[mcjomar]

Okay guys, I've got a new idea (or more accurately a new bit of figurative theft of literal sources) for a modelling idea.
But it's based on use of local law enforcement, rather than actual Arbites or Guard.
Now adding in the possibilities of using some form of local PDF for this, for the moment, my question is:

Would a local governor - for using some form of proper response team a-la SWAT/SAS for police actions - deploy a special group of somewhat better trained PDF, or instead would they have or use some form of properly trained/equipped local law enforcement - assuming that the situation was something that Arbites might not be deployed for, based on the assumption that Arbites are for enforcing sector/system wide law relating to things like governors "forgetting" to pay tithes on time?
Which would be more appropriate and why? (I'm assuming local police, as they wouldn't be trained to shoot first in the way a PDF is trained).

Based on that, what sort of terms can be expected/have we seen/might we see for local law enforcement, given that they are not Arbites?
Something based on the similar logic of the phrase "Lex Imperialis" (a pseudo-latin reference to imperial law?)?

[KaptiDavy]

I'd suggest checking Hostile Acquisitions (for Rogue Trader RPG) to clear the picture about Arbites responsibilities, and add that those responsibilities are scaled according to the local Arbites presence (some worlds are said to have only a couple of officers, while Hydraphur deploys them to almost any task in the Enforcer trilogy)
Otherwise Ravenor pops to mind with the special division of the corrupt governor

The classic "bad cop" image of local enforcers found in many sources would contradict the daily working of an imperium of such scale, so I'd definitely run with an elite cadre instead of such stereotypes

[Lord Borak]

I've always envisioned Arbites as dealing with breaches of Imperial rule. Local law enforcement does more of the mundane policing such as speeding tickets, gang fights, low key murders and general day to day policing and making sure the  populace adheres to that planets rules.

As KD said, if the arbites are fairly 'low on the ground' in terms of man power they would be supported in the field by the local enforcement officers and it's not hard to envision those forces having more elite forces. Especially on violent hive cities with lots of local unrest, gangs and/or high mutant populations.

[mcjomar]

So local law enforcement, could be called 'enforcers' as opposed to Arbites Enforcers (or Special Enforcers, according to Lexicanum), or possibly arbitrators, etc.
With the usual mix of generic and SWAT type arbitrators floating around?
So bog standard, would be Lex Arbitator (or somesuch?) whilst the specialist would be Arbitrator Extremis (or whatever)?

[TallulahBelle]

There's a few books out there that make the distinction. 'executuon hour' being one where the Arbites dealt with stuff like press ganging  for the navy, purging sectors of the hives that are tainted cesspools, searching for witches and chaos cultists whereas the planetary enforcers were under the control of the governet and dealt with mundane crimes such as theft and murder and according to the example in Exectution hour were used to enforce the governors will by intimidating political enemies and taking bribes etc.

Could be an interesting campaign hook where the Inquisitor has the assistance of the small amount of Arbites on world and his searches/purges bring him/her into conflict with the local police. The enforcers would I'd assume  have typical police style structure with splits between investigative and combative units, units tooled up fpr riot suppression or high risk entry teams.

My Guard/Storm trooper regiment nixed 40k army is an example of that. A small force of Scions painted in Arbites black with a vehicle setup with some anti armor punch and the guard portion the army being veteran squads, sentinels and chimeras kitted out for anti infantry and light vehicle combat with a unit or two of 'ogryns' (not sure whether to use ogryn models or just Heavily armoured storm trooper types) with the riot shield and short range/combat weapons to represent their riot suppression teams. The arbites there as a small force that's there for real 'omg the sky is falling' situations.

How your world handled its policing could br an awesome way to add flavour to the world. Is it a private police force answerable only to the governers palace, some secret KGB/State Security style secret police acting in silence in the dead of night is it a PDF regiment on duty as peacekeepers that act as Provosts (military police). Is it an entirely civilian group answerable to the courts or perhaps the Commisariate of the world PDF and Civil Defense Militia regiments ala Venunhive (sp?) or even is it a Religious police force controlled by the Ecclesiarchy leadership of the planet with ranking officers carrying the ability to hear confessions, enforce the will of the Emperor and provide its punishment as judge jury and executioner.

There's some really cool options there in how you see the world being shaped dunno if this ramble jas helped at all