Adeptus Arbites

In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Adeptus Arbites are the police force of the Imperium, and responsible for maintaining the Emperors' Law and the Emperors' Peace. It is commanded by one of the High Lords of Terra, The Grand Provost Marshal of the Adeptus Arbites. They are known for their uncompromising attitude towards crime and the harsh sentences handed out by them, which may include summary execution. Their signature weapons include the shotgun loaded with executioner shells and power mauls, and they wear all black carapace armour that covers their entire body apart from their jaw. When necessary, the Arbites will also use patrol vehicles such as Combat Motorcycles and a variant of the Rhino known as a Repressor, which will often have typical Rhino armaments, but with the addition of special communications equipment, and dozer blades, as it operates as the standard patrol tank.

The Adeptus Arbites has a paralllel organisation that consists of the Judges, responsible for law interpretions, and the arbitrators, for enforcing the laws. These two hierarchies combine at the rank of arbitor senioris to become the arbites general, which has duties for both.

The organisation is the focus of two novels by Matthew Farrer, Cross Fire (Farrer, 2003) and Legacy (Farrer, 2004).