**This is really long, if you want to skim to the important parts, I put them in a summation at the bottom in bold.**
Eleasis 24, 151 Council, Haren De'votell Townhall, CDL Archive Room Regard CDL Reassignment
I have been informed that Constable Haren De'votell is looking to reassign the CDL to new duties. Specifically, he wishes to make it a more "military" institution with the power to detain violent criminals until the Watch can arrive to arrest them.
Furthermore, he hopes to reassign the CDL to the defense of the Canal Gates in Lower Sanctuary. Here are my preliminary understandings of what this will entail.
1 CDL Detainment
Without the power to arrest, detainment by the CDL will require outright assault and physical abuse of suspects. The public will view this as outright oppression and it will destroy the image of the CDL.
Yet to give the CDL the ability to arrest is unwise. The CDL was created to assist the Watch on patrols and to protect the gates during an assault. It was not created to arrest citizens. Some may consider changing that but it is not suggested for the following reasons:
1) The Watch and Spellguard both have the authority to conduct arrests already. The Council has allocated us funds to allow this to happen by maintaining our arrest wands, supplying us with paper work and beauracratic assistance. If the CDL begins making arrests, it will require a swelling of the budget to fund.
2) If the Council feels the need to expand our ability to arrest, then it makes far more sense to expand the Spellguard and the Watch which already can make arrests rather than to add a third institution as some might suggest which risks increasing inter-defense force rivalries that already unfortunately exist.
3) The CDL is generally viewed as a training ground currently. Its membership is often composed of those who wish to join the Watch, but who the Watch feels lacks the skills, restraint, and dedication to serve with the Watch. In the CDL they can learn these skills and prove themselves capable of earning the right to arrest and enforce our laws.
For these reasons, I strongly object to giving the CDL the right to arrest or detain.
On the matter of putting the CDL in charge of the Canal Gates. There are a number of problems to overcome.
1) The rebel "Lower Council" is still in revolt. The Gates are currently held by several dozen kobolds in these rebel's employ.
2) If the revolt is ended, and the Council gains the ability to appoint guards to the Canal Gates, the CDL would face steep challenges and is not recommended in its current form and under its current charter.
Based on numerous interviews with citizens in Lower Sanctaury, I understand they disdain the Watch and the CDL is seen as a subordinant branch of the Watch and given even greater disdain. The CDL in Lower Sanctuary will face worse violence than the Watch did seven years ago before the Tigereyes were hired to keep the peace.
This might be overcome if the posting of the CDL in Lower to keep the peace comes with an agreement from the Lower Council. My interviews suggest that most people in Lower do not care who is in charge, as long as it is peaceful and they are fed. The revolt was led by oppressed and hungry people originally. Since then its become a political tool for certain factions in Sanctuary to further their own agendas. This is the view of the people in Lower and Upper Sanctuary both I have spoken with, all believe the current Lower Council is operating to further the Seeker's agenda, whether they agree with it or not, it is their belief.
Yet if the "Lower Council" will agree to allow the CDL to keep the peace there, I expect the citizens of Lower will favor them over the Watch which is tied more intrinsicly to Upper Sanctuary. There will need to be certain requirements for this to work.
In this situation, the CDL should be rechartered as the Lower Watch and incorporate itself with the already established Lower Watch. Thereupon, each Watch will be responsible for its own wards of the city and funded seperately by the Council.
The two Watches should then be overseen by a single Sheriff who can coordinate information between the two branches of the Watch. Both branches will utilize similar ranking structures within a clear hierarchy of rank. A single Sheriff is integral to preventing factionalism or rivalry between the Watches.
I believe the idea of merging the CDL with the current Lower Watch solves a number of problems.
It will clarify the roll of the CDL which is currently too nebulous. Many within the CDL expect rank and prestige, and instead find they are merely assistants to Watch members on patrol. It will give the CDL the ability to arrest and detain suspects and criminals. It will also keep the CDL under the command of the Sheriff and allow ranking officers of both orders to maintain discipline.
The only problem with this solution will be the fate of CDL members granted entry into that institution to "test" them for full membership in the Watch. I recommend that the Watch members overseeing the CDL be allowed to recommend transfer of current CDL members who may be incorporated into the Lower Watch, the Upper Watch, or remain with a reorganized CDL with a very narrow and well defined charter clarifying they exist only to aid the two Watches with their patrols or in immediate cases of defense or in supplying them with information related to their mandates to protect Sanctuary.
In summation, 1 The CDL as it stands should not be granted any further authority than it has been given by the Watch. 2 Some members of the CDL should be incorporated into the Lower Watch once Sanctuary is reuinited. 3 Lower and Upper Watch should both be under command of the Sheriff to prevent the addition of competetive factionism such as already exists between our Defense Leagues. 4 Some CDL members will be unfit for incorporation into the new Watches, and will remain with the CDL which will be given a new, better defined mandate.
Respectfully, Barrister Fawkes