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C-SWAT is organized and operated as a military unit, though technically a part of the police force. Its main goal is to reduce the cyberpsycho threat, but C-SWAT’s SPAR teams are put to a number of uses due to their elite training. They are able to respond to a variety of situations in a moment’s notice, and their tactical proficiency makes them a dangerous adversary to anyone they go up against. They are utilized for most major terrorist situations and hostage cases involving cyberpsychotic or heavily augmented captors, as well as many situations in which actual threat is unknown. Anytime SWAT fails, you can be sure that C-SWAT will be there soon.
C-SWAT is not only responsible for hunting down those that have gone over the edge of cyberpsychosis, but also monitoring those individuals who have grafted large amounts of cyberware onto their bodies. It is much easier to provide treatment for people who run the risk of cyberpsychosis rather than wait until they become dangerous. C-SWAT tracks every registered piece of cyberware in the nation and has files detailing where it was manufactured, when and where it was purchased, who purchased it, and where that person is currently living. Every individual who has any cyberware whatsoever has an active file with C-SWAT. 56 year-old Kurt Fieldstone who works over in accounting for the Biotechnia Corporation, Night City had an organic stabilizer implanted to help him digest his food. His C-SWAT file is located directly between Kevin Fieldstone, the combat vet from Lansing Michigan who had had a slight psychotic episode four months ago due to his large amounts of implanted cyberware, and Kurt Fieldstone from Edinburgh Ohio who is awaiting execution for murdering over seven people; two of which were his own parents.
Needless to say, almost every gang member in the country has an active file with C-SWAT, with their cybernetic replacement limbs and their implanted body weapons. Granted, most implanted weapons are illegal in most states, but C-SWAT just doesn’t have the time or the manpower to track down every kid with a retractable blade in his forearm. The cost alone in such an endeavor would be staggering, and the C-SWAT units across the country have enough trouble trying to keep the current, barely manageable flow of funds coming from the bureaucrats. People know this and therefore feel free to buy implanted weapons with little fear of the law.
Each C-SWAT unit has its own full-time psychologist that evaluates the files of those citizens with new cyberware purchases. If he/she concludes that there is a possible threat of cyberpsychosis, the individual is notified of their requirement to schedule an appointment with either the nearest police station or medical facility for a further psychological exam. Due to the results of such exam, individuals are placed in one of three categories: socially acceptable, borderline detrimental, and mentally unstable. Socially acceptable identifies the individual as mentally stable and they are released, but they will likely have to return for another psychological test if they purchase any more cyberware. Citizens classified as borderline detrimental are also released, but they are required to return annually for a re-evaluation. They are found to be stable, at least for the time being, but they show signs of possible psychosis later in life and they are restricted from purchasing any more cyberware. They are also implanted with a tiny tracking device so that C-SWAT can locate them later in case they try to break contact. The individuals determined to be mentally unstable are immediately enrolled in therapy with the possible removal of most cyberware. They usually have had at least one psychotic episode in the past and they indicate that their mental resources are slowly being torn down by their massive amounts of cyberware.
Needless to say, in most cases, the only individuals to report for testing are the ones who are found mentally stable and most of those who require observation. Though the ones who report make up over 82% of those required, the other 18% are the ones who pose a real problem. They know that they’ll either be placed on observation or found mentally unstable, and they think they’ll be forgotten if they don’t show up for testing.
That’s where C-SWAT comes in.
When the first notice isn’t responded to within 30 days, a second one is sent out more strictly explaining the purpose of their testing and requiring them to respond within 10 more days. If there is still no response, C-SWAT is sent out to pick up the individual and bring them in for testing. Known as ‘threat assessing’ by SPAR teams, this duty is ill regarded and is usually assigned to the team that has gotten on the Commanding Officer’s bad side. Though most of the ‘pickups’ usually come without problems once they see a SPAR team standing outside their door, some attempt to flee while others disappear long before the team even shows up. It’s not all too uncommon for a team to show up at a house or apartment that has been completely cleaned out and dust has already started to settle.
Many people assume that it should be relatively easy to keep cyberpsychos off the streets with all the files C-SWAT has, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Aside from the individuals who flee and C-SWAT loses contact with, there are the countless numbers that C-SWAT has no files on at all. Note that C-SWAT is only able to keep files on registered cyberware. For every two pieces of registered cyberware, there is one cybernetic item that is not catalogued due to smuggling. These cybernetics are sold on the street by rogue doctors and surgeons, or ‘ripperdocs’ as they are called, many of whom work out of abandoned buildings and in cellars under prostitution houses and sleazy bars. Less than 50% of all ripperdocs in Night City are legitimate and make a constant effort to file all their operations and register each item of cyberware. The others rarely, if ever, register the cyberware they sell and to whom it was sold. Most of them operate on revoked or long-expired licenses, and many of them failed to even pass medical school, but they stay in business by providing much cheaper service and cyberware than anywhere else. Most of them also deal in black market cyberware so they receive a lot of customers due to the fact that many times they are the only ones who have the cyberware people want. C-SWAT does what it can to put these ripperdocs out of business – often times for good, off the record – but the task of eliminating all of them is virtually impossible and the amount of unregistered cyberware they put out on the streets each year is staggering. Most of the operatives in C-SWAT feel it to be a tremendous waste of time since few of the ripperdocs they bring in are incarcerated for more than a few months. Many of them are merely fined a few thousand dollars for their offenses and released again to do as they will, which almost always means returning to their previous occupation, only to set up in a different location. C-SWAT hardly has the time or the manpower to make a citywide sweep, and until they are able to get both, they’ll just have to fight the battle against cyberpsychosis one ripperdoc at a time when the opportunity arises.
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