A couple of recent mods have become available for Fallout 3 and New Vegas that remove or rename assets related to the police from both games. While Bethesda is moving forward with Fallout 5, the community is still putting a lot of effort into the previous entries, going as far back as 2008's third installment. Given how old these titles are now, they've evidently become visually outdated, and the fan base is awash with people who wish to improve the original formula in a myriad of ways.
The more modern Fallout games have a ton of custom-made mods, some of which turn the titles into something completely different from the developer's original vision. Everything from visual upgrades, improving the main quest line, adding new weather effects, or tweaking the overall gameplay for a more immersive experience are all par for the course when it comes to modding Bethesda's franchise. But this particular mod takes into consideration those who fear or uncomfortable around law enforcement officers.
As spotted by PCGamesN, user Unreal Septim has uploaded mods called "No Police Gear" for both Fallout 3 and New Vegas. As the name suggests, these modifications attempts to remove or rename any and all police-related equipment and any connotations associated with cops, including batons and hats. While some may think this is simply for the sake of being overtly anti-police, the modder says it's more for those who "have been victims of police brutality," allowing them to play the games without encountering references to the "boys in blue" across the Capital Wasteland or Mojave Desert. The one thing that hasn't been changed is the sheriff outfit, which they say has more of a "cowboy vibe" than being associated with cops.
Given that players get rewarded for killing innocent NPCs, such as in the Megaton side quest, Fallout can be a dark and brutal experience, and it seems as if Unreal Septim just wants to reduce that level of brutality a little, especially for those who have had negative encounters with the police. Whether the user will release a similar mod for Fallout 4 cannot be said at this stage.
With Fallout 3 rebranding the series after Bethesda took over and New Vegas being considered one of the best post-apocalyptic games around, the releases themselves are enjoyed by millions of players. The fourth entry is also a pretty solid take on the universe, but many players feel that Fallout 76 let the side down somewhat. However, it's good to see the older installments are still being shown some love.
Fallout 3 was released in 2008 for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. Fallout: New Vegas launched in 2010 for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
Sources: PCGamesN, Nexus Mods (Fallout 3), Nexus Mods (Fallout: New Vegas)