"No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surprise."

[Robert DeSoto]

This is what Picard says in "Timescape" when the Enterprise is frozen in time and sees Romulans swarming the bridge and there are no Starfleet security officers. But it kinda made me laugh.

Jean-Luc, when have your security teams EVER responded to any intruder alert or mutiny attempt on the bridge?

Like the two Ferengi that beamed onto the bridge and shot Worf? Or maybe that Ansata terrorist that you punched in the face?

The Defiant and Voyager aren't any better. The Defiant was captured by the Jem'hadar TWICE and no security teams made it the bridge on either boarding action. The Kazon swept through Voyager's Deck 5 to Deck 1 pretty quick and seized control of the bridge. Again, no security teams made it to the Bridge.

Enterprise NX-01 was a little better since not everyone had transporters, so security and MACO teams could be deployed to defend the airlocks. And the intruders would have to fight their way from the airlock to the bridge.

I think the only time I can remember a quick response from security was in Spocks Brain. The transported beam penetrated the bridge, Kirk tells Uhura to call security and two guys actually show up pretty quick. Even tho they didnt do anything except get stunned.

Security on Federation starships are a fail.

 

[sonak]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

I'll second that. By the way, though there's a lot to choose from, "the hunted" from TNG is my favorite example of the incompetence of Enterprise security.

 

[SchwEnt]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

TAS attempted to address this problem in its first eps.
It intro'd the Automatic Bridge Defense System.

Also showed two turbolifts for the bridge, addressing that (perceived) problem of one-access to the bridge.

But TAS never gets any attention or credit, so hey.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

The amount and variety of security systems Starfleet vessels could have, and don't, are legion. Humanoid security officers should be the last-ditch defense (not that they'd be much help against a threat that the automated systems can't handle; I figure they're mainly there for crew morale.)

Humanoids respond to threats far far far too slowly. There should be layers of automated security (segregated locked out compartments, tranquilizing gas, life support shut down, etc) that kick in the minute an unauthorized person is sensed onboard.

All authorized personnel would be recorded by various measures - DNA, facial features, heck as far as I know each person has a unique spectrographic signature. Anyone who doesn't match the computer's database beams on board? WHAMMO! They won't know what hit them.

And don't get me started on the lack of security cameras anywhere onboard. Starfleet isn't even trying.

 

[SchwEnt]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

Yes. We DO see examples, but all piecemeal.

We see locked doors requiring command authorization to override. We see forcefields limiting access and restraining personnel. We see tranquilizer gas neutralizing intruders. We see remote weapons deactivation. We see transporter inhibitors. We see camera recording devices, automatic log video recorders, and so on.

But it's frequently a one-time appearance and then inexplicably absent thereafter.

If all these things were present and used all the time,
so very many troubles and security problems would be avoided. And then I guess we wouldn't have much of an episode.

 

[Timo]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

Anyone who doesn't match the computer's database beams on board? WHAMMO! They won't know what hit them.

And therein lies the problem. False positives are generally unacceptable in the civilian security business (better lose a security guard's job than a trespasser's ability to walk, because if the latter happens, the job goes anyway), whereas they barely get a mention in the military security business (shit happens around firearms, and some fire is friendly). And Starfleet, and especially its diplomatic flagship, tends to operate on a rather civilian mode...

We can't have the ship auto-zapping unidentified presences without man-in-the-loop verification, or Worf could never remove his commbadge for another murderous romp of his!

Timo Saloniemi

 

[T'Girl]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

My fav is in Dagger of the Mind (TOS), a security guard reports to the bridge and promptly turns his back on the sole entrance to the chamber.

 

[Timo]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

This?

http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x09hd/daggerofthemindhd083.jpg

There's nothing procedurally wrong as such with standing in a certain position or orientation when waiting for action; next to the door is fine because it covers both arrivals via turbolift and teleporting to the bridge volume. But there's something badly wrong physically with our poor redshirt if he doesn't hear that the turbolift arrives and the doors swish open!

Also, there really ought to be an indicator sound, light or display for the approaching of a turbolift, not just for security reasons but for simple user-friendliness...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Kirks_Flying_Wig]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

This is what Picard says in "Timescape" when the Enterprise is frozen in time and sees Romulans swarming the bridge and there are no Starfleet security officers. But it kinda made me laugh.

Jean-Luc, when have your security teams EVER responded to any intruder alert or mutiny attempt on the bridge?

Like the two Ferengi that beamed onto the bridge and shot Worf? Or maybe that Ansata terrorist that you punched in the face?

The Defiant and Voyager aren't any better. The Defiant was captured by the Jem'hadar TWICE and no security teams made it the bridge on either boarding action. The Kazon swept through Voyager's Deck 5 to Deck 1 pretty quick and seized control of the bridge. Again, no security teams made it to the Bridge.

Enterprise NX-01 was a little better since not everyone had transporters, so security and MACO teams could be deployed to defend the airlocks. And the intruders would have to fight their way from the airlock to the bridge.

I think the only time I can remember a quick response from security was in Spocks Brain. The transported beam penetrated the bridge, Kirk tells Uhura to call security and two guys actually show up pretty quick. Even tho they didnt do anything except get stunned.

Security on Federation starships are a fail.

Voyager's security was just completely and utterly useless. Pick any episode where Janeway or Seven are taken hostage and there will always be a variation of this scene:

Tuvok and some security NDs arrive to find an alien pointing a phaser at Janeway and/or Seven's head.

Alien: DROP YOUR WEAPONS!
Janeway: Do it.
*Security team promptly drops phasers and watches alien slowly dawdle away with Janeway*

No one ever bothered trying to tackle the alien or risk their life the save their captain. Being on Voyager's security team is clearly the least dangerous job in the galaxy.

 

[Anwar]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

Probably a reaction to the Red Shirt kill ratio.

Of course, by the TNG era that role was taken up by the Yellow Shirts.

 

[DonIago]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

I'm willing to give Defiant a bit of a pass considering its small crew size, and Voyager somewhat of a pass given it was never operating at peak crew size, but there's definitely issues with the rest, and with the apparent lack of auto-defense systems.

I believe the Nitpicker said that only "Power Play" seems to be a good example of the crew really trying to contain a security situation and still being beaten. Among other things, the immediate lockdown of the command consoles was a highlight.

 

[USS Excelsior]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

They rarely have security teams on the bridge, they did bother to have them during Descent though.

 

[PianoWizzy]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

Security on Federation starships are a fail.

Well, essentially, Star Trek security teams, in general, are fail.

 

[T'Girl]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

the Yellow Shirts

If you pissed yourself in abject fear as often as they do, your clothing would be yellow too.

 

[Crewman47]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

Isn't it a security protocol or something in the military today that there should always be a security presence at all times in any operations or command centers, if so shouldn't Starfleet employ this protocol?

I think I've actually seen fan produced Bridge floor plans showing a Security lobby off the Bridge for security officers to be stationed at, or it might have been the Movies Enterprise Bridge plans.

 

[Green Shirt]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

Also, there really ought to be an indicator sound, light or display for the approaching of a turbolift, not just for security reasons but for simple user-friendliness...

Timo Saloniemi

That's just a bit of 20th century technology that seems to have been forgotten.

 

[Robert DeSoto]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

I'm willing to give Defiant a bit of a pass considering its small crew size, and Voyager somewhat of a pass given it was never operating at peak crew size, but there's definitely issues with the rest, and with the apparent lack of auto-defense systems.

I believe the Nitpicker said that only "Power Play" seems to be a good example of the crew really trying to contain a security situation and still being beaten. Among other things, the immediate lockdown of the command consoles was a highlight.

In "Power Play" Riker did call for security to the bridge. But as usual, nobody showed up in time.

I do realize they have command lockouts and forcefields and such. But I was just referring to Picard's surprise that there were no security officers to challenge the Romulan boarding party (or at least what he thought was a Romulan boarding party). As if security ever responds on time to a threat on the bridge. You would think the command center of the ship would get a better response time from security.

 

[DonIago]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

To be fair, if Security was more competent a number of episodes would be a lot shorter.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

Humanoids respond to threats far far far too slowly. There should be layers of automated security (segregated locked out compartments, tranquilizing gas, life support shut down, etc) that kick in the minute an unauthorized person is sensed onboard.

All authorized personnel would be recorded by various measures - DNA, facial features, heck as far as I know each person has a unique spectrographic signature. Anyone who doesn't match the computer's database beams on board? WHAMMO! They won't know what hit them.

In other words, the Cardassians got it right on Terok Nor?

That sounds like what we saw activated in "Civil Defense," right down to being able to specifically identify people, not just species, and decide what should be done with them.

 

[Patrickivan]

Re: "No security teams on the bridge. We must've been taken by surpris

I'd say that on a "real" Star Trek starship, the security would probably be adequate. From biometrics and other sensors in the TL's and doors. To transporter inhibitors and other minimal shields.

But writers are lazy, producers too, and the public wants quick drama. So we got what we got.