaison with local police forces. I suppose it would be sort of like the FBI, if the FBI also provided the Police Chiefs for districts (or at least the head of state police departments), and cops were subordinate to FBI agents. Also, if FBI agents were Judge Dredd.

I always viewed arbites as a sort of 40k version of INTERPOL. IF something is going down, they are the ones who go make sure the local police are doing what they need to, and if they aren't the arbites take control of the situation and make it happen. They do this on any number of planets in the Imperium, and I'm sure on the outlying colonies as well.

Arbites definitely have a place on hive worlds and scummy places, as the necromunda system showed...

Emperors Faithful wrote:

b) The equivalent of the Federal Police Force on that planet, smaller and they have bigger things to deal with. While the planet has its own local police forces (which may report to the Arbites, or not).

Most likely.

They enforce the Imperial Law.
The rules everyone has to abide. But there may be more, local laws. And the governor of the planet has to provide the enforcers of those laws. As agents of the Imperium its not the duty of the Arbites to care for traffic control and such....
Until there is a general imperial wide speed limit that is.

There are a lot of conflicting views of arbites in GW fluff. They have been shown as the entire police force of a planet but that isn't normally the case.

The most common fluff-
They have a small presence on most planets and monitor all levels of the planet. They have resources to function completely independantly of the governor and the planets forces and are often the only presence on a planet that is loyal to the imperium rather than the planetary governor. Usually they keep to themselves and just keep watch as their main role is to keep the planet's rulers loyal. Their presence is usually enough as they are well known for making examples of people and coming down hard on rebels. While their role is to police they are well trained soldiers as they are required to be able to fight PDFs if they rebel.

Also, they deal with crimes against the imperium. Major criminals such dangerous psykers or archheretics. Mainly crimes that are too important or secret to be given to others. Their roles overlap with low level inquisition work.

I must say I couldn't get into that book at all so good on you for managing to make way into to it.

4M2A wrote:There are a lot of conflicting views of arbites in GW fluff. They have been shown as the entire police force of a planet but that isn't normally the case.

Local police are frequently referred to as "arbites", even when they're not actually called that locally and are a distinct organization.

Arbites generally deal with larger, more resourceful criminal organizations than locals can handle, in addition to the aforementioned administrative positions, but which aren't the same sort of existential threat that would draw proper Inquisitorial attention.

VikingScott wrote:I must say I couldn't get into that book at all so good on you for managing to make way into to it.

Only really starting, it's pretty average as far as BL books go.

Sir Pseudonymous wrote:

4M2A wrote:There are a lot of conflicting views of arbites in GW fluff. They have been shown as the entire police force of a planet but that isn't normally the case.

Local police are frequently referred to as "arbites", even when they're not actually called that locally and are a distinct organization.

Arbites generally deal with larger, more resourceful criminal organizations than locals can handle, in addition to the aforementioned administrative positions, but which aren't the same sort of existential threat that would draw proper Inquisitorial attention.

That's what I initially thought. But in Enforcer, the only set of BL books that focuses on the Adeptus Arbites (as far as I am aware), the protagonist clearly mentions the local arbites as performing duties that I would normally imagine belong to the local police. At first I figured that might mean that 'proper' arbites also called the local law enforcers arbites, but they are positively reffering to the Adeptus Arbites. Shira Calpurnia repeatedly refers to them and points out the little differences between the Arbites garrison on this world and the one on the world she was previously assigned to, but it's definitely as the same organisation, not different planet's police forces.

Are the locals proper Arbites, or just locals trained and led by Arbites, who share the name for obvious reasons? I haven't read the book, but full Arbites are generally more like mini-inquisitors, with local departments either being led by one or more Arbites, or having them on hand in administrative/oversight positions.

Sir Pseudonymous wrote:Are the locals proper Arbites, or just locals trained and led by Arbites, who share the name for obvious reasons? I haven't read the book, but full Arbites are generally more like mini-inquisitors, with local departments either being led by one or more Arbites, or having them on hand in administrative/oversight positions.

The majority of thr Arbites are recruited from the planet, but they are part of the same organisation as Calpurnia and the few 'off-worlder' Arbites, who are ussually of a much higher rank.The locals make up the body, with the senior officials made up of those who have distinguished themselves (which includes locals and off-worlders).


Automatically Appended Next Post:
This is why I started the thread, I used to think B, but Enforcer clearly paints the Arbites as option A.

Before this I always put the local police as the varying from the highly equipped British to rag-tag South American, whilst the Adeptus Arbites are the Judge Dreads amongst the rabble. They were, before now it seems, painted as enforcing Imperial Law, not local Governor created law, being completely separate from local government, and having an outpost of most, if not every Imperial World, which is usually a fortified compound that remains outside the jurisdiction of the Governor, and that stays loyal even when the whole planet has turned.

I'd have to reread it, but I think if the book gives the impression of A then it is only due to the special circumstances at that time and place, which are the planet's status as a regional strongpoint of both Navy and Arbites as well as the religious festival that is being prepared, that, if I remember correctly, prevents many other agencies from performing their duties normally.

Btw, keep reading it, it's everything but average for a BL novel. The pacing is a bit slow (except for the second novel Legacy with its many perspective shifts), but subject and plot are very different from the usual BL stuff and are a refreshing break from the usual "Chaos/Aliens/the Inquisition did it".

there are 2 levels of Arbites on a planet.


there will be those that actually are of the organization and were trained off world.


these Arbites officers will go to a planet and, from the planets population, train a cadre of Judges. these Judges make up the actual fighting forces on most planets.


as far as equipment goes, they are a paramilitary force. they have some equipment we would recognize as typical SWAT or Military Police armament. Riot Shields, Water Cannons, non-lethal pellets, tear gas or equivilants.


they also have proper military equipment. they prefer Shotguns for their standard firearm(better crowd control) they also have Rhinos and Lemun Russ tanks for heavy support and transport.

other weaponry might include grenade launchers, Autocannons, stubbers.

You have the MAgistratum which is like the regular police, then the arbites which get involved in the larger stuff...

Emperors Faithful wrote:

b) The equivalent of the Federal Police Force on that planet, smaller and they have bigger things to deal with. While the planet has its own local police forces (which may report to the Arbites, or not).

This, the Arbites just maintain a fortress on the planet to make sure the Governor stays in line and:

A.) Pays his tithe
B.) Provides Conscripts for the Imperial Guard
C.) Respects the Imperial Cult
D.) Doesn't do anything to destabilize the planet

Otherwise the Arbites won't really get involved in what goes on, besides apprehending certain troublemakers or dealing with an outside problem like a group of Xenos landing.

There's a local Arbites force that deals with day-to-day stuff. The relationship between the Adeptus Arbites and local security forces is similar to the PDF and Imperial Guard.

I belive they also preform Judicial duties.

sort of an equivilant to a Superior Court.

After reading more of the book regarding the Hive World Hydraphur, it's clear that the Arbites make up both the local and high-levels of policing. It's just strange becuase I've never seen it like that before.

I think the Arbites only make up both levels (Local and high level) when they have a lot of people to do so, otherwise they are just high level and let the local force handle it.

Grey Templar wrote:I belive they also preform Judicial duties.

sort of an equivilant to a Superior Court.

"Trials" in the Imperium are really only for the upper classes and only a significant official or nobility could even consider getting one though. Otherwise they'll just imprison/torture/execute you.

well, the Imperium itself has only a few laws.

1. worship the Emperor

2. pay the Tithe

3. Don't rebel/cooperate with all imperial business

4. No Xeno tech trading



anything beyond that will be on a planet by planet basis.

like, it might be perfectly legal for a certain type of drug to be used on one planet and completely illegal on another.

certain crimes might have a stiffer penelty on different planets.


and so on...

Harriticus wrote:

Grey Templar wrote:I belive they also preform Judicial duties.

sort of an equivilant to a Superior Court.

"Trials" in the Imperium are really only for the upper classes and only a significant official or nobility could even consider getting one though. Otherwise they'll just imprison/torture/execute you.

Obstensily every Imperial Citizen gets some sort of trial. Even if that only involves an arbitor shouting out your crimes (such as looting or theft) in the street before having you lined up against the wall and shot.

Obviously the higher up and more access to wealth or power a citizen has, the less "expedient" the trial is.