Railroad Cops

I have been getting alot of informative helpful replies about being a conductor and engineer and it's given me alot to think about but I was also thinking:

My major is criminal justice, what if I became like a CSX or Amtrak cop?

I apperciate everyone's experiences that they have shared.

Lot's of roads are hiring "Cinder Dicks", as railroad cops are known as. (also "Bulls") Try the links, to railroads at the bottom of the RRB.Gov, in the jobs section, and see the roads that are hiring officers, and at what locations. Amtrak seems to always be hiring, and the class 1's are loading up, as well. Regards.
http://rrb.gov/PandS/Jobs/rrjobs.asp

I'de love to get hired by csx/ns. But they only want certified out of the academy guys or retiree's. They dont put anyone thru the academy, well up here in nj they dont. Amtrak from what i've heard is a horrible department to work for, no contract for several years, low morale. NJT is a good dept, but they just had there test and physical (passed both ) CSX/NS may hire differently in other parts of the county but here if your not ptc already, dont bother applying.

Most community colleges will offer a law enforcement training course. My hometown, of Ft. Pierce, Fla., will pay for you to go through training, in exchange for a one year commitment to work for them. Once you are accredited, and become a "real" cop, RR police work is just a job interview away............

Was going to post a new query, but noticed this one at the bottom of the page.


I'm curious as to how the jurisdiction of legal authority works with a Railroad Employed Police officer. Really in general, how Police authority works in this country

Basically, do 'Police' officers from departments like Delaware River Port Authority, NJ Transit Police, AMTRAK Police, SEPTA Transit Police, MTA Police, and to go as far as other non-railroad police like Franklin Mills Shopping Centre Police and Kennedy Health Department Police, have the same jurisdiction of law enforcement as the State employed and trained police?

And with that, judging from the previous replies, Police officers in these departments would be experienced and trained from the Government Police Departments?


My main unfamiliarity is because back home, we have one State employed police force for general law enforcement, and our passenger railroads are protected with a "Transit Officer" force who are very much like 3rd party trained security officers.


Thanks!

A while back there was discussion on one of these forums about the extent of railroad police powers. The law varies from one state to another. The general consensus was they only have powers in matters on or pertaining to the railroad. On the other hand, some states apparently give them full police accredition and somebody reported getting a speeding ticket from a Metronorth cop while driving down the interstate, or something close to that.

Metro north (MTA)PD has full powers in all states MTA operate.
I don't know what they would do there but technicaly they could persue and arrest r ticket from niagra falls to montauk and from hartfrd to greenwich they have but not use their police powers in new jersey but do not exersize it as that is NJTPD territory.

MTA operates the Bus, Lightrail and Roads in Baltimore so it's very common to see MTA police writting tickets.

NJTPD have full police powers too. Still on the waiting list for them too.

most of the railroad police departments I have checked want guys who are at least 5 years on the job, they don't want to have to pay for academy or firearms training etc. I also have a little criminal justice I am working on and thought about it.