The Patron Saint of Quality Footwear
Group: Admin
Posts: 458
Member No.: 1
Joined: 18-July 05
|
 Due to the big role that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement will play in BAMF’s plots, the Admins felt it would be beneficial to post an explanatory guide to the department and its staff.
The department itself is the largest within the Ministry of Magic. It is a huge umbrella for many divisions, namely, the Aurors, Magical Law Enforcement Squad, Hit Wizards, Improper Use of Magic Office, Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects, and the Wizengamot Administration Services.
This guide will attempt to define each division more clearly - in particular, the Aurors, Magical Law Enforcement Squad and Hit Wizards, which are the most important to the RPG. Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement
Hermione Weasley (née Granger)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Aurors | QUOTE | An Auror is a member of an elite unit of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Magic trained to capture Dark wizards and witches. Auror training is very difficult and intensive, so few see it as their career of choice.
Auror headquarters are located on Level Two of the Ministry of Magic. It consists of a series of open cubicles, each Auror being given a place to work. Pictures of known Dark wizards, maps, clippings from the Daily Prophet, and various other things line the cubicles. However, there are other smaller Auror offices around the United Kingdom as well, so it should not be assumed that all Aurors are based at the Headquarters.
It is extremely difficult to fulfill the requirements of Auror training, let alone to pass the training with high marks. Applicants must first have excellent academic credentials before they are accepted into a rigorous training program. To be accepted, one has to have a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s in challenging subjects such as Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, and Herbology, and no grade lower than "Exceeds Expectations" in any of these subjects. Then, prospective Aurors are required to undergo a stringent series of character and aptitude tests to show they react well under pressure. According to Dolores Umbridge, one should have a clean criminal record.
If accepted into Auror training, applicants are then required to train extensively in advanced magical combat and other elements of practical defence, as well as, presumably, methods of criminal investigation. Two of the disciplines included are "Concealment and Disguise" and "Stealth and Tracking". Training lasts for three years.
The admission requirements to become an Auror were relaxed immediately following the Second Wizarding War, as Minister for Magic and former Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt permitted any participant in the Battle of Hogwarts to begin Auror training if they were interested. At least some of these recruits, including Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley, did not achieve any N.E.W.T.s. |
The current Head of the Auror Office is Harry Potter.
Aurors do not have official ranks, aside from the Head of Aurors, and Deputy Head of Aurors. Due to the specialised nature of their work, there are less Aurors than Magical Law Enforcement Squad members. At any one time, there are only 250 Aurors who are field operatives in the United Kingdom, with an additional 100 undercover operatives who are recruited and trained in secret, take cover jobs and do not reveal their Auror profession to civilians. Aurors generally work in pairs for most assignments, and are assigned a partner based on compatability, personality, level of experience and skill sets (depending on what a particular assignment requires). Partners are not permanent, and may change with each new assignment, though Aurors who work well together may find themselves paired up on a regular basis. For bigger assignments, Aurors may also be put in teams.
It should be noted that the primary duties of Aurors and the Magical Law Enforcement Squad are quite similar. They both serve as the magical community's police force, and can also be called upon as a wizarding army should the need arise in a war. The difference between both divisions is that Aurors deal with any case or situation where dark magic is involved (be it murder, assault, abduction, treason, etc.), whereas the Magical Law Enforcement Squad tackles all cases that DO NOT involve dark magic (this could range from homicide and mob activity to petty theft). If a squad case is found to involve dark magic halfway through the investigation, the case is immediately transferred to the Aurors. Likewise, if the Aurors find that a suspected dark wizard criminal wasn't actually using dark magic, they would transfer him to the Magical Law Enforcement Squad.
Head of Aurors
Harry Potter
Aurors (Field Operatives)
Ron Weasley
Katie Weasley (née Bell)
Aurors (Undercover Operatives)
Bryce Larkin
Sarah Walker
Aurors-In-Training
Teddy Lupin**
**Because of his metamorphmagus ability, Teddy Lupin is able to work both as a field operative and undercover. His ability to change his appearance negates the need to conceal the fact that ‘Teddy Lupin is an Auror’, which might affect his ability to go undercover were he not a metamorphmagus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Magical Law Enforcement Squad
| QUOTE | | The Magical Law Enforcement Squad, is a subdivision of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry of Magic, comprised of a team of wizards and witches tasked with general law enforcement. |
The squad, which only deals with crimes that do not involve dark magic, is also divided into numerous departments: Homicide, Vice, Narcotics, Organised Crime, Hate Crimes, Juvenile, Burglary and Robbery, White Collar Crimes and Fraud, Missing Persons, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, etc.
To become a member of the squad, one must have five O.W.L.s (or the equivalent) including Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. Accepted applicants will undergo a year of intensive training before becoming squad members.
Magical Law Enforcement Squad ranks are as such (in order of seniority, and with the number of ranking officers at any one time across the United Kingdom):
Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad (1)
Deputy Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad (1)
Commander (4)
Colonel (12)
Major (24)
Captain (35)
Lieutenant (50)
Sergeant (100)
Inspector (300)
Officers (many hundeds, as these are regular squad members with no rank insignia)
Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad
Angelina Weasley (née Johnson)
Colonels
John Casey
Majors
Roger Davies (Homicide)
Captains
Ivana Kaplinska (Hate Crimes)
Fearghas MacBoon (Organised Crime)
Lieutenants
Joshua Lyall (Hate Crimes)
Alicia Spinnet (Vice)
Sergeants
Dennis Creevey (Narcotics)
Elladora McGonagall (Hate Crimes)
Inspectors
Debra Morgan (Homicide)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forensics
The Department of Magical Law Enforcement’s Forensics team assists both the Aurors and the Magical Law Enforcement Squad’s homicide division in solving homicide cases – the difference being that homicides handled by the Aurors involved the use of dark magic, while those dealt with by the MLE Squad either involved no magic, or spells that have not been classified under the dark arts.
The Forensics Investigators use a combination of magic, post-mortem examinations, and old fashioned clue-gathering and deductive reasoning to conduct their analyses. For example, cadavers are brought back to the forensics laboratory to study, spells are used to comb the scene of the crime for magical trace residue, and blood splatters are studied for spray patterns to deduce the height of the attacker, the angle of the attack and the sequence of events, amongst other methods.
Due to the serious and difficult nature of their work with no room for error, Forensics Investigators must have five N.E.W.T.s, with at least an ‘Exceeds Expectations’ in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts, along with at least two years of training at St. Mungo’s. Fully qualified Healers who have completed their five years of Healer training are preferred.
Forensics Investigators
Dexter Morgan
Vince Masuka (NPC)
Andrew Wells
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hit Wizards
| QUOTE | | A Hit Wizard is a highly trained, elite wizard tasked with arresting dangerous criminals. Applicants for the job must be over the age of seventeen. Once accepted, they are taught modes of attack, defensive charms and counter-curses, and how to restrain criminals without attracting the attention of Muggles. Hit Wizards start on a salary of seven hundred Galleons a month, and are provided with a broomstick and have a bed reserved at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. A team of Hit Wizards arrested Sirius Black in 1981 when he was thought to have murdered Peter Pettigrew and twelve Muggles. |
Aside from arresting the most dangerous criminals in the United Kingdom, Hit Wizards are also engaged by the government to assassinate magical terrorists and other serious threats to the magical community’s security. This particular job duty causes other members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to refer to them often as ‘Trained Killers’ or ‘The Assassination Division’ or ‘The Death Squad’.
Unlike Aurors and the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, Hit Wizards do not do much investigative work or have to deal with petty complaints and crime reports from the general public. Their cases are predominantly short-term, and they are only sent to deal with highly dangerous criminals that the other Magical Law Enforcement divisions have already gathered enough evidence against to prove, without a shadow of doubt, that they are guilty. For example, a psychotic dark wizard who escaped arrest by killing two Aurors sent to apprehend him might find himself hunted by Hit Wizards who have been ordered to bring him in dead or alive. If magical surveillance has captured the face of the terrorist who tried to detonate a quidditch stadium, then Hit Wizards might also be the ones sent to apprehend him.
Hit Wizards are not involved in the Intersect Plot's Project Bartowski despite their division's intelligence and database being part of the Intersect which was stolen. The Head of Hit Wizards does not give orders or maintain any form of contact with the undercover Aurors and MLE Squad members involved, such as John Casey and Sarah Walker, who take their orders from Harry Potter and Angelina Weasley - the respective heads of the aforementioned divisions. This is because Project Bartowski is a long-term assignment involving mostly surveillance, protection and investigative work, which Hit Wizards, as a general rule, do not perform in large amounts. They are given a target to take out once the target has already been ascertained and found.
Hit Wizards train for two years before they are allowed to become full-fledged Hit Wizards. Entry requirements are five O.W.L.s including Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions and Transfiguration, but N.E.W.T. qualifications in these subjects are preferred. Applicants must also pass a gruelling physical fitness test before qualifying for the training program.Head of Hit Wizards Byron Ravenscroft Hit Wizards Anderson Miles Katya Tischenko Former Hit Wizards John Casey (Was transferred to the Magical Law Enforcement Squad and promoted to Colonel.)River Tam (Driven insane. Currently on the run from The Coulter Circle.)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Improper Use of Magic Office| QUOTE | The Office is responsible for investigating offences under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy. The Decree prohibits an underage wizard or witch from performing magic, while the Statute of Secrecy prohibits wizards and witches from performing magic in the presence of Muggles or in a Muggle-inhabited area.
On receiving intelligence reports of a violation of the Decree, a note is sent to the offender detailing actions that will be taken by the Office. First-time offenders are usually let off with a warning while extreme cases may be referred to the Wizengamot. Thus, it appears that the Improper Use of Magic Office deals with offences that are more regulatory in nature than criminal, as the latter would be dealt with by the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, Hit Wizards or the Auror Office. However, penalties can still be harsh.
Also, this is where the Animagus registration is posted, and that all Animagi must register with all their distinguishing traits noted, in order for them not to abuse their abilities. The registry is open to public viewing. Failing to register will receive a sentence in Azkaban. |
The Improper Use of Magic Office is largely (and privately) seen by the Aurors, Hit Wizards and MLE Squad as the place careers go to die. Those accustomed to solving more complex crimes and pursuing hardened criminals find the division dull as dirt, and fear being transferred there whenever they mess up on the job. Superiors in the three aforementioned departments also tend to threaten their employees with transfer to the Improper Use of Magic Office if they fail to do their jobs adequately.
Those who work for the Improper Use of Magic Office generally do not go out into the field. They are desk-bound for the most part, and their work is largely administrative.
Head of the Improper Use of Magic Office
Mafalda Hopkirk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office
| QUOTE | The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office regulates the use of magic on Muggle objects and tries to keep items that have been bewitched away from Muggles. To this end, members of the Office often partipate in raids to keep Dark magic items out of circulation. There appears to be a law prohibiting the enchantment of a Muggle item with the intent to use it for purposes other than what it was designed for; Arthur Weasley claims he was able to bewitch a Ford Anglia to fly legally because he did not intend to fly the car.
A proposed law that seems to have originated in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office was the Muggle Protection Act in 1992, drafted by Arthur Weasley.
It appears that the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office was not held in high regard, at least before the reforming of the Ministry under Kingsley Shacklebolt's regime beginning in 1998. It is located in a tiny office, apparently only staffed by Arthur Weasley and his assistant, Perkins. Percy Weasley also claimed in 1995 that his father had a poor reputation because he lacked ambition and does not receive a large salary, implying that his position as head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office was neither well-respected nor well-paid. |
Since the second wizarding war, the office has been expanded and moved to a larger space. Employees are still not paid handsomely, but they have moved up a pay grade or two.
Just like the Improper Use of Magic Office, the department is not taken too seriously by the Aurors, Hit Wizards and MLE Squad. However, they are respected a little more than the former, as some employees do field work, confiscate illegal artefacts and make arrests, instead of being primarily confined to their desks.
Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office
OPEN
Officers
Angela Avery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects
| QUOTE | The Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects is an office located in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic. The office was created by Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour in 1996 after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
Its purpose is to confiscate fake protective spells and charmed objects (such as cursed sneakoscopes, or in one particular case, a medal that turned the user orange). The purpose of making these devices is unclear. In some cases, it could simply be profiteering. In other cases, some darker purpose might have been involved, as many of the confiscated articles are highly dangerous.
The current head of office is Arthur Weasley, who was promoted from the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office in 1996. Arthur had 10 people working under him in the department at that time. |
The department now has 30 employees.
To work for the office, potential candidates must have four O.W.L.s, including Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions and Transfiguration, with at least two ‘Exceeds Expectations’. They are then trained for three months before being allowed to do any fieldwork or deal with confiscated artefacts unsupervised.
Other Magical Law Enforcements often refer to this division as ‘Det Con’ for short (e.g. “He works in Det Con.”), as its name is far too long to repeat often in regular conversations.
Head of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects
Arthur Weasley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wizengamot Administration Services
| QUOTE | | An office which undertakes administrative and clerical duties for the Wizengamot. Its function seem analogous to Muggle court registries; this would typically include maintenance of court documents, hearing dates, judges' schedules, and the administration of legal proceedings. |
There are currently 5 overworked employees in this office. The amount of administrative work they do each day is more terrifying to some Aurors and Hit Wizards than facing a dangerous dark wizard.
Department of Magical Law Enforcement Guide © Elixia
Quoted text borrowed from the Harry Potter wiki.
Do not reproduce this guide anywhere else without permission.
--------------------
|
