General Discussion

I just have a few questions about "Railroad Police" and what they can or cannot do.

If your driving down the street (in Wisconsin) and your not wearing your seatbelt, can the RR Police pull you over and issue you a ticket? If you come upon a stop sign and do a "rolling stop", can the RR Police pull you over and issue you a ticket? If you turn without using your directional, can the RR Police pull you over and issue you a ticket? Let's say in any of the questions listed above that they can, and you decided not to pull over but "run" from the Police, can the RR Police pursue you on a "high-speed" chase?

The RR police protects the company that they work for. City/State/County Police protects the people that they serve. The protection of passed laws is the objective of the Police. Protection of private property is the RR Police objective. Before you say that they have the same training that the police have, carry guns, yada yada yada, so does the Pinkerton Guard or any guards that are in the armed security field.

So basically (IMHO) is that the Police protects you and your property, while the RR Police protects the companys property they are hired to protect.

I agree to the poster who wrote that they are underpaid (should be one of the higher paid jobs out there). They also do a thankless job, but as in everything, a bad apple can ruin a whole bushel of apples, just like ralfans, campers, racefans ect. Only takes one to make a lasting mark.

zardoz:

Murray:

You do a complete diservice to the men and women who serve to protect us.  I resent ANYONE who has the gall to insult ANY law enforcement official as a "Barney Fife type".

However, it might be a good idea to remember that they are not all heroes, and, like in any profession, it is the selfish, disreputable, non-dedicated persons that ruin the reputation of the honest, diligent, hard-working ones. Whether it be police, lawyers, train engineers, etc., there are always a few that ruin it for the rest. As always, it is best to judge each person individually, rather than being bigoted and lumping any particular group of people into some pre-defined set of attributes.

Some cops are Barney-Fife types. But many of them are true heroes.

True.  Most people in law enforcement are good people, like my brother and sister-in-law, who are willing to go above and beyond for the rest of us.

Granted, I do call my brother "Barney", but he knows I'm joking since it's more in reference to the accident he had in 1992 with our dad's gun and the refrigerator and kitchen door.

Kevin

Soo 6604:

I just have a few questions about "Railroad Police" and what they can or cannot do.

If your driving down the street (in Wisconsin) and your not wearing your seatbelt, can the RR Police pull you over and issue you a ticket? If you come upon a stop sign and do a "rolling stop", can the RR Police pull you over and issue you a ticket? If you turn without using your directional, can the RR Police pull you over and issue you a ticket? Let's say in any of the questions listed above that they can, and you decided not to pull over but "run" from the Police, can the RR Police pursue you on a "high-speed" chase?

The RR police protects the company that they work for. City/State/County Police protects the people that they serve. The protection of passed laws is the objective of the Police. Protection of private property is the RR Police objective. Before you say that they have the same training that the police have, carry guns, yada yada yada, so does the Pinkerton Guard or any guards that are in the armed security field.

So basically (IMHO) is that the Police protects you and your property, while the RR Police protects the companys property they are hired to protect.

I agree to the poster who wrote that they are underpaid (should be one of the higher paid jobs out there). They also do a thankless job, but as in everything, a bad apple can ruin a whole bushel of apples, just like ralfans, campers, racefans ect. Only takes one to make a lasting mark.

 

You mean those minimum wage rent-a-cops have the full police training?

In some states theoretically I suppose the RR police could enfore the law provided they were in some kind of marked vehicle.

BUT, their job is to police their RR. Perhaps in some massive disaster or civil unrest the RR police might be called on to assist the regular authorities, provided that particular state is satisified with their qualifications. Maybe they are a some sort of reserve force in some states.

Does anyone know of a time when RR police were called out to help regular cops, say during Katrina?

Soo 6604:

I just have a few questions about "Railroad Police" and what they can or cannot do.

If your driving down the street (in Wisconsin) and your not wearing your seatbelt, can the RR Police pull you over and issue you a ticket? If you come upon a stop sign and do a "rolling stop", can the RR Police pull you over and issue you a ticket? If you turn without using your directional, can the RR Police pull you over and issue you a ticket? Let's say in any of the questions listed above that they can, and you decided not to pull over but "run" from the Police, can the RR Police pursue you on a "high-speed" chase?

The RR police protects the company that they work for. City/State/County Police protects the people that they serve. The protection of passed laws is the objective of the Police. Protection of private property is the RR Police objective. Before you say that they have the same training that the police have, carry guns, yada yada yada, so does the Pinkerton Guard or any guards that are in the armed security field.

So basically (IMHO) is that the Police protects you and your property, while the RR Police protects the companys property they are hired to protect.

I agree to the poster who wrote that they are underpaid (should be one of the higher paid jobs out there). They also do a thankless job, but as in everything, a bad apple can ruin a whole bushel of apples, just like ralfans, campers, racefans ect. Only takes one to make a lasting mark.

 

 In Texas,Police Officers are Licesed by the state commission on Law Enforcement Officers statndards and education after they have been to a basic police academy for approx. 12-16 weeks,then  pass a written exam before graduation, and are put with a training officer for about a month before being put on the street by themselves..They are on probation for 6 mths at any given department ,so it takes about a yr just to get your feet on the ground and be confident in your new skills..Then comes experience,This all happens in large departs. like Dallas,Houston,FT. Wth. etc..

If you hire out as a patrolman or Spl Agt for the RR,the aforemention training is a prerequisit...Most other states have the same or similular licensing requirements(there may be a few exceptions) and if you are licensed in one state you can contest the other requiremt and take a test,if you pass the test that state can license you if you have a clean background and meet all that states other requirements..

So,basically any state you work for the RR in, you are a licensed police officer..Most RR police depts DO NOT ENFORCE traffic laws ! AS they have other duties(like stopping RR thefts and tresspassers and conducting investigations)  and dont sit at stops signs waiting for someone to run it ! 

 I might add that in Tx. Rent a Cops (security gaurds) are a whole different ball game and dont come close to being in the same sentence as POLIC OFFICER !

I hope this clears up any confusion you guys (railfans) may have about the RR POLICE no matter where you live in the USA... 

Let me get this straight if a RR Police ask for I.D. I have to show my I.D.? I thought they were Security Officers? 

 I´ve just stumbled over this thread and I must say, that I am amazed how vast the difference in treating rail fans is between continental Europe and the US is. In an earlier post, Kiwigerd, has pretty much described the situation you find in most European countries - a much more relaxed attitude based on a little more respect. If there is a sign "Don´t cross the tracks" people just don´t do it and therefore you don´t need anybody special to enforce it.

Even in communistic East Germany, you were fairly free to move and take pictures, unless you pointed your cameras to trains loaded with army equipment or any other object of strategic importance.

In Britain, the situation has changed completely, following the bombings in the Subway and a bus in London. Standing at railroad tracks and taking pictures will get you in serious trouble nowadays.

As you guys over the big pond are celebrating Independance Day today - remember it is the "Land of the Free!"

To answer your Question Awesome! the answer to your question is YES. And I have seen on one occassion a RR policeman issuing a traffic ticket on a street, although I don't know the circumstances behind it. Maybe the driver did something stupid and the RR policeman just happened to see him. But, no, RR police don't normally patrol your local downtown like your town police do.

Sir Madog:

 I´ve just stumbled over this thread and I must say, that I am amazed how vast the difference in treating rail fans is between continental Europe and the US is. In an earlier post, Kiwigerd, has pretty much described the situation you find in most European countries - a much more relaxed attitude based on a little more respect. If there is a sign "Don´t cross the tracks" people just don´t do it and therefore you don´t need anybody special to enforce it.

Even in communistic East Germany, you were fairly free to move and take pictures, unless you pointed your cameras to trains loaded with army equipment or any other object of strategic importance.

In Britain, the situation has changed completely, following the bombings in the Subway and a bus in London. Standing at railroad tracks and taking pictures will get you in serious trouble nowadays.

As you guys over the big pond are celebrating Independence Day today - remember it is the "Land of the Free!"

 I know we should not get too political in this forum, but I find it very, very sad, that our individual rights in the western world are getting curtailed day by day, without resulting in the necessary improvement in public security.

 I will follow by the rules, but also continue to do my railfanning...

Awesome!:

Let me get this straight if a RR Police ask for I.D. I have to show my I.D.? I thought they were Security Officers? 

YES ! You better ! (IF they pull up to you in a marked are unmarked car and they are in uniform their patch says RR POLICE  )  If you dont,its failure to ID the same as any police asking for it !

videomaker:

Awesome!:

Let me get this straight if a RR Police ask for I.D. I have to show my I.D.? I thought they were Security Officers? 

YES ! You better ! (IF they pull up to you in a marked are unmarked car and they are in uniform their patch says RR POLICE  )  If you dont,its failure to ID the same as any police asking for it !

ButchKnouse:

Does anyone know of a time when RR police were called out to help regular cops, say during Katrina?

 A few years ago, an amtrak officer was actually shot while asissting a local police department here in PA with a domestic disturbance.  Was at a private residence off of RR property, the amtrak officer wasproviding asistance.  I'm a little sketchy with remembering details, but the officer was ok... just a minor wound. 

zugmann:

ButchKnouse:

Does anyone know of a time when RR police were called out to help regular cops, say during Katrina?

 A few years ago, an amtrak officer was actually shot while asissting a local police department here in PA with a domestic disturbance.  Was at a private residence off of RR property, the amtrak officer wasproviding asistance.  I'm a little sketchy with remembering details, but the officer was ok... just a minor wound. 

 

Here again it would depend on the situation I guess,if the Amtrak officer was in close enough proxemity to help he certaintly could..During Katrina Im sure all of UP and BNSF and KCS and any other RR that had POLICE in N O at that time had there hands full with RR shipments getting them out of harms way..The RR comes first..  

Sir Madog:

 I´ve just stumbled over this thread and I must say, that I am amazed how vast the difference in treating rail fans is between continental Europe and the US is. In an earlier post, Kiwigerd, has pretty much described the situation you find in most European countries - a much more relaxed attitude based on a little more respect. If there is a sign "Don´t cross the tracks" people just don´t do it and therefore you don´t need anybody special to enforce it.

Even in communistic East Germany, you were fairly free to move and take pictures, unless you pointed your cameras to trains loaded with army equipment or any other object of strategic importance.

In Britain, the situation has changed completely, following the bombings in the Subway and a bus in London. Standing at railroad tracks and taking pictures will get you in serious trouble nowadays.

As you guys over the big pond are celebrating Independance Day today - remember it is the "Land of the Free!"

R. T. POTEET:

[This is a relic carried over from those heady days of the 19th Century when railroad was synonymous with power and they demanded and got from the legislatures of the states extraterritorial authority. This authority is badly outdated and in drastic need of repeal.

In Arizona Public Utility Companies--that's Salt River Project and Arizona Public Service--have been granted the same authority and if you think that governmental law enforcement officers are abusive tangle with one of these turkeys sometime; with enough gumption you can fight city hall--it is impossible to fight these guys because the lines of authority are so convoluted that it even comes as a surprise to the legislators that SRP and APS security personnel have law enforcement authority. Unlike government agency police officers who are subject to constitutional restrains these what I call "private property cops" are subject to none of these restraints and there have been cases here in Arizona where they have actually broken down the doors on private property supposedly searching for stolen property and they don't need a search warrant to do it.

 

What?