Railroad police

In the United States, railroad police, are a specialized type of police employed by the major Class I railroads and other smaller railroads that is tasked to prevent and investigate crimes committed against the carrier or by or against passengers or other customers of the carrier. Railroad police officers, usually given the title "Special Agent" (depending on the area of the nation they serve in), are unique in that they are commissioned by the governor of the state they serve in and carry both state arrest powers to prosecute smaller offenses, yet also carry federal arrest powers (unlike local and state law enforcement) to prosecute offenders on larger, more serious offenses. It is important to note that railroad police officers are not security guards. Although railroad police primarily enforce laws on or near the railroad right of way, their agents can and do enforce laws off and make arrests of railroad property and on issues not involving the railroad, such as driving while intoxicated.

Some of the crimes transit police and railroad police investigate include trespassing on the right-of-way of a railroad, assaults against passengers, tagging of graffiti on railroad rolling stock and buses or bus stops, pickpocketing, ticket fraud, robbery and theft of personal belongings, baggage or freight.

Jurisdiction and authority

In the United States, major Class I railroad police such as Union Pacific, BNSF or CSX are certified law enforcement officers and carry full state and federal arrest powers in any state in which the railroad owns property. Today, most or all U.S. states require that any railroad employee who the railroad requests to be appointed or commissioned by the state as a railroad police officer shall complete the same training as any sworn officer in that state. Officers commissioned in their state of residence (or the state where they are employed) may then exercise police powers as provided by 49 U.S. Code §28101. (Example: §§6072-6073 of the Maine State Railroad Police Act.)

Transit and railroad police tend to have better results in finding perpetrators of crimes they investigate than public police forces, possibly due to specialization and smaller case loads.

Railroad Police Agencies in the United States

External Links

[[1]] Norfolk Southern Police Department history