[Okand37] Joe13413 - Unfair security ban

[technicaloveride]

BYOND account: Joe13413
Character name: Joachim Straub
Ban type: Security department ban (Hos, officer, detective, warden)
Ban length: 2 weeks
Ban reason: Banned from Roles: Head of Security, Warden, Detective, Security Officer for 2 weeks - As the Head of Security, set a chemist to arrest and claimed they were a suspected syndicate agent for not being in chemistry for the shift (30 minutes~). We had a long discussion about Joe's trajectory on Manuel and clashes with the MRP ruleset: I proposed he consider what he expects out of the server and how the server culture aligns with that, and to consider whether LRP servers would better fit his playstyle
Time ban was placed: 2021-08-22 07:24:02
Round ID in which ban was placed: 168245
Your side of the story: I was playing as the HoS, and the CMO informed me on command radio that one of their chemists hasn't been in chemistry all shift (It had been 30 minutes at this point). I set the chemist to arrest, explained the situation to my officers and said "they're probably a DIRTY FUCKING SYNDICATE" or something along those lines. After saying that, I just told my officers to search them and release them if nothing suspicious was found. After searching the chemist, my officers found a holoparasite injector on the chemist. Upon realizing that the holoparasite was a support stand, we released them with tracking implant and chemical implant. The chemist went on to have a fun shift.
Why you think you should be unbanned: I feel like this situation doesn't justify a security ban, let alone 2 weeks. I don't have any notes relating to behavior as a security member, and accusing someone of being a syndicate isn't that big of a deal. No drastic measures were taken, and it makes sense for long time security players to have a sort of sixth sense when it comes to figuring out who is a traitor, and who isn't. Even if this was a big problem, I could've just been told that accusing someone of being a traitor with no real evidence isn't okay.

[Okand37]

Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to write an appeal. I will explain why this behaviour is problematic and the processes behind the ban below: It is important to understand this role ban is the escalating product of a growing series of issues raised with your behaviour on our medium roleplaying server, Manuel, and your conflicts with the rules thereof. The three largest issues at play are Metagaming, Validhunting, and Powergaming.

Ticket Transcript

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LINE 1 [2021-08-22 06:47:11.875] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Okand37/(Verena Knox)->Joe13413/(Joachim Straub): Hey buddy. You gotta curb your enthusiasm a bit: declaring an individual as a potential syndicate agent for not being at their workplace leans too heavily into a type of metagaming we'd rather discourage on medium roleplay.
    (NOTE) ...security speaking to chief medical officer inside security: looking for [chemist]. Ten minutes (rounded) pass without response.
LINE 2 [2021-08-22 06:58:05.827] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Okand37/(Verena Knox)->Joe13413/(Joachim Straub): Hey. Did you receive the adminhelp that I sent you earlier?
LINE 3 [2021-08-22 06:58:29.051] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub)->Okand37/(Verena Knox): Yeah sorry just got distracted, read about it a few minutes after you sent it. Won't happen again
LINE 4 [2021-08-22 06:59:06.640] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Okand37/(Verena Knox)->Joe13413/(Joachim Straub): I'd normally leave this as a note but given your track record I feel it's time we sit down and have a discussion about your behaviour insofar as it pertains to the medium roleplay server. Are you able to sit down somewhere safe?
LINE 5[2021-08-22 06:59:21.343] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub)->Okand37/(Verena Knox): Yeah sure
    (NOTE)...[chemist] was arrested by a security office and processed by the brig here. Tracking and lethal-injection chemical implanting conditional release.
LINE 6 [2021-08-22 07:02:46.719] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Okand37/(Verena Knox)->Joe13413/(Joachim Straub): I'll wait until you're done solving the current issue.
LINE 7 [2021-08-22 07:02:56.359] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub)->Okand37/(Verena Knox): alright
LINE 8 [2021-08-22 07:11:06.226] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub)->Okand37/(Verena Knox): Alright, i'm good
LINE 9 [2021-08-22 07:11:22.921] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Okand37/(Verena Knox)->Joe13413/(Joachim Straub): I'd like to begin by saying this isn't a serverban: don't panic. It will be a longer post but I'd like you to take the time to read it:
LINE 10 [2021-08-22 07:11:30.026] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Okand37/(Verena Knox)->Joe13413/(Joachim Straub): I want to emphasise first-off I think you are a good player and people do enjoy your gimmicks. Nevertheless, when it comes to behaviour such as powergaming and metagaming, the admin team is concerned it crosses the roleplay rules we have set for our medium roleplaying server.
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- I want to reiterate these aren't necessarily breaches on our lower roleplay servers Bagil, Sybil, or Terry. It isn't my design to tell you how to play the game, but I am wondering if you might get along better with the rules and server culture of our other servers. My intent isn't to dictate your server of choice, but I do think this might be a genuine consideration to think about: what do you want out of the server and how do your actions align with that server's culture.
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- In regards to medium roleplay, we've had a long string of notes and discussions with you and I feel we're past the point of note-keeping. I am going to ask you to take a break from security roles after this round.
LINE 11 [2021-08-22 07:19:03.511] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub)->Okand37/(Verena Knox): Alright, i'll try out the lrp servers again. Not sure what's keeping me away from them, but in the case I stay, i'll keep away from security for the time being.
LINE 12 [2021-08-22 07:20:44.436] ADMINPRIVATE: PM: Okand37/(Verena Knox)->Joe13413/(Joachim Straub): I appreciate it. I know this isn't probably the situation you wanted to find yourself in but I do want to reiterate I do not think you are a bad player by any means. With the current course you're charting on the MRP servers, I feel like it would result in issues that could otherwise be avoided by playing on an LRP ruleset.
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- This isn't an administrative decree by any means: you are allowed to play on the server of your choosing. Just something to keep in mind.

Relevant Notes
6 of 24 total warning or ban notes from 2020-10-30 to 2021-08-26

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NOTE 1 2021-08-17 10:30:43 "(MRP) As a non-antagonist assistant, tided into cargo roughly fifteen minutes in and ordered some stingbangs and combat knives. Has a history of tiding and powergaming, understands that this is his final warning."

NOTE 2 2021-08-10 05:11:00 "Banned from the server for 1 day - [MRP] Round ID: 167533 - As a non-antagonist assistant, helped a known traitor break into engineering so he could get tools. Attacked an engineer who attacked him after asking to leave, which resulted in the engineer being easily killed by the traitor."

NOTE 3 2021-07-31 00:12:40 "[MRP] Round ID: 166926 As a non-antagonist assistant, came back with space gear and asked to be deputized by the head of security so he could "use the gear he got in space". Proceeded to hunt down and arrest a heretic using space gear and weapons in exchange for deputizing. Was understanding in ahelps. This is valid hunting and powergaming, and you've been asked to cut down on this kind of stuff before."

NOTE 4 2021-07-12 06:01:19 "[MRP] Has had an extended history of toeing the line or outright powergaming on Manuel - something which he has been told to knock off. Things like barricading brig near round-start at a moments notice, or preparing antag mixes as chemist only to test them out before doing nothing else for the round. Keep an eye on him, and if he does anything powergamey it may be time to escalate a ban."

NOTE 5 2021-03-13 05:13:17: "Asked to chill on powergaming such as 1u foam trick duping 999 units of doctors delight round start in the future."

NOTE 6 2021-02-27 08:17:44: "Banned from the server for 3 days - [MRP] As a non-antagonist medical doctor, ordered guns from cargo because they were 'bored' and made a guncargo fiasco with security. Previous notes are on similar issues with doing things just because 'they're bored'." 

Issue(s) in question
The related issue were a series of in-game chats over the security radio by the player that prompted security to arrest the chemist. The main issue is bridging an employee not at their station with a potential traitor to be searched and, if contraband is found, arrested.

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LINE 1 [2021-08-22 06:44:50.559] SAY: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub) "Yo lads" (Security Office (121,179,4))
LINE 2 [2021-08-22 06:44:54.875] SAY: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub) "Be weary of bombyx" (Security Office (121,179,4))
LINE 3 [2021-08-22 06:45:03.733] SAY: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub) "They are a chemist who never showed up to do chemistry" (Security Office (121,179,4))
LINE 4 [2021-08-22 06:45:12.981] SAY: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub) "aka possibly fucking AGENT" (Security Office (129,174,4))
LINE 5 [2021-08-22 06:45:23.484] SAY: Joe13413/(Joachim Straub) "we can set em to arrest and search em." (Security Office (128,174,4))

Why is this problematic?
Our medium roleplay servers have a set of Roleplay Rules intended to guide interaction as characters acting within a setting. The issues in question are:

1. Metagaming (i.e. correlating an absent chemist with a player potentially being a traitor)
2. Validhunting (i.e. seeking out any justification to search for potential antagonists)
3. Powergaming is loosely related (i.e. preparing to face problems that are not actively credible threats; a mindset of treating the game as one to be "won") insofar as the playstyle or mindset correlates to use of metaknowledge and valid seeking

It is expected that "punishments are in proportion to their crime(s)" and reactions are in proportion to the alleged crime(s) or threat(s) posed on our medium roleplay server; a missing chemist being declared a suspected enemy of the cooperation is a gross overstep of any believable suspicion or escalation. Pre-emptive searching is covered under Rule 4 of our Server Rules and states:

RULE 4 non-antagonists are not allowed to pre-emptively search for, hinder or otherwise seek conflict with antagonists without reasonable prior cause.

Why was this a security ban?
Ultimately, it is expected of administrators to use their discretion to assist in shaping and maintaining medium roleplay culture on our medium roleplay server(s) and your history has shown conflict abiding by the server rules and roleplay culture. You have garnered multiple warnings over several months as related to playstyle (metagaming, powergaming, validhunting): behaviour in conflict with the spirit (and letter) of our roleplay rules. A timed roleban was decided because of your line-toeing history and prior warnings according to the precedent set by server Rule 7:

RULE 7 "If you regularly come close to breaking the rules without actually breaking them, it will be treated as the rules being broken. Repeated instances of the same rules being broken may be met with harsher consequences."

It resulted in a security roleban as you were misusing your authority as a member of security during the incident and a server ban was not deemed appropriate given the circumstances. This verdict was reached consulting with administrators Harricross and Market Monkey who were present on the server.

Conclusion
I have explained the relevant background information, processes, and reasonings behind this appeal. My intent was to give you an understanding of why the issues in question were problematic and why a security roleban was issued. This appeal is denied. Head administrators may comment or overrule this verdict at their discretion.