SOP: Ambiguous Hostile Engagements

During routine patrols, our personnel may encounter situations where two or more players are engaged in combat. While there are instances where the aggressor can be clearly identified, there are many cases where the circumstances are ambiguous. To ensure consistency and minimize the risk of unnecessary interference, the following procedures have been established to guide our response in such scenarios. These protocols are designed to support our mission of enhancing the player experience while maintaining fairness, professionalism, and community trust.

1. Approach & Observe

• Approach quietly and cautiously with lights only—no sirens—to maintain a presence without aggravating the situation.
• Maintain a safe distance and observe:
  • Movement and reaction patterns.
  • Kill-feed history (who initiates kills, who responds).
  • Vehicle vs. on-foot behavior (e.g., fleeing vs. pursuing).
  • Signs of distress such as hiding, fleeing, or passive mode activation.

2. Communication Constraints

• If voice or text chat is not accessible, skip direct contact.
• If you feel it is safe to do so, use passive non-verbal indicators such as parking nearby or flashing vehicle lights to announce presence.
• Again, only if you feel it is safe to do so, sparingly use siren chirps to show law enforcement is observing the situation.

3. Evaluation Criteria

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is one player consistently trying to escape or disengage?
• Is one player being repeatedly killed with no retaliation?
• Is there excessive use of overwhelming force by one side?
• Is a player taking cover or attempting to return to passive areas?

If the answer is yes to any, you may have reasonable suspicion of griefing. Proceed to Section 4.

If no clear indicators are present, assume mutual combat and proceed to Section 5.

4. Reasonable Suspicion of Griefing

• Engage and neutralize the aggressor following LRPS arrest procedures.
• Document the event in your report:

  Subject neutralized on suspicion of griefing behavior – engagement without retaliation or attempt to flee observed.

5. No Action Needed

• If signs remain ambiguous, take no enforcement action.
• Document the situation as:

  Observed suspected mutual combat – no clear instigator or victim. No action taken.

• Optionally continue to monitor from a distance in case new signs emerge.

6. Repeat Offenders or Patterns

• If the same player(s) are involved in frequent incidents, flag for ongoing observation or future warrants.
• Consider deploying undercover personnel or drone patrols for further evaluation.

Guiding Principles