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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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The role of the ordinary Inquisitor is to investigate and deal with all potential threats to mankind and the Imperium. In the eyes of the Inquisition, there are multitudes of such potential threats. The main threat is posed not by invading aliens, but from within, by corruption and disloyalty within the Imperial organizations, as well as by psykers. The other threat posed from within is that of mutation, the constant corruption of the human gene-pool. There are no bounds to the Inquisition's area of responsibility: alien plots, mutation, political corruption and incompetence all come under their jurisdiction<sup>2</sup>.
If required, Inquisitors may call on the service and/or resources of any Imperial servant or organization. Not even a [[High Lord of Terra]] may refuse the order of an Inquisitor without good reason. This power extends across the [[Adeptus Astartes]] and the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]], however learned Inquisitors show discretion and ''request'' the assistance of the Space Marines and attempt not to anger the Adepts of Mars. The only exception to this power concerns the [[Adeptus Custodes]]{{Cite This}}, as the purity of the Dread Guardians of the Holy Throne is beyond all doubt.
The role of the Inquisition requires proactivity and efficiency unbound by the dogmatic bureaucracy common to most other Imperial departments. Accordingly, there is little in the way of "hard" structure or departmentalization within the Inquisition. The hierarchy of the Inquisition is largely informal - an individual Inquisitor may be of higher "rank" to others due to his own merit. Formally, the Inquisition is only organized in the most fundamental ways. At the very top of the organization, there are the high-ranking Inquisitors{{Cite This}}, but most Inquisitors being peers, there is no system of ranks or command such as is found in the military or Adeptus Terra. Authority within the Inquisition is governed by two factors - reputation and influence. Seniority is in itself no indicator of authority, however most Inquisitors will take heed of the wisdom an older and more experienced peer.<sup>10,</sup> <sup>12</sup>
Because the Inquisition are the watchdogs of the Imperium, answerable only to themselves, given almost absolute power, along with such broad jurisdiction, corruption is an ever present danger. Its integrity is therefore upheld by constant self-policing and scrutiny. In the earliest editions of the background, this was the stated role of the Ordo Malleus, which were the Inquisition's secretive Inner Order.
