Amtrak Police
| Amtrak Police Department | |
 |
|
| Patch of the Amtrak Police Department. | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Federal agency (Operations jurisdiction) |
United States |
| Legal jurisdiction | Amtrak Rail System |
| General nature | |
| Specialist jurisdiction | Railways, tramways, and-or rail transit systems. |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Police Officers | 450 |
| Agency executive | John J. O'Connor, Chief |
| Website | |
| https://police.amtrak.com | |
The Amtrak Police is a railroad police agency that acts as the law enforcement and security agency of Amtrak, the government owned passenger train system in the United States. The Amtrak Police has 450 sworn police officers, most of whom are stationed within the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak's busiest route.
This agency is the primary jurisdictional agency involving Amtrak stations, trains, right-of-way, maintenance facilities and crimes committed within or against Amtrak, its passengers and other railroads operating upon Amtrak owned right-of-way.
Amtrak Police officers are trained at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Authority
Created by Congress, Amtrak’s enabling legislation under the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, now codified starting at 49 U.S.C. 24101, established the authority for Amtrak to have railroad police. The statutory authority was unique at the time and included interstate police powers. The Amtrak rail police law, now found at 49 U.S.C. 24305 (e), states as follows:
(e) Rail Police. —Amtrak may employ rail police to provide security for rail passengers and property of Amtrak. Rail police employed by Amtrak who have complied with a State law establishing requirements applicable to rail police or individuals employed in a similar position may be employed without regard to the law of another State containing those requirements.
[edit] Policies
After the September 11 attacks, Amtrak Police have been banning photography at stations and of trains[citation needed]. Amtrak's Photography Policy states that "In emergency and/or special circumstances (for example, declared elevation of Homeland Security Advisory System to High or Severe - orange and red) and where actions are deemed suspicious or inconsistent with this policy by observing/reporting persons, photographers and videographers may be approached and questioned to determine if further investigation or action is necessary". However, the Amtrak Police have stopped anyone taking pictures or video at stations regardless of the terror threat, resulting in the Amtrak CEO creating a new policy.[2][3]
[edit] Rank structure and insignia
| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief of Police |
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| Assistant Chief |
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| Deputy Chief |
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| Inspector |
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| Captain |
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| Lieutenant |
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| Sergeant/Detective |
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| Criminal Investigator/Special Agent | |
| Police Officer |
[edit] See also
- NRPC OIG
- List of United States federal law enforcement agencies
- New Jersey Transit Police Department
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Amtrak Police Department Website
- Amtrak
- Testimony of Amtrak Police Chief Ernest R. Frazier before the House Transportation Committee Subcommittee on Railroads
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- Federal law enforcement agencies of the United States
- Railroad police agencies
- Specialist police departments of the United States
- Amtrak
- Railroad police departments of the United States
- Government agencies established in 1970
- United States law enforcement agency stubs
- United States rail transportation stubs
