Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Who's Who: Science Police

 
Science Police
by Russell & Siskoid


Known members: Commander Loring, Chief (Commander) Wilson, Chief Zoltorus, Chief Ianos, Chief Zendak, Officer Dvron, Captain Maltor, Officer Smyt, Commander Hagbard, Officer Shvaughn, Officer Cusimano, Officer Quav, Officer Ishikindru, Officer Skden, Officer Shadder, Officer Omar Magz, Officer Dyrk Magz, innumerable unnamed officers 
Relationship to Legion: Allies

Legion Log
The Science Police (or "The SP" as it is commonly called) was created when the Special Weapons and Sciences Branch of the United Planets Police Force became the agency that was best able to keep up with the rapidly accelerating technology of the modern era. Their name was soon shortened to the Science Police, and all other regular police organizations, such as the World Wide Police (Earth-only police force) and the Metropolis local Metro-Police were consolidated into the SP.

The Science Police are the main law enforcement organization in the United Planets. Officers are stationed on every UP world and colony, with special outposts located near the boundary line between the UP and the Khundia space sector, and on the edge of the UP where Tyrraz floats, an eternal threat. Their main headquarters is located in Metropolis, on Earth.

The Science Police likewise recruits from every UP planet and colony, with no limitations imposed on applicants because of gender, race, species or homeworld. The Science Police Academy is located on Mars. Basic officer training takes four years; specialized advanced training may take up to four more years. The officer is then assigned field work for five years. Generally speaking, the prison planet Labyrinth and Daxam Watch are considered the two "worst" assignments. After completing their initial assignments, officers can then apply for a two-year leadership program.

Legionnaires are sworn Science Police deputies, which allows them to make arrests while anywhere in United Planets territory.

Over the years various Science Police support groups and functions have been shown, such as Sensor Autodogs, used to hunt down criminals; an interrogator device used to read suspects' minds; and a super rogues gallery computer, which stores data on all known criminal elements throughout the UP.

The Science Police have changed their standard uniforms at least three times since the Legion was founded. Their classic grey and navy blue uniform made its debut in 2975, and was the official Science Police color scheme for more than ten years.

Since their founding, the Legion has met at least four Chiefs, several Commanders, and uncountable officers. Most officers went unnamed, but there are four major exceptions: Officer Dvron, Officer Erin, Chief Zendak, and Officer Cusimano. Each of these four supporting characters will get their own profiles in the coming weeks.

The so-called Five-Year Gap was hard on the Science Police, the malaise of the post-Collapse galaxy creating tension between the population and the authorities. The SP's headquarters are on Weber's World and headed by Commander Edvard Ahbernethy Hagbard. His top aide is Commissioner Zendak, though day-to-day operations are led by Chief Gigi Cusimano.

After the Reboot, Officer Shvaughn Erin acts as Legion liaison, and Legionnaires Saturn Girl and Leviathan were both recruited from the ranks of the Science Police.

After the Threeboot, the Science Police worries about the new vigilante movement the Legion represents, but plays a much smaller role in the team's adventures. It would eventually clash with the Legion when it became misaligned with the U.P. government of the time.

After Infinite Crisis, the Science Police's original history has presumably been more or less restored. Some Legion Academy graduates would end up joining the organization after being rejected for Legion membership. From that point on, the SP actually has its origins in the 21st Century where it serves the Federal government of the United States, with divisions in Metropolis and Midway City. That Science Police was created to replace the Special Crimes Unit, a division of the Metropolis Police Department that specialized in crimes committed by metahumans and aliens.

The Science Police has appeared in other media, including the Legion of Super-Heroes animated series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the Supergirl TV series, and the DC Universe Online video game (the latter two, the 21st-Century version).

Important Science Police stories:

Action Comics #287
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 1
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 1)
The first mention of the Earth Police

Adventure Comics #300
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 1
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 1)
The first mention of the World Wide Police

Adventure Comics #303
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 4
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 1)
The first mention of the Science Police Commission

Adventure Comics #304
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 1 
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 1)
Commander Loring of the World-Wide Police, not the Science Police  

Adventure Comics #306
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 2
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 1)
Two issues later, it's the Science Police again and will remain 
the Science Police from now on

Adventure Comics #316
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 2
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 1)
Science Police Super-Sorting Rogues Gallery Database


Adventure Comics #319
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 3
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 1)

It's established that the Science Police answer to the President of the United Planets


Adventure Comics #321
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 3
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 1)

First actual mention of Chief Wilson, in a different uniform and no helmet


Adventure Comics #328 
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 3
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 2)
Commissioner Wilson re-appears; also, first appearance of SP ceremony giving the Legion a service award
in a kind of mix of old and new uniforms


Adventure Comics #330
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 4
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 2)


Are the Space Police like a State Highway Patrol? They give the Legion a ticket for bad rocket driving! 


Adventure Comics #359 

(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 7 
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 3)



Curt Swan re-designs the Science Police uniforms


Adventure Comics #374
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 8
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 4)
First  (and only) appearance of  Chief Zoltorus

Adventure Comics #375
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 9
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 4)
First (and only) appearance of Chief Ianos

Adventure Comics #377
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 9
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 4)
Appearance of SP Interrogator

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #207
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 11
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 5)
First appearance of "modern" Navy & Gray uniforms

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #222
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 12)
First appearance of a non-Caucasian officer


New (?) Police Chief?

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #249
(reprinted in Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 2)
First (and only) appearance of Commander Hagbard

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #253
(reprinted in Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 2)
First appearance of non-humanoid officers


Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #256-257
(reprinted in Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 2)
Unnamed SP officer with a blue beret, which was never explained or shown again

DC Super-Stars #17
(reprinted in Superboy & The Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 1)
Explanation of how/why the Legion became deputized Science Police officers; 
possibly Officer Smyt 

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #272
First mention of prison in the Himalayas, staffed by the Science Police 

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #302
First appearance of Officer Quav, administrative assistant to Chief Zendak

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #312-313
Spotlight story on the Science Police and its organization

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #7
The SP officers on Winath are twins

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #11
The Himalayan prison is now in Antarctica


Officer Quav is still Zendak's assistant

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual (v2) #1 (1985)
Science Police Museum is shown as being on planet Thanagar

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #16
SP officers are controlled by Universo

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #19
A glimpse into how the SP is organized, 
as they discuss investigating the Universo-controlled officers incident

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #24
SP officers were in charge of Takron-Galtos 
and also in charge of escorting the prisoners to Labyrinth

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #28
The SP investigate the disappearance of law-enforcement officers around the universe

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #39
Story profiling the Science Police Academy on Mars

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #48
The SP has a Duplicator to create props, 
which Chameleon Boy uses to create an imperfect copy of the flight ring

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #54
SP officers are assigned to the prison planet, Labyrinth, in riot gear

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #1

5YL: Introduction of a more fascistic Science Police, with face-plated uniforms

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #0

In the Reboot, Saturn Girl is a member of the Science Police when she helps save R.J. Brande's life

Legionnaires #0

Gim Allon, Leviathan, was also a Science Police officer before heeding the call

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual (v4) #6

Gim Allon proves his mettle as a Science Police officer before he joins the Legion

Legion: Science Police #1-4

The SP gets its own mini-series, featuring a new cast of characters

Showcase '95 #6

A Science Police short story

Legionnaires #63

Several Legionnaires join the Science Police to get around a Legion travel ban

Legion Worlds #1

Kinetix joins the SP while the Legion is disbanded

Legion Worlds #3

Magno also joins the SP (on Braal) while the Legion is disbanded

Legion of Super-Heroes (v5) #1

In the Threeboot, the Science Police worries about the Legion's vigilante youth movement

Legion of Super-Heroes (v5) #43

The Science Police tries to arrest the Legion

Adventure Comics #528

Several Legion Academy graduates join the Science Police

Superman #654

Introduction of the 21st-Century Science Police

2 comments:

  1. I've never read this series. How is it? I do like the usage we see here )and have seen elsewhere)of worlds established in the 20th century DC books, notably the Green Lantern series.

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    Replies
    1. If you mean the Legion Science Police series, it's okay. Not super great, but entertaining for four issues.

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