Department for the Regulation of Powered Resources

DRPR (Department for the Regulation of Powered Resources) is a goverment run department under UMA that was founded as a result of collateral damage and the outcry of Halcyon City non-supers (or "mundanes"), who complained about their safety and tax payer money going to waste. The committee consists of mostly non-supers in high-ranking positions, namely Mayor of Halcyon City, with UMA heroes acting as supervisors and enforcers.

## Background

DRPR's mission is to ensure harmonious and peaceful coexistence between metahumans and mundanes by enacting laws to regulate super activity and covering costs for infrastructure damage within the city. They are an important symbol of unity and teamwork between metahumans and mundanes, a concept that is often used to further political games. In reality, UMA has a strained relationship with DRPR, believing the committee members to be corrupt officials who aim to severely limit super activities and gain influence over mundane citizens in Halcyon City.

## DRPR Laws

One of the prominent DRPR laws was Registration Act 1993 which made it obligatory for all metahumans to apply for a Powered Hero License. Furthermore, there was also Aerial Travel Act 1996, in which the skies were designated for government-licensed travelers only. Therefore, supers who wish to travel by flying must first be registered under UMA to own a Powered Hero License. Then, they must apply for a flying license under DRPR at UMA Headquarters. Failure to do so will result in arrest and prosecution by A.E.G.I.S agents, punishment being a fine of 500 credits. Additionally, flying while intoxicated is considered a federal offence.

### **Powered Hero Certification Programme**

The Powered Hero Certification Programme (PHCP) license was created by UMA and DRPR so that the government would be able to use metahumans and powered individuals to protect people by ensuring the proper training and qualification as special constables without being held liable for incidental damages and accidental injury caused by their line of work.

PHCP registration consists of various tests and monitoring carried out by UMA authorised teams and institutions over a number of years to ensure competence and compliance with US laws.​ Students must be 16+ to undergo Final PHCP Certification after passing the Powered Hero License Exams. This assessment and training can be carried out by the Metropolitan Police, certain schools and colleges (such as Sinclair’s Home for Extraordinary Children), apprenticeships with teams and registered individuals (such as Halcyon Watch, Victory Vanguard, Untouchable 5 etc.) or under corporate sponsorship (Dalton International, Powell Industries, etc.) ​

Under US common law, powered individuals are not required to hold PHCP status to ​stop a crime being committed, act in self-defense, or to chase and catch criminals who are in the process of committing or have committed a crime. Without PHCP certification they may not apprehend someone who they merely believe to be planning to commit a criminal act or who they think may have committed a crime but which has not been witnessed/reported and there is no evidence to collaborate.

#### **Application for Powered Hero License**

To apply for a Powered Hero License, all metahumans must register at UMA Headquarters on Liberty Hill, fill in the relevant paperwork, and pass the Power compentency and aptitude tests, including the Powered Hero License Exams that can be taken at Sinclair's Home for Extraordinary Children or at UMA Headquarters. Their (secret) identities and nature of power(s) will remain confidential and will promptly be uploaded into the secured UMA database. It is important to mention that there are many ways to bypass the aptitude tests and Powered Hero License Exams to gain the license straight away but it is only done for special cases, typically at the recommendation of an established UMA hero or team mentor.

According to the opinion of several (bitter) UMA heroes, DRPR has made the process rather lengthy and recently increased the application fee to lessen the number of applicants. However, failure to register and own a Powered Hero License could land you in trouble should you practice your powers in public. Most young metahumans from low-income families, especially those who lives in slums of the Eastern Fringes, are often fined and arrested for practicing their powers because they are unable to afford a license.

In response to this, Nightingale and Sekhmet from the UMA established the Meta-Youth Programme in which young and underprivileged supers are given discounted prices on licenses, free tutoring to prepare for the exams, and other super/mundane purchases regulated by the DRPR.

### **Metahumans and the Law**

Great power carries with it the potential for great good, but also for great evil. The existence of metahumans and its increasing population worldwide has created volumes of law and legal precedent over the years. The salient points of metahuman law are:

* The 1993 Superpower Registration Act was enacted throughout America but the Halcyon City version allows individuals to register under a unique ID rather than their own details provided the individual’s identity is officially confirmed and then securely sealed until a court order requires it be unsealed for identity purposes.
* Offensive super-powers are considered weapons, and using a power against someone is generally considered aggravated assault unless the individual is acting in self-defence or to prevent a crime. For this reason, most metahumans practice caution when using their super human abilities and must be registered under UMA, though this can be under a registered identity rather than under their own name. The Powered Hero Certification Programme allows heroes to be classed as having undergone the proper training and qualification as special constables without being held liable for incidental damages and accidental injury caused by their line of work.
* In addition to the risk of injury and possible death, many powers can cause substantial property damage. Many metahumans have found themselves on the receiving end of hefty law suits. In response, many metahumans have begun carrying liability insurance. There has recently been a move in some states to make this type of insurance mandatory, but currently, none have passed laws to that effect.
* Superheroes do not have to follow criminal procedures unless they are members of a police force or other law-enforcement agency even if they have PHCP status. Among other things, this means superheroes don’t need to read a criminal his rights when making a “citizen’s arrest.”

* Superheroes (even with PHCP status) can be charged with “excessive force” if they use more than the minimum force required to disable or restrain opponents. This is most often invoked in the case of violent vigilantes who kill or maim criminals even if it was unintentional. The use of deadly force is not considered excessive if the super was trying to save a life or they believed was necessary to prevent the use of deadly force.

* Costumed identities are recognised as legal entities, allowing costumed metahumans to engage in commerce, testify in court, or be sued without revealing their alternate identity. Their alternative identity does still need to be registered with the Police, UMA, AEGIS, and DNA data provided which is immediately sealed and securely stored to prove proof of identity as and required.
* Metahumans are public figures, subject to the same sort of media coverage as other public figures.
* The use of Super-Senses and powers like Telepathy or X-ray vision can be considered a violation of a person’s right to privacy and a legal prohibition against “unreasonable searches.” No one can be forced to submit to a telepathic scan, and evidence acquired solely through extrasensory means is not admissible in court.​