Imperial State Security Committee

"They say they protect the 'cultural heritage' of the Empire. By that they mean 'don't bad-talk the Empire or we will kick your ass.'"

- Anonymous Coruscant citizen

The Imperial State Security Committee, also called the State Security, Security Committee, ImpStaSeCom, or more commonly the SSC, was the secret police of the Galactic Empire. It was widely regarded as an improved version or combination of the Imperial Intelligence and the Security Bureau. Founded shortly after the Great Jedi Purge, the organization continued service for over a century before splitting into splinter factions of those supporting Darth Krayt and Roan Fel during the Imperial Civil War of 130 ABY. The organization was made up of five directorates: Operations, Analysis, Intelligence, Counterintelligence, and Investigation. They were trained for their individual tasks, but worked jointly with each other for the common goal. Up until 3 ABY it was smaller than both Imperial Intelligence and Security Bureau, who did not view the Committee as a threat due to it's lower member count. They were the nemesis of the Rebel Alliance Intelligence Agency, whose personnel gave them the nickname "guard dogs".

Formation
"The Intelligence and Security Bureau are literally trying to kill each other; their rivalry is that intense. Action must be taken!"

- Emperor Palpatine to Darth Vader

In 19 BBY, the Clone Wars came to a close with the execution of Order 66 and the slaughter of Jedi during Operation: Knightfall. The self-appointed Galactic Emperor Palpatine announces the reorganization of the many millennia old Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire. The Republic Intelligence was restored as the Imperial Intelligence, and the large Security Bureau was created to defend Imperial interests without the use of the Imperial Armed Forces. However, about nine or ten months into their creation and the reign of the Empire, the twin agencies become such rivals that they went as far as assassinating each others members. Palpatine, realizing something must be done, took action.

He understood their natural rivalry but did not know it would go that far. Deeming the members of those agencies " incompetents", he decided to create a whole new organization all together, before something even worse could happened, such as an attempted coup. Rallying the Imperial High Council, Army Command, and Naval Command, he announced of a non-corrupt, non-rivalrous State Security Committee. They would take on the role of being the secret police, and would also be responsible for taking down rebellions on various planets. The organization would be generally in charge of the Empire's internal security. Unlike the minor Imperial Bureau of Investigation, a small agency responsible for general law enforcement, they would take a quicker and more direct approach at enforcing the Empire's many laws.

The creation was reluctantly approved by the High Council and Commands, not that they had much of a choice. However, they were all well aware of the corruption and rivalry of the Intelligence and ISB. Palpatine decided to appoint Colonel General Vladimir Koslov, a veteran of the Clone Wars and the Grand Army of the Republic, to be the Director of the SSC. He agreed, being an official of the Republic Cheka (the Republic's secret police) for about a year, during the Separatist Crisis. Palpatine left the work to him. He began to appoint his own officers, laying out organizational plans, and started recruitment.

The organization took months of work to set up. Various candidates for training were picked put from Storm Commandos, Imperial Internal Troops, Imperial Special Forces, and other already elite units. They were trained on various planets across the galaxy, having no official academy set up. In fact, part of the cadets' training was to help Imperial work crews construct the Zaadja State Security Committee Academy, on the world of Zaadja in the Colonies. More recruits were enrolled in the Academy after it was finished and the first batch of trainees was fully trained and assigned to one of the five directorates.

Behind the Scenes
The author is of Russian origin, and decided to make a KGB-based organization in Star Wars.