Republic City Police

The Metalbending Police Force is the elite law enforcement team of Republic City, formerly led by Toph Beifong's daughter, Chief Lin Beifong, and now led by Chief Saikhan. By using metalbending to manipulate the metal cables within the cylindrical spool devices on their back, the metalbenders are able to restrain criminals and navigate the city quickly and efficiently. They also carry equipment such as truncheons and riot shields. The Metalbending Police Force monitors events in the city through use of several airships, and this mobility allows them to easily apprehend criminals and deploy forces for pursuit.

History
The Metalbending Police Force had been active in Aang's time, appearing under the command of their chief at the time, Toph Beifong. They aided in the arrest of the notorious bloodbender and crime boss, Yakone.



The force was present in action shortly after Avatar Korra arrived in Republic City. She was fighting off the Triple Threat Triad, whom had been terrorizing a phonograph shop. After a short fight, several officers rounded the triad members up, but also attempted to arrest Korra for property damage as a result of the fight. Korra tried to flee on Naga, but they eventually caught her and brought her to their headquarters for questioning.

During the Pro-bending Championship Tournament, the police force provided extra security by supplying police airships, police boats, and officers all around the arena. However, they were quickly electrocuted and incapacitated by Equalists wielding electrified gloves. The Equalists had destroyed all the police boats and airships around the arena as well.

Afterward, Tarrlok arranged a press conference and called for new leadership of the police force after the failure of the current chief, Lin Beifong. In the meanwhile, the Metalbending Police Force launched an in-depth investigation into who manufactured the Equalists' high-tech weapons by questioning witnesses to get information. They then investigated the Cabbage Corp factory, finding incriminating evidence to arrest the leader of the corporation. After Avatar Korra told Chief Beifong about a possible connection between Hiroshi Sato to the Equalists, the Metalbending Police Force with the chief, Tenzin, and Korra looked for evidence to prove this in all Future Industries' warehouses just to not find anything to incriminate its owner.



However, after receiving an anonymous tip, the police force invaded Sato estate in search of a secret factory beneath it. Metalbending officers who accompanied Lin Beifong and the rest of the search party were ambushed by Equalists' mecha tanks and soon overpowered. While part of the group was able to escape via airship, the metalbending officers were captured and taken to Amon. However, after the escape, Lin Beifong stated her resolve to resign as chief and retrieve her men in her own way.

Following Chief Beifong's resignation, Saikhan was inducted as chief of police, and agreed to lend any of the police force's available resources to Tarrlok and his task force. As a result, Tarrlok's influence in the police force increased greatly. Many metalbending officers were summoned to quell a supposed Equalist rally in the Dragon Flats district. At the scene, officers arrested Mako, Bolin, and Asami as well as the non-bender crowds in the district at Tarrlok's command. After the incident, Tenzin and Korra arrived at the police headquarters, demanding that Chief Saikhan release Korra's friends and the non-benders that had been arrested. The Chief advised them to speak with Tarrlok about the matter.

After finding out that Amon had supposedly captured Korra, Tarrlok ordered Chief Saikhan to deploy the entire force to find the Avatar.

Uniform


The Metalbending Police Force operates primarily through the use of specialized metalbending. Their uniform consists mainly of segmented metal armor, which offers protection against chi blocking. The officers use metal cables stored in spools on their backs as their weapon of choice, but officers carry additional equipment such as truncheons and riot shields.

Cylindrical spools are attached to the back of each officer, with metallic cables extending through the arm. The compacted metal wires can then be extended or retracted through metalbending. Metalbending police officers are adept at manipulating these metal wires, often bending them with enough force to cling to solid earth or to wrap around a person. This is their primary use of law enforcement, developed by Chief Lin Beifong herself.

For regular metalbending officers, the majority of the uniform is a light gray color, with the hat being a slightly darker shade of gray. The foot piece part of the armor is made up of retractable metal plates, and allow the officers to expose their feet to the ground when necessary.

As evidenced by the appearances of numerous metalbending officers in Korra's visions, uniforms in the past consisted of less metal plating, and did not have wire spools on the back of the uniform. Instead, the metal cables were stored in circular canisters on the uniform's waist.

Due to the fact that the armor is made out of metal, the uniform can be put on very quickly by the officers by utilizing their metalbending skills.

Non-bending members of the police force wear a gray uniform with the sign of the United Republic on the chest.

Methods, equipment, and abilities


In addition to manipulating wires attached to the spools on their backs, metalbending police officers make use of metal wires dispersed throughout Republic City. Officers can maneuver through streets by attaching a wire from their spools to a stationary wire, propelling through the city in a similar fashion to vine swinging. In addition, officers can attach wires to mobile objects, such as Satomobiles, while on top of a stationary wire, using the moving unit to "surf" through the city. Saikhan demonstrates this ability while in pursuit of Avatar Korra. Lin Beifong displayed the capability of extending retractable metal blades from the sleeves of her armor.

The police force operates efficiently and attempt to produce minimal damage to the city. They are deployed in small groups by patrol airships that constantly circle the capital's boundaries. A siren indicates the arrival of police units, and officers arrive soon after to immobilize criminals through use of metal wires. Apprehended criminals are then taken back to the police headquarters.

The members of the police force utilize police scanners to communicate with one another while patrolling Republic City, as well as loud alarms and megaphones.

Non-bending officers use batons to defend themselves or arrest criminals.

Vehicles

 * Airships - Manufactured by Future Industries, airships are used for monitoring the streets of Republic City, as large sections of the city are visible from the air.
 * Cars - Also developed by Future Industries, the police car is similar to a Satomobile, but equipped with sirens, police radios, as well as a caged back for transporting criminals.
 * Trucks - The heavy duty police trucks are reinforced with armor to be dispensed into any high threat scenario to ensure the safety of police officers. They are also equipped with a metal plow to move objects out of the way.
 * Ferries - The police force employs ferries when the situation calls for watching or approaching a location via water.

Headquarters


The police force brings back apprehended criminals to their headquarters, located deep within Republic City. Their base of operations is a monumental building, the grandeur of which is represented by the numerous entrances and windows adorning the exterior. A metal statue of Toph can be seen on a pinnacle near the building's center.

Known arrests

 * Yakone
 * Triple Threat Triad members
 * Two Toed Ping
 * Unnamed waterbender
 * Unnamed earthbender
 * Korra
 * Equalists
 * Lau Gan-Lan
 * Asami Sato
 * Mako
 * Bolin
 * Non-benders of the Dragon Flats district

Trivia

 * Creators and executive producers Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko have said that the Metalbending Police Force was partially inspired by the Dai Li.
 * Their uniform bears striking similarities in appearance to traditional samurai armor.
 * The conservative and deliberate method of operation that the Metalbending Police Force employ bears similarities to the Dai Li, the secret police of Ba Sing Se. One major difference between the groups, however, is that the Metalbending Police Force ultimately has to answer to the state-ruling United Republic Council, while the Dai Li's top operatives like Long Feng were essentially free to organize policy as they wished.
 * In a flashback, Toph, as well as two others, were shown wearing complete metalbender police uniforms. This means that the Metalbending Police Force has been up and running for a number of years.
 * The Metalbending Police Force's methods of traversing quickly around using extendable metal wires are considerably similar to those of Spiderman's.
 * The hats that the members of the Metalbending Police Force wear appear to be based on Toph Beifong's hairstyle. This can be seen in Korra's vision during her encounter with Amon.
 * In an interview, Sifu Kisu explained that the fighting style of the Metalbending Police is based on the Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis Style, with modern military techniques also thrown in. He has jokingly called this "ambigu-bending" because of its lack of definition as compared to the more ordinary form of Earthbending and the unique style which Toph herself performed.
 * Before the police force used metal wires attached to spools on their backs, the wires were instead attached to their belts.
 * Despite its name, the Metalbending Police Force includes many non-benders as officers and operators.