Space Police: Difference between revisions

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== Anime and Manga ==

* The Galaxy Police in the ''[[Tenchi Muyo]]'' series. They've got their jurisdiction from the [[The Federation|Galaxy Union]], which is more like UN [[Recycled in Space|In SPACE]], though. It's a loose alliance of the most influential nations around, mainly humans (in the form of a couple of rival empires) and wau -- a race of large antropomorphic felines.

* The Galaxy Police in the ''[[Tenchi Muyo!]]'' series. They've got their jurisdiction from the [[The Federation|Galaxy Union]], which is more like UN [[Recycled in Space|In SPACE]], though. It's a loose alliance of the most influential nations around, mainly humans (in the form of a couple of rival empires) and wau -- a race of large antropomorphic felines.

* Haruko from ''[[FLCL]]'' claims to be a member of some interstellar peacekeeping organization, but it's never clear whether this is truth or just another layer of cover story.

** She ''is'' there to catch {{spoiler|Atomsk}}, apparently, but it's doubtful any agency would approve of her other activities.

* The Intra-Solar System Police (ISSP) from ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'' is basically an extension of Interpol extended to the entire solar system. Much like Interpol, they technically have jurisdiction everywhere, but cannot exercise that jurisdiction without permission from the sovereign governments or local police forces.

* The Dimension Administration Bureau plays that role in ''[[Lyrical Nanoha]]'', unexpectedly intervening in Nanoha and Fate's clash in the first season and becoming regulars (and their [[Stay ~~With~~ the Aliens|employers]]) later.

* The Dimension Administration Bureau plays that role in ''[[Lyrical Nanoha]]'', unexpectedly intervening in Nanoha and Fate's clash in the first season and becoming regulars (and their [[Stay with the Aliens|employers]]) later.

* Unified Public Security Agency, {{spoiler|Ryouko's organization}}, in ''[[Kemeko Deluxe]]'' is similar to TSAB.

* Many of the earlier ''[[Brave Series]]''' [[Humongous Mecha]] belonged to some kind of space police force.

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** They've also twice been taken over by villains (in the later issues of their regular book, and in a current miniseries), leading to the good guys becoming R.E.B.E.L.S.

* The Darkstars were also formed to pick up the slack when the GLC disbanded, and included a number of former Lanterns in their ranks, but their ranks slowly dwindled and the last remaining members gave their lives in a fight against an evil [[Physical God]] called Starbreaker. Their name and equipment have since been appropriated by the zombie-like servants of another evil space-deity, Lady Styx.

** The 1990s ''Trinity'' miniseries (not to be confused with the more recent titles about [[Superman ~~(Comic Book)~~|Clark]], [[Batman|Bruce]] and [[Wonder Woman|Diana]]) was essentially the G.L.C., L.E.G.I.O.N., and Darkstars in a jurisdiction dispute.

** The 1990s ''Trinity'' miniseries (not to be confused with the more recent titles about [[Superman|Clark]], [[Batman|Bruce]] and [[Wonder Woman|Diana]]) was essentially the G.L.C., L.E.G.I.O.N., and Darkstars in a jurisdiction dispute.

* ''Rick Random: Space Detective'' was created in the 1950's by Edward Holmes, who realized the growing popularity of sci-fi after Sputnik, but was stuck editing a detective comic. The British comic hero worked for the Interplanetary Bureau of Investigation, investigating mysteries and battling [[Space Pirates]], [[Mad Scientist|Mad Scientists]] and other such villains.

* The [[Hawkman|Thanagarian Wingmen]] (originally called the Hawk-Police). [[Green Arrow]] often calls the [[Silver Age]] Hawks "alien cops".

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* [[Star Wars|Jedi Knights]] tend to have policing the galaxy as one of their regular duties (along with acting as ambassadors to political disputes and ridding the galaxy of the Sith), yet in ''[[Knights of the Old Republic]]'', many members of said Republic seemed to labor under the assumption that "space police" apparently meant "person who is obligated to fight in wars whether they want to or not".

* The bounty hunter in ''Pitch Black'' leads the other crash-survivors to believe that he's a law-enforcement agent, although it's unclear whether he's pretending to be [[Space Police]], or an officer of a planetary police force that sent him up to retrieve a fugitive.

* The ''[[Men in Black (~~Film~~)|Men in Black]]'', though they are not in space as such.

* The ''[[Men in Black (film)|Men in Black]]'', though they are not in space as such.

* [[Sean Connery]]'s character in ''[[Outland (~~Film~~)|Outland]]'' is a literal example: a US Marshal posted to a mining outpost on one of Jupiter's moons.

* [[Sean Connery]]'s character in ''[[Outland (film)|Outland]]'' is a literal example: a US Marshal posted to a mining outpost on one of Jupiter's moons.

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* In one of the [[Fighting Fantasy]] gamebooks, you play a Space DEA Agent.

* The narrator of the short story [http://abyssandapex.com/201004-black.html "The Black Sheep of Vaerlosi"] by Desmond Warzel is a space customs agent.

* Often described as a "[[We Will Use Wiki Words in ~~The~~ Future|peacenforcer]]" in novels by [[Harry Harrison]].

* Often described as a "[[We Will Use Wiki Words in the Future|peacenforcer]]" in novels by [[Harry Harrison]].

* [[~~Jack Vance (Creator)|~~Jack Vance]]'s Gaean Reach stories used the Interworld Police Coordination Company. It started as a private firm to exchange information about criminals between planetary jurisdictions, but eventually grew to a level of authority where a senior IPCC representative felt himself justified in summarily executing several corrupt local cops.

* [[Jack Vance]]'s Gaean Reach stories used the Interworld Police Coordination Company. It started as a private firm to exchange information about criminals between planetary jurisdictions, but eventually grew to a level of authority where a senior IPCC representative felt himself justified in summarily executing several corrupt local cops.

== Live-Action TV ==

* The robotic "Space Filth" in ''[[~~Red Dwarf (TV)|~~Red Dwarf]]''.

* The robotic "Space Filth" in ''[[Red Dwarf]]''.

* Gerry Anderson's ''Space Precinct'' was a rare live action series about this, with a strong New York City feel. It didn't do so well.

** ''[[Space Precinct]]'' was a reworking of a pilot Anderson had produced about ten years before hand called ''Space Police'', the title was changed upon learning that Lego had a toyline called Space Police (see below). The series didn't have a lot to do with this trope anyway, aside from the title; it was a fairly standard cop show [[Recycled in Space|With TACKED-ON CYBERPUNK ELEMENTS!]]

* ''[[~~Farscape (TV)|~~Farscape]]'s'' Peacekeepers were initially created to act as a neutral peacekeeping force by powerful aliens in the far distant past. Over time, they became [[Scary Dogmatic Aliens|interstellar fascists]].

* ''[[Farscape]]'s'' Peacekeepers were initially created to act as a neutral peacekeeping force by powerful aliens in the far distant past. Over time, they became [[Scary Dogmatic Aliens|interstellar fascists]].

* The series ''Space Rangers''. The premise was a 'Texas Rangers' type organization operating in space.

* ''[[Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger|Special Police Dekaranger]]/PowerRangersSPD'' are a ''[[Super Sentai]]'' version, right down to lightbars in their helmets.

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* ''[[Doctor Who]]''. The Judoon are mercenary police (though the Doctor derides them as "intergalactic thugs"). "The Eleventh Hour" gives us the [[Starfish Aliens|considerably weirder]] but more callous Atraxi.

** 25th century Earth's Adjudication Bureau get mentioned in "[[Doctor Who/Recap/S8 E4 Colony in Space|Colony in Space]]" (although the supposed Adjudicator in that story is actually the Master), and go on to play a major role in the [[Virgin New Adventures]] (where it's still around in the 30th).

* ''[[Star Trek ~~the~~ Original Series]]'' ("Arena").

* ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' ("Arena").

{{quote| '''Kirk:''' Out here we're the only policemen around, and a crime has been committed.}}

** Later, Starfleet Security is shown explicitly performing roles akin to those of the FBI and US Marshals.

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== Tabletop Games ==

* Star Law in TSR's ''Star Frontiers'' game and the later ''[[~~D 20~~ Modern]]'' system.

* Star Law in TSR's ''Star Frontiers'' game and the later ''[[D20 Modern]]'' system.

* In the [[GURPS]] [[Traveller]] volume "Sword Worlds", the Confederation Patrol is described as sort of an interstellar coast guard for the Sword Worlds Confederation. It handles interstellar fugitives, pursues pirates and smugglers and conducts espionage and counterespionage.

** The IISS though mostly an exploration and intelligence service has units with police powers in the Imperium. Notable among these is the S3 which is kind of a "space SWAT".

* The Inquisition in ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' are an [[Crapsack World|exceedingly dark]] variation of this trope, given that they're basically the Spanish Inquisition [[Recycled in Space|IN SPACE!]] [[Kill It ~~With~~ Fire|WITH FLAMETHROWERS!]]

* The Inquisition in ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' are an [[Crapsack World|exceedingly dark]] variation of this trope, given that they're basically the Spanish Inquisition [[Recycled in Space|IN SPACE!]] [[Kill It with Fire|WITH FLAMETHROWERS!]]

** Inquisition is more of a [[State Sec]]. Adeptus Arbites, on the other hand, are closer to the standard understanding of what police can and must do, although they're still [[Grimdark|noticeably darker than usual]] and have more limited jurisdiction -- that is, they enforce only general Imperial laws, of which there are few, leaving most to the local police. In short, they are FBI [[Recycled in Space|IN SPACE]], with a healthy dose of ''[[Judge Dredd]]'' [[Shout-Out]].

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* Will exist in [[Infinity the Quest For Earth]], to provide safe areas called "cores".

* ''[[Space Channel 5]] Part 2'' has the Sexy Space Police.

* The title of ''[[Policenauts]]'' refers to a group of five Earth-based policemen who were chosen to uphold law and order in the space colony Beyond Coast. They are succeeded by the Beyond Coast Police Department, which functions like a regular police department, although the actual law enforcement in the colony is carried out by the Advance Police unit, which serves as the BPC's equivalent to a SWAT team (with <s>[[Mecha]]</s> [[A Mech By Any Other Name|EMPS]]).

* The title of ''[[Policenauts]]'' refers to a group of five Earth-based policemen who were chosen to uphold law and order in the space colony Beyond Coast. They are succeeded by the Beyond Coast Police Department, which functions like a regular police department, although the actual law enforcement in the colony is carried out by the Advance Police unit, which serves as the BPC's equivalent to a SWAT team (with <s>[[Mecha]]</s> [[A Mech by Any Other Name|EMPS]]).

* Terran Colonial Authority in ''[[Unreal II ~~the~~ Awakening ~~(Video Game)~~|Unreal II the Awakening]]''. It's a human police force in space, presumably answering to the [[The Government|New Earth Government]]. They can also call in the [[Space Marine|Marines]] if things go out of hand.

* Terran Colonial Authority in ''[[Unreal II: The Awakening|Unreal II the Awakening]]''. It's a human police force in space, presumably answering to the [[The Government|New Earth Government]]. They can also call in the [[Space Marine|Marines]] if things go out of hand.

* From ''[[Tachyon the Fringe]]'', Star Patrol is responsible for keeping the peace between all the different warring megacorporations and assorted small factions. Their Enforcer starships are maneuverable, tough, and very, ''very'' well-armed. The few times where you have to tangle with them, you're strongly advised to run for the nearest [[Portal Network|TCG]] at maximum speed. There are also a few times where they fight alongside you.

** Their cruisers are supposed to be the most versatile capital ships in known space, having the maneuverability of a frigate, the fighter-carrying capability of a carrier, and the firepower of a cruiser. They [[Informed Ability|never participate in any in-game engagements]], though.

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** In later expansions, you are able to build police cutters to protect trade sectors from [[Space Pirates]].

* Conversed in ''Portal2'', where the [[Cloudcuckoolander|Space]] [[Talkative Loon|Core]] warns the player to "Play it cool, here come the space cops".

* Comes in "Border Patrol" and your standard "Police" variants in the ''[[X (~~Video~~ ~~Game~~)|X]]-Universe'' games. They buzz about, scanning ships for contraband. They have few weapons (typically just a few Impulse Ray Emitters, the peashooter weapon of choice), as actual combat is usually done by the Navy.

* Comes in "Border Patrol" and your standard "Police" variants in the ''[[X (video game)|X]]-Universe'' games. They buzz about, scanning ships for contraband. They have few weapons (typically just a few Impulse Ray Emitters, the peashooter weapon of choice), as actual combat is usually done by the Navy.

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== Western Animation ==

* The ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' short "Rocket Squad"', a ''[[Dragnet]]'' spoof set [[Recycled in Space|in space]].

* The titular heroes from ''[[~~Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers (Animation)|~~Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers]]'' did it better [[Too Good to Last|while they lasted]]. Frontier lawmen (and [[Action Girl|a law-woman]]) using [[Applied Phlebotinum]] to protect law-abiding settlers from [[Space Pirates]], [[The Empire]] and the occasional [[Forgotten Superweapon]] on [[The Final Frontier]].

* The titular heroes from ''[[Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers]]'' did it better [[Too Good to Last|while they lasted]]. Frontier lawmen (and [[Action Girl|a law-woman]]) using [[Applied Phlebotinum]] to protect law-abiding settlers from [[Space Pirates]], [[The Empire]] and the occasional [[Forgotten Superweapon]] on [[The Final Frontier]].

** Another [[Space Western]] example: The title characters from ''[[Saber Rider and ~~The Star Sheriffs (Anime)|Saber Rider and The~~ Star Sheriffs]]''.

** Another [[Space Western]] example: The title characters from ''[[Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs]]''.

* Mandora the Evil-Chaser from ''[[~~Thunder Cats~~]]''.

* Mandora the Evil-Chaser from ''[[Thundercats]]''.

* The Space Rangers in ''[[Buzz Lightyear of Star Command]]''.

* [[Casper the Friendly Ghost|Casper]] and the Angels is a [[Hanna-Barbera]] series from the late 1970s in which the Friendly Ghost befriends two female space police officers named Maxie and Minnie.

* The Plumbers in ''[[~~Ben 10 (Animation)|~~Ben 10]]'', though it is a [[Retcon]] introduced by ''[[Ben 10 Alien Force ~~(Animation)~~|Alien Force]]'' as the original series portrayed the Plumbers as a defunct [[The Men in Black|Men In Black]]-type organization.

* The Plumbers in ''[[Ben 10]]'', though it is a [[Retcon]] introduced by ''[[Ben 10: Alien Force|Alien Force]]'' as the original series portrayed the Plumbers as a defunct [[The Men in Black|Men In Black]]-type organization.

* In the ''[[South Park]]'' episode "Pinewood Derby," the Space Police were sent to Earth in pursuit of notorious space robber Babyfark McGeezak. {{spoiler|It's all a setup, police and criminal, to see what Earthlings do with large amounts of stolen valuables.}}