Amtrak Police Department


The Amtrak Police Department is a railroad police agency and security organization that acts as the law enforcement arm of Amtrak, the government-owned passenger train system in the United States. It is headquartered at Union Station in Washington, D.C., and as of 2019 has a force of 452 sworn police officers, most of whom are stationed within the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak's busiest route.
This quasi-federal agency has primary jurisdiction on Amtrak stations nationwide, trains, rights-of-way, maintenance facilities, and crimes committed against Amtrak, its employees, or its passengers.
Since 1979, most Amtrak police officers are trained at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers although some recruits may be certified through a local police academy.

Authority

Created by Congress, Amtrak's enabling legislation under the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, now codified starting at 49 U.S.C. 24101, established the authority for Amtrak to have its own police force. The statutory authority was unique at the time and included interstate police powers. The Amtrak rail police law, now found at 49 U.S.C. 24305, states as follows:
Rail Police. —Amtrak may employ rail police to provide security for rail passengers and property of Amtrak. Rail police employed by Amtrak who have complied with a state law establishing requirements applicable to rail police or individuals employed in a similar position may be employed without regard to the law of another state containing those requirements.
In sum, Amtrak police officers have the same police authority as a local or state law enforcement officer within their jurisdiction. They investigate various types of crime that occur within and around stations, trains and/or right of ways. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, APD has become more terrorism-focused. Such mission shift became even more prevalent after the Madrid train bombings in 2004. It maintains a robust K-9 division composed of patrol and bomb dogs. APD officers constantly work in partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement to perform their duties in accordance with the agency's mission to protect America's railroads. In theory, officers have jurisdiction in all the 46 states where Amtrak operates, but are stationed more in busier locations in practice.

Operational Divisions

Each of the Divisional Commands provide different police services for the geographical area they cover. The different Divisions within the Department can be categorized as the following:

Controversies

In 2016, the Amtrak Office of Inspector General launched an investigation into the then-Amtrak Police Chief Polly Hansen, regarding conflict of interest involving her boyfriend who was awarded a counterterrorism contract she helped oversee, and in whose award Hansen reportedly had influence. In statements, Hansen claimed no knowledge of the boyfriend, but the investigation revealed that they had been cohabiting in a condominium that they jointly owned. In September 2016, after the presidency of Amtrak had passed from Joseph Boardman to Wick Moorman, Chief Hansen resigned.
On February 8, 2017, Amtrak Police Officer LaRoyce Tankson shot and killed an unarmed man, Chad Robertson, who had been spotted smoking marijuana outside Chicago Union Station and was running from police. The bullet was fired from a distance between 75 and 100 yards and struck Robertson in the shoulder from behind. Tankson's attorney, Will Fahy, claimed Tankson saw Robertson turn and reach for what Tankson thought was a firearm and thus believed he was about to be shot. However, four eyewitnesses stated they did not see Robertson gesture having a gun. Tankson was charged with first degree murder and released from custody after posting ten percent of the bail which was set to $250,000. On March 8, 2017, the Amtrak Police Fraternal Order of Police claimed having collected more than $4,000 to help Tankson and contended he fired in self-defense. On February 28, 2020 Officer Tankson was acquitted.