Since we've had many cases of repeated questions being asked in the thread, an FAQ page has been created for whatever you need to know. No seriously, this page has virtually everything you'll ever need to know about the NGPD, thus it is quite TL;DR (too long; didn't read). You're not required to read this entire page, but please refer to it when you're uncertain of something. If there's something that's not listed here, please inform the Commissioner via PM. Please read this carefully before asking us in the thread.
Teh Table O' Contents:
What's the NGPD?
Are you actually the police of Newgrounds?
How do I join?
What is the difference between an Apprentice and a Member?
What if I'm unable to go on Newgrounds for most of the week of my Apprenticeship?
What's this (# / #) tag on my name? Does this have to do with my Apprenticeship?
What do you normally do around here?
How should I post in here?
Does the NGPD mass vote? It seems so.
This club is a shitty idea!
What happens when I exceed the rank of Police Captain?
Who are the leaders of the NGPD?
What are the Rules?
What happens when someone breaks a rule?
Who are our allies and what does that mean?
How do I get along in this club?
Some guy is spamming/talking trash about the NGPD. What should I do?
In the NGPDHQ members list, some members have spec. stats next to their names. How does one obtain such status?
How do I inform my fellow NGPD members of an abusive submission?
Can we report abusive reviews here too?
Am I allowed to inspect recruits?
Why can't there be a club for people ranked lower than security guards?
Can I leave the NGPD?
How do you deal with inactive members?
Q: What's the NGPD? A: The NGPD is a group dedicated to the protection of the portal and a place where users, mainly of police ranks, congregate. This is not a blam club, we simply share similar interests regarding the Flash Portal and joining a community of intelligent, friendly colleages. The point of this club is to help people get a good start in portal service and inspire members to become active in b/p (blam and protect). We do not delude ourselves into believing that we can single-handedly control the portal, nor is an overzealous patriotism to the portal our ethos. Nevertheless, the NGPD is a great place to develop your b/p and whistle stats, meet new people, and have a great time!
Q: Are you actually the police of Newgrounds? A: No, we have no claim to administrative or moderative power over any function of Newgrounds whatsoever, nor do we assert that we have any degree of control or influence to change Newgrounds. We do not backseat mod either. Our business strictly pertains to the Flash Portal, not the BBS. The "Police" element is for the namesake of the badges that are required for a user to join. If you're looking for a place to arrest NG'ers, this isn't the place for you. Try becoming a mod lol.
Q: How do I join the NGPD? A: This was our most frequently asked question. In order to join, you must meet the following criteria: - Be at least a Security Guard (400 b/p points) If you don't know how to earn b/p points, see the image below. - Have a total of at least 50 BBS posts - Pass an inspection of BBS posts quality; a background check of your posting habits. What we look for in people's post is an adequate degree of intelligence and maturity. If you pass, you will become an NGPD Apprentice for a week under the Commissioner's or Unit-Op's permission. During this week, you must prove that you qualify for full membership. Being a frequent visitor on the thread, contributing to the thread by adding to discussions or reporting abusive flashes (without causing harm in the process lol), blamming/protecting, and just being an overall good guy will insure your spot in the NGPD.
Any member caught disrespecting, insulting, hazing, or harassing an accepted recruit for being a newcomer will not be tolerated and will face the death penalty.
Now you have no excuse for lacking b/p points >:]
Q: What is the difference between an Apprentice and a Member? A: Aside from not being 100% NGPD, apprentices will gain several benefits when they become members. For example, an apprentice will not appear in the weekly roster as members would. Apprentices may not have a verified account on our private forum until AFTER they have been endowed with full membership. Those who are members are allowed to analyze applicants and give their suggestions to the leaders.
Q: What if I'm unable to go on Newgrounds for most of the week of my Apprenticeship? A: We will grant you an extension so you have a fair shot at joining. You must send a Private Message (PM) to the Commissioner or Unit Ops. (both is recommended) to announce your absence. It is important that you provide us at least an estimate on how long you'll be gone if you cannot give us exact times.
Q: What's this (# / #) tag on my name? Does it have to do with my Apprenticeship? A: That is the date (month/day) when your Apprenticeship began. It is there to remind the staff when your 7 days are up.
Q: What do you normally do around here? A: We usually talk about issues or recent events about the Portal or Newgrounds. Free chatting is allowed, as long as it's meaningful to some degree and not spammy or immature. We sometimes report abusive submissions to be checked on, although flagging it is completely your decision based on what you feel. We also share ways to help others improve their whistles. On top of all that, we have a weekly summary of each member's portal service in our roster. This allows us to see how many points we've earned throughout the week. We encourage friendly competition to see who attains the weekly top 5! Now get out there and release your inner statwhore! To see a list of previous rosters, go here (scroll down a bit).
Q: How should I post in here? A: We don't really act as if we were in the military anymore. When posting here, you take the following excerpt from our reopening to heart.
"+1 up posts are unacceptable. The NGPD demands that all posts be
thoughtful, mature, and intelligent. Under no circumstances (birthdays,
successful flags, or otherwise) will there be any display of blatant
deviation from quality posts. Infractions include but are not
limited to the following: all-caps, spammy behavior, assholery, hazing,
and being an overt 'party animal'."
Q: Does the NGPD mass vote? It seems so. A: Hell no! We're completely against mass voting. Everyone blams and protects what they want and no one is to be pressured to vote on another's behalf. We have punishments for people that constantly attempt to start a mass vote. We also reject mass whistling. To reiterate: the NGPD does not mass vote/whistle/whatever.
Q: This club is a shitty idea! A: Keep it to yourself. Neither the NGPD nor the Mods will tolerate flame posts or blatant trolling. You'll be reported and likely get banned if you do so repeatedly.
Q: What happens when I exceed the rank of Police Captain? A: You'll reach the level of Elite Guard Private and will be Honorably Discharged from the NGPD. From there we strongly encourage you to join the Elite Guard Barracks who will gladly take you into consideration (make sure you tell them you're from the NGPD and bring your non-garbage whistle). Your name will be permanently added to the Discharged member list. If you're interested in joining the Barracks, it'd be a good idea to see what their requirements for membership are.
Q: Who are the leaders of the NGPD? A: TailsPrower (Commissioner) and SpiffyMasta (Unit Ops.) are the head of this organization.
Q: What are the rules? A: The following are the rules of the NGPD: 1. All of the BBS Rules apply. 2. Never attempt to start up a mass-vote or mass-whistle against ANY submission. All submissions are to be treated fairly and equally. 3. Respect others (members and non-members) and their personal opinions and beliefs. 4. Do not respond to spammers. 5. Act in an appropriate and dignified manner. 6. When on the thread, try to stay on topic. Relevant topics primarily pertain to NG and the flash portal. Side conversations are okay once in a while (see #6).
* First infraction, you will be subject to a 7-day suspension effective immediately.
* Second infraction, you will be permanently expelled from the force. Simple as that.
Those are the basics, use common sense to determine if your actions go against the rules or not. You are responsible for being aware of the rules and the consequences of violating them.
Q: What happens when someone breaks a rule? A: Usually the person who broke a rule is warned the first time but the punishment really depends on how severe the infraction is. For example, if someone were to start a flamewar or spam another club, that individual would be Dishonorably Discharged ASAP because that's a serious fuck up right there. Spamming or responding to a spammer also have serious consequences. Repeated offenses will result in a suspension or a discharge. If a member is suspended, he/she will not be allowed to post in the NGPD thread for a certain amount of days. If a suspended member continues to post, whether or not they were aware of their suspension, that individual will face an immediate Dishonorable Discharge. In the unlikely event that the suspended/discharged member spams or attacks our thread as a form of retaliation, they will be reported to a mod.
Q: Who are our allies and what does that mean? A: Our allies are the
Elite Guard Barracks and the Newgrounds Dept. of Defense. We have
allies to insure that there will be peace among us and an agreement to provide
assistance when called upon. If a dispute arises between any of us, this alliance will remind us that we must be patient, courteous and respectful to each other in order to quickly resolve the case.You are to honor this alliance and treat our allies with respect.
The EGB, the NGDD and the NGPD have formed this pact because we share a
common goal of making Newgrounds a better place for everyone to enjoy. You're free to join both the NGPD and NGDD if you wish to do so.
Q: How do I get along in this club? A: It's actually pretty simple. If you're new to the NGPD, don't go around posting stuff like "OMG THIS MOVIE IS RACIST! FLAG IT!" Those kinds of post only give others the image of mass voting/flagging and that's no good. Being an ass will get you absolutely nowhere, so try to be friendly with your fellow cops. It's recommended that you read posts made while you were gone to keep up with the news. It would help a great deal if you lurk around here to get a feel on how you should post before joining. To standing members, please be patient and welcoming to the new recruits. They've only just begun their experience in the NGPD and they should feel accepted. Harassment via any means (PM, IM, forum, etc.) is unacceptable and is punishable by suspension or discharge, regardless of good intentions. Chill with them and give them time to adapt to the ways of the NGPD.
Q: Some guy is spamming/talking trash about the NGPD. What should I do? A: Just ignore them. I know it's kinda hard, but it's better if you don't put up an arguement because that'll fuel the flames and get the rest of us in serious trouble. All members are expected to keep their cool at all times. If a person expresses distaste for the NGPD, but made their posts reasonably thought out, you may respond to it as long as you're mature, honest, and have a fair degree of knowledge and experience in the NGPD. Nevertheless, the best choice is to simply ignore them. If you respond to a spammer angrily, that'll only provoke him to spam more and you'll likely get Discharged for doing so. We're extremely strict on this issue. Report obvious spammers/trolls to the Mods via PM so that they can be dealt with appropriately.
Q: In the NGPDHQ members list, some members have special titles next to their names. How does one obtain such status? A: These special titles are for those who've found a unique way to contribute to the NGPD or are part of the NGPD administrative staff. If you come up with an idea for a special job and the Commissioner finds it useful, you may be assigned that task and your job title will appear on the memberlist beside your name. Note that the job title can be decided by the Commissioner. An example the "Roster Manager". However, with these titles comes responsibility; if you're lazy and negligent, you may lose your job and get replaced by another willing member. That's right! Slack off and someone else will get credit for your idea! NOTE: Such tags do not include the following: "NGPD Apprentice" and "(suspended)".
Q: How do I inform my fellow NGPD members of an abusive submission? A: As mentioned earlier, it's vital to remember that you should never under any circumstances go ahead and post something like; "EVERYONE FLAG THIS ABUSIVE FLASH RIGHT NOW!!! (link)" Those kinds of posts will give us a bad impression of you and may cause people to believe that we're mass voters/flaggers. Avoid being one-sided and post something like "This submission is stolen/unsuitable/malicious so check it out and see if it's abusive. (link)" Those kind of heads-ups are appreciated. Warnings like "Hey guys I think this is abusive (link)." are equally acceptable. Keep these tips in mind: - When reporting a stolen flash, a link to the original is absolutely necessary to serve as proof - no exceptions. - When reporting a malicious flash, describe why it is malicious. - When reporting an unsuitable flash, describe why it is unsuitable. Hentai is not abusive. Another very important thing, SPAM FLASHES ARE NOT ABUSIVE!!! I cannot stress this enough, spamming the portal does NOT warrant a whistle! Don't lose your whistle points this way and end up with the green whistle of doom! In the NGPD reporting abusive submissions is encouraged to help protect the Portal from unsuitable materials. I reiterate, please report only abusive FLASHES.
Q: Can we report abusive reviews here too? A: No. If you didn't read the last answer carefully, only abusive flashes should be reported to the NGPD and EGB (YOU MUST PROVE THAT THEY'RE ABUSIVE!). This is because the lockdown of Rage's thread established that abusive reviews should be reported only to review mods - nowhere else. Reporting them in our thread can get you banned so for your sake do not report them here. Moreover, reviews are rather irrelevant to the police dept. so it's discouraged to start with. I repeat, abusive reviews should NOT be reported in the NGPD.
Q: Am I allowed to inspect recruits? A: All full members are able to perform the preliminary inspections on anyone who applies to join the NGPD and are also allowed to give them a recommendation to proceed as an Apprentice. However the member must acknowledge in his/her post that the decision is ultimately not theirs, but instead, under the Unit Ops. or Commissioner's discretion. We ask that when you inspect an applicant, you do it with a clear and reasonable state of mind. Do not rig your inspection because you don't like this person or you owe him a favor or anything of the sort. Your input helps us analyze the recruits and speeds up the process. Your voice counts!
Q: Why can't there be a club for people ranked lower than security guards? A: This is not actually a frequently asked question, but whatever. Below Security Guard is Safety Patrol (300-399 b/p), Scout (200-299), Town Watch (100-199) and Citizen (0-99 b/p) so what's the point of having a club for something that takes such little effort? If they can't be bothered to b/p then they really don't deserve a special place of their own. Besides, the Mods of the BBS are very anal about these sorts of clubs. In fact, the NGPD, EGB, and NGDD are currently the only active crews dedicated to b/p (Note: the NGDD has other focuses aside from b/p). It is highly unlikely that the mods will permit another b/p related crew so long as these three are around.
Q: Can I leave the NGPD? A: Yes, you can resign from the NGPD. You may be asked to provide us with a reason as to why you're quitting though. Remember that resignations are permanent to prevent attention whoring.
Q: How do you deal with inactive members? A: Simple, if they've been gone for a couple months then we take them off the list. If they return and show good faith of being a regular again, they can immediately become a full member again and get back on the list.
Now you have no excuse for lacking b/p points >:]
