Poll of the Week: Starfleet Insecurity

[Laria Herren]

Starfleet seems to have a problem with keeping their ships safe. In a fight between ships, a Starfleet ship can usually hold its own. The problems begin when someone gets on the ship. Starfleet Security has demonstrated time and time again that it might be just a little bit too trusting. Starfleet ships have been hijacked by just about every group imaginable. The Maquis, Klingons, Romulans, and Bynars are all among the many powers who have successfully commandeered Starfleet ships. The flagship of the Federation itself was once taken over by a group of Ferengi in a few surplus Klingon ships.

It doesn’t even end there. Security protocols are easily bypassed by the officers and civilians aboard the ship. If you want to avoid being tracked, all you need to do is remove your combadge. At one point, a civilian was able to escape the ship in a shuttle without assistance or permission from anyone. People could be replaced by changelings for months and avoid having their identities or their acts of sabotage being discovered.

However, not every ship had this problem to the same degree. There are some threats that can’t be prepared for. No security is entirely foolproof. This week, we want to hear your thoughts on the issue. Which series featured the worst ship security? Be sure to cast your vote below!

[Blaidd Vescori]

There have often been issues with security in the various series of Star Trek. I am well familiar with the alternating between amusement and frustration upon issues like the unusually high death rate of red shirts in TOS or the initial cluelessness of TNG's security forces, which often reminded me of the competence level of San Angeles PD in the movie 'Demolition Man'.

But I still think that all in all the security on the USS Discovery is the worst offender. There is a war going on, the potential for espionage or sabotage is kinda written on the walls when you fly around with a unique prototype of a propulsion system that the brass consider one of their best chances of turning the war around. Yet still in the middle of all this, the brig  - even while holding prisoners - often seems bereft of guards. The security chief is so trigger happy she allows herself to be killed right from the start. And they allow murder to happen in sick bay, yet there is no video or sensor feed to help clear up things - or at least one the killer has to erase or omit, causing suspicion?

Things look a little better in the second season, but for the time being I am pretty sure Discovery takes the cake on this poll.