Talk:Union Pacific Police Department

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While many rairoad police officer may want to think they have full state authority, they only have it when the state allows it and many do not. Railway cops are company police and serve a company and NOT the public.

As to "federal authority, U.P. cops ARE NOT federal officers and only have the authority granted under the fedear law in states that have railroad police and ONLY to the limit allowed by the state. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.22.41.80 (talk) 01:47, 10 September 2007 (UTC)


 * That's already made clear in the article and the part about serving the company and not the public is flat out incorrect. The only states that don't allow RR police at this time in UP's system are Minnesota and Wyoming.
 * You are correct, however that RR police are not federal officers at this time. I mistakenly forgot to remove that a long time ago.  Thank you.

Equinox137 02:31, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

Sorry if it appears that I am anti-railroad police, in fact I am not. However, rail cops Do serve a company and report to company management and not the public. Your police reports are not covered under the right to know laws and your policies and procedures are controled by a company and the public has little if any control short of having your special commissions revoked.

As to "RR police are not federal officers at this time" this statement makes it appear that this could happen. This IS NOT the case.

Any move to make RR police "federal officers" would meet strong resistance from the Department of Justice and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Assoic. (FLEOA). The various federal agencies are strictly restricted from giving any such special officer status to private police or security guards except when contracted to the agency.

Local/state officers can be appointed as needed by several federal agencies such as the Marshals, DEA, BIA, etc. In my former agency we had a directive from "legal" warning us not to appoint RR police (except Amtrack) as special officers under any conditions, due to the bad press it might cause and the fact there was little control of a private agency. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.22.41.80 (talk) 01:24, 23 September 2007 (UTC)

I note you refer to section 1526 stating that RR cops have authority on railroads other then the company they work for. This is ONLY true if the are officially assisting the other R.R. company police by written agreement or in an emergency.

Don't kid yourself, its a huge libility issue and I as a police manager would never allow RR police or others like VA police or DOD police off the property they have authority for two reasons: Lack of training and control. Take WA State: RR cops have to go to the state academy but that is it. No requirement for in-service training etc. It is up to the company to provide training and most don't. Local cops have to have specific hours of training each year. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.227.209.181 (talk) 05:45, 1 February 2009 (UTC)


 * And as a "police manager", your first-hand knowledge on what in service training the railroads provide is ::what::???? 70.168.32.250 (talk) 09:50, 15 March 2009 (UTC)