Police Rules
This page covers the rules for playing as a cop. The main Server Rules still apply to you as well. For when criminals are allowed to fight cops, see Criminal Rules.
The short version
| Rule | In short |
|---|---|
| Stay impartial | No helping suspects, and no special treatment for your crew. |
| Protect life | Don't stand by while violent crimes happen or suspects attack cops or EMS. |
| Wanted players can shoot first | If you show up on the minimap of a player who is wanted or has a bounty, that's initiation. They may open fire on you. |
| Shot at? Shoot back | A criminal shooting at or toward you is initiation. You may return fire. |
| Fleeing is not a kill reason | Don't shoot a fleeing suspect or their tires unless they have 5+ stars or have shot at or toward police. |
| Hits don't apply to you | On duty, a hit contract is not a reason to kill someone. |
| No camping drug spots | Respond to crime there, then leave. |
1. No teaming with suspects
- Don't team up with or help suspects. The only exception is the scripted bribe feature.
- Only drive a wanted suspect if they're in your custody and you're taking them to a police station. No detours, no favors.
- Don't help a suspect in a fight unless you have your own valid reason to engage their target.
- Don't stop another cop from completing an arrest, and don't search their cuffed suspect without permission.
2. Duty to protect
You have a duty to protect life. You may not:
- Watch a violent crime happen and do nothing
- Watch suspects attack other cops or paramedics and do nothing
3. Passengers
- If your passenger isn't a cop, paramedic, or suspect in custody, you can't do any police work until they get out.
- If your passenger commits a crime, stop the vehicle and detain them.
4. When you can shoot
Cops follow the normal RDM rules. On top of that:
Showing up on a wanted player's minimap is initiation on your part. Your blip appears on their minimap once you're within AR range (assault rifle range). If that player is wanted or has a bounty, they may open fire on you from that moment. This does not apply when they're near a police spawn. It also doesn't let you shoot first.
- Shot at? Shoot back. A criminal shooting at you is initiation, and you may return fire. This includes shots aimed in your direction that land close to or around you.
- Red name (5 stars) and Most Wanted (6 stars) players are valid targets.
- Hit contracts don't count for you. While you're working as a cop, a hit on someone is not a reason to kill them.
- Most Wanted passengers: you may only engage someone riding in the Most Wanted player's vehicle if they have 5+ stars or are shooting at or toward you.
- Safe zones don't protect wanted players. You may engage and arrest them inside.
A fleeing suspect is not a target on its own. If they don't have 5+ stars and haven't shot at or toward the officers chasing them, you may not shoot them or their vehicle to stop it. That includes the tires. This is RDM.
5. Your crew
While playing as a cop you show as not being part of your crew, and you must act that way. Treat crew members exactly like any other player.
- If a crew member is red name, Most Wanted, or otherwise a valid target, deal with them like anyone else.
- Don't help them avoid arrest.
- Don't hold back enforcement because they're in your crew.
- Don't pass them information.
- Don't use your police role to benefit your crew in any way.
6. Camping drug spots and black markets
You may respond to crime at drug locations, cocaine labs, and black markets when there's a real police reason. You may not camp or wait there to catch players.
You may stay while you're:
- Arresting or detaining a wanted player
- Cuffing or fining a player who is currently wanted
- Responding to an active crime or robbery
- Chasing a suspect who fled there
- Finishing any other immediate police action that needs you there
Once that's done, leave and go back to patrolling.
You may not:
- Park or wait at a drug spot to catch players coming or going
- Station yourself at a cocaine lab or other criminal spot
- Keep going back to the same spot just because you know criminals use it
- Stay after your police business there is finished
- Use the spot as a predictable ambush or checkpoint
Staff look at the situation when deciding if it's camping. A short delay while you finish an arrest or deal with an active situation is not camping.
This rule covers drug areas and black markets only. Camping a robbery location is handled differently: wanted criminals may treat it as initiation. See Criminal Rules.