Railroad police: "A Force of One"

This is what the current patch looks like:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... EPH2Q%253D


The previous patch looked like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/GUILFORD-INDUSTRIES ... 33641d5b20


The first time I met a railroad police officer was around 1998-'99, and they were using the "G" patch at that time. So that was around 12-13 years ago, and I think they continued using it up until the mid-2000s.


I'm not familiar with the patches they used before the "G" patch.

Prior to 1987 when the B&M ceased to exist, they used something like this as the railroads each still had their police force:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... EPH2Q%253D

Not sure on the MEC.

I've seen Maine Central Railroad Police badges on ebay before; can't find any on there today, though.

Not to nitpick with my good friend newpylong (whose experience working for the railroad I respect and admire), but the Boston and Maine Corporation never ceased to exist: it still very much exists today, just in a different form than it used to.

My point was that prior to 1986 and then 1987 the two railroads, while part of the Guilford Transportation Industries system, still were very much like they were before 1981 and 1983. After they were leased to the Springfield Terminal Railway, the B&M and MEC ceased to exist as operating entities. They were and are now solely a land owning company strictly on paper.

This thread reminded me of something: is anyone aware of a grade crossing collision somewhere around Skowhegan in late November? I heard something about it, but never did find out more via any of the newspapers. The info was a little fuzzy as to just where (in what town) it happened.

The railroad police lack the authority to issue motor vehicle citations in Massachusetts

I may have related this in another post here a while back, so forgive me if some of you may have seen this before. While the debate rages on whether railroad police can or cannot issue motor vehicle citations in Massachusetts, I can tell you with absolute authority that MBTA Transit Police can. My wife found that out the hard way several years ago when she was pulled over and cited for speeding on I-93 in Quincy by Transit Police. Yes, I did investigate MBTA's jurisdiction, and since the incident occurred in Quincy, they were within their jurisdiction and power to do so. I'll editorialize that I would prefer the Transit Police to keep an eye on MBTA matters instead of pulling over speeders on an interstate highway, but again, they are within their right and authority to do just that, so my rule is to look out for and respect the blue light bar no matter what's printed on the doors of the car under it.

I know this thread is a little old but interesting. First, I believe rr police in Mass are authorized to carry and issue ch. 90 citations. I know of a class I rr that does. Secondly, the comment about local law enforcement handling railroad call, true, rr are taxpayers, however, in a world of budget cuts, and minimal staffing, local police departments don't have the capabilities to patrol long rural stretches if rail. Their focus is on the communities they serve not the railroads. Second, in a post 9/11 world, transportation systems are listed as critical infrastructure. Railroads should have enough sense to protect their systems with in house police departments. There's no doubt that railroads are again a growing industry. With fuel costs at a high, railroads are prospering. Class I and II should all have their own police departments. Providence & Worcester is a great example, they used to go through my town twice a day, now its 5-6dead times a day. They're looking at possibly bringing back passenger service. They disbanded their police in 2001. They need to reconsider that.

Rizzi wrote: I believe rr police in Mass are authorized to carry and issue ch. 90 citations.

All full-time police officers in Mass have the same powers.

If I recall correctly, there is a federal law that specifies that RR police officers be commissioned and
granted authority of any other police officer, in their home state and any state in which their
operations exist. NS and CSX officers, for example, have wide spread authority over several
states.

There are some stipulations, however. They have to meet the same training standards as officers
in their home state. Of they move to another state, they have to be recommissioned. The state
public safety or police academy officials make the determination whether a transferee meets their
state requirements. It doesn't happen often, but occaissionally a state will require further training.
Maine was going to make a 23 year MA law enfrocement officer with both municipal and RR police
experience take the whole basic academy over again. But I think they finally waived it after some
pressure was brought to bear.

merrman wrote:If I recall correctly, there is a federal law that specifies that RR police officers be commissioned and
granted authority of any other police officer, in their home state and any state in which their
operations exist. NS and CSX officers, for example, have wide spread authority over several
states.

There are some stipulations, however. They have to meet the same training standards as officers
in their home state. Of they move to another state, they have to be recommissioned. The state
public safety or police academy officials make the determination whether a transferee meets their
state requirements. It doesn't happen often, but occaissionally a state will require further training.
Maine was going to make a 23 year MA law enfrocement officer with both municipal and RR police
experience take the whole basic academy over again. But I think they finally waived it after some
pressure was brought to bear.

That's a State law and the example is really not a good one as the vast majority of police agencies have authority in only one local or state jurisdiction. (Mass Transit Police differs as they carry full jurisdiction in any city or town where the MBTA services (with a few exceptions) and even go into Rhode Island where their power then becomes that of the Railroad Police.) However, this is the case with, and I believe that you have Amtrak Police in mind regarding authority in not only states where they have been commissioned, but in states which commission them by request as well. I believe that there is one state in the U.S. which will not give Amtrak Police the right to carry firearms. That state is not patrolled by Amtrak Police. I'm surprised regarding the Maine academy issue as states and municipalities are forever looking for academy trained recruits as they save the municipality and state a bundle, especially in these hard times. Having said that, I went through the Maine State Academy in '77 and the Boston Police Academy in '82 (Boston does not accept laterals from outside the City), and I can tell you that academies all have a different personality although many of the same subjects are now mandated by law.