Bad Water County sees more than its fair share of strange and unexplained activity. This includes everything from terrorist bomb threats and hostage situations to strange lights in the sky, and even the occasional extra-terrestrial visitor turning up at the Pete’s for Eats diner and eating all the cutlery.
Thankfully, the good folks of Bad Water can sleep soundly in their beds knowing that all of these problems will be dealt with (eventually) by the men and women of the BWCPD – Bad Water County Police Department. This department is headed by veteran police officer Sheriff Cy Bull, a portly balding man with breathing problems who spends most of his time sitting in his office on the edge of town sweating profusely and trying to find someone to talk to on the radio. His approach to police work is laid back to say the least, and he only occasionally steps out from behind his desk. He prefers to find the most credible explanation for even the most incredible of situations, and has only been known to lose his cool in matters relating to any “Royces Rolls” passing through town. We know almost nothing of Bull’s life outside of the police force, although he does have at least two children.
Around the walls of Bull’s office and the corridors of the police station are wanted posters for various criminals, including the Corellian smuggler Han Harrison and several individuals who bear a striking resemblance to crew members of the 1983 television series Terrahawks. As of yet, none of these felons have been brought to justice – or if they have, no-one has thought to take the posters down. Known lawbreakers among the residents of Bad Water include musician and recording engineer Stew Dapples, who has been issued with “enough speeding tickets to start a waste paper company”, although no-one has yet got around to confiscating his driving licence.
Bull has at least two officers in his department; deputy Kilroy and patrolwoman Billie-Jean Hollins. Both are introduced in the episode Gunfight at Oaky’s Corral as they each pursue HUDSON through the town, but are only heard over the radio. Hollins is never heard from again, but is mentioned as still being with the department in the Terrahawks audios. Kilroy however later returns to the series during its second production block, first appearing on screen in Child’s Play when he investigates the bomb scare at “the Stevens place” and nearly pays for his curiosity with his life. Despite almost losing his job, he remained on the force and now divides his time between working in the Sheriff’s office and patrolling the highway. He wears a computerised all-weather timepiece on his left wrist, but it is seldom reliable. The BWCPD also has at least two high-speed patrol cars, although one was severely damaged after being caught in the aforementioned explosion of “the Stevens place” that caused it to collide with a tree.
The BWCPD may be a small unit but its officers are loyal and dedicated, and any minor scandals you may have read about in the papers (such as the ongoing lawsuits from the family of the late Mrs Cricklewick) have surely been blown out of all proportion. If you have any need to call in to the Sheriff’s office*, you are sure to be greeted by the same four friendly words;
“Right, speak to me!”
* “Just please try to call during normal office hours only. We don’t know how to work the answermaphone.”
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