How to Use This Site

The Stratos documentation site is designed to answer three questions quickly:

1. What rule applies?
2. What facts must be documented?
3. Which person or department makes the decision?

Searching

Search by statute number, common name, or a fact from the scene. Useful searches include:

• SPC 9.61 or reckless driving;
• stolen vehicle pursuit;
• Schedule II 25 grams;
• citation M2;
• probable cause checklist; or
• fire incident command.

Search results should identify the document title, matching heading, document status, and last substantive revision date. Penal Code results should link to the exact section rather than only the beginning of a title.

Reading a Penal Code entry

A typical statute contains four parts:

• Reference: The permanent citation, such as SPC § 3.21.
• Offense: The formal charge name.
• Grade: The default offense level and standard maximum penalty.
• Elements: The facts that must be supported by probable cause.

Officers should not charge from the offense name alone. Read every element, check applicable definitions, consider defenses, and apply the merger rules. Aggravated facts mentioned in an entry must be documented before the higher grade is selected.

Citing documents

Use these formats in reports and court filings:

• Penal Code: Stratos Penal Code § 3.21 (2026)
• Department SOP: LE SOP § 6.2, Vehicle Pursuits
• Court order: State v. Rivera, Warrant SR-2026-0042
• Administrative directive: Directive ADM-2026-03

When quoting a rule, copy only the necessary language and include a link to the current page. Do not cite screenshots when the live document is available.

Document labels

Each controlled article may carry one of these labels:

If a page has no status or revision information, treat it as guidance and request confirmation before relying on it for discipline, prosecution, or a major scene decision.

In-character law versus out-of-character rules

The Penal Code, court orders, and department policy operate in character. Server rules, consent requirements, prohibited-roleplay rules, and administrator decisions operate out of character. An in-character warrant never authorizes conduct that violates a server rule. An out-of-character rule violation should be handled through the proper support process, not converted into an in-character criminal charge.

Resolving conflicting documents

Use the following priority:

1. server rules and administrator safety decisions;
2. the current Penal Code;
3. valid court orders and statewide directives;
4. department SOPs;
5. training notes and informal instructions.

The more specific rule controls over a general rule when both come from the same authority. A later approved revision controls over an earlier inconsistent version.

Reporting a documentation issue

Submit documentation issues through the support process described in Contact Administration. Include:

• the page title and section heading;
• the exact sentence or link at issue;
• whether the issue is a typo, broken link, ambiguity, conflict, or proposed policy change;
• the scene or workflow affected; and
• suggested language, if available.

Do not silently edit a controlled legal or policy page. Substantive changes require review and a changelog entry.

Accessibility and mobile use

Headings, tables, badges, and color must never be the only way information is communicated. Every classification badge should include text. Tables should collapse into readable cards on small screens. Search, navigation, and statute permalinks should remain available on mobile devices.