Amtrak Police Department Recruitment

[guest]

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nice video! This would make a good PSA to be shown on TV, @ Job Fairs, especially for Vets and @ Career Days in schools!

I've been riding Amtrak since "A Day" and I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen Amtrak Police on the Trains outside the NEC!

 

[BCL]

I haven't seen Amtrak Police in traditional police uniform outside of NYP.

The one time I saw officers on a train was with two K-9 units. They were wearing tactical vests, military style pants, and maybe a polo shirt. They were clearly police.

 

[crabby_appleton1950]

I haven't seen Amtrak Police in traditional police uniform outside of NYP.

The one time I saw officers on a train was with two K-9 units. They were wearing tactical vests, military style pants, and maybe a polo shirt. They were clearly police.

And why, or what were they looking for?

 

[KmH]

I wanna Amtrak PD Segway ! ! !

 

[BCL]

I haven't seen Amtrak Police in traditional police uniform outside of NYP.

The one time I saw officers on a train was with two K-9 units. They were wearing tactical vests, military style pants, and maybe a polo shirt. They were clearly police.

And why, or what were they looking for?

Haven't the foggiest. They were just passing through the cars on a Capitol Corridor train. Never heard one say a word or linger on any particular passenger. I'm guessing it was just a random sweep. The dogs were actually pretty well behaved.

I guess the uniform would be "law enforcement casual". The tactical pants looked like what you'd get if you asked for a cargo pant version of Dockers. I've actually seen Homeland Security Police in similar getups, where the main indication that they're police is big letters on the vest and an open carry sidearm.

 

[StriderGDM]

I haven't seen Amtrak Police in traditional police uniform outside of NYP.

The one time I saw officers on a train was with two K-9 units. They were wearing tactical vests, military style pants, and maybe a polo shirt. They were clearly police.

And why, or what were they looking for?

Depends. Could be drugs or explosives. They employ both types of dogs.

My guess is more likely explosives.

I've seen them at times on the NEC. They'll get on at one station, walk the train and get off at the next station. (I assume they get back the next train in the opposite direction and do the same.)

 

[BCL]

I haven't seen Amtrak Police in traditional police uniform outside of NYP.

The one time I saw officers on a train was with two K-9 units. They were wearing tactical vests, military style pants, and maybe a polo shirt. They were clearly police.

And why, or what were they looking for?

Depends. Could be drugs or explosives. They employ both types of dogs.

My guess is more likely explosives.

I've seen them at times on the NEC. They'll get on at one station, walk the train and get off at the next station. (I assume they get back the next train in the opposite direction and do the same.)

I thought that Amtrak Police don't specifically do drug sweeps. I have heard of uniformed DEA officers running drug sweeps with Amtrak's cooperation.

There didn't seem to be any particular reason for it. If anything it seemed more like when I've seen any transit police just walk through. Doesn't surprise me, but then again it's the only time I've ever seen Amtrak Police on the west coast. I've seen their marked cars, but never an officer outside of this time.

Heck - once I saw a Union Pacific special agent. Climbed out of an unmarked pickup truck and was wearing plain clothes. If anything, he looked like a construction worker until he hung his badge from a chain. This was after our train was stopped after it hit someone walking on the tracks.

 

[StriderGDM]

I haven't seen Amtrak Police in traditional police uniform outside of NYP.

The one time I saw officers on a train was with two K-9 units. They were wearing tactical vests, military style pants, and maybe a polo shirt. They were clearly police.

And why, or what were they looking for?

Depends. Could be drugs or explosives. They employ both types of dogs.

My guess is more likely explosives.

I've seen them at times on the NEC. They'll get on at one station, walk the train and get off at the next station. (I assume they get back the next train in the opposite direction and do the same.)

I thought that Amtrak Police don't specifically do drug sweeps. I have heard of uniformed DEA officers running drug sweeps with Amtrak's cooperation.

There didn't seem to be any particular reason for it. If anything it seemed more like when I've seen any transit police just walk through. Doesn't surprise me, but then again it's the only time I've ever seen Amtrak Police on the west coast. I've seen their marked cars, but never an officer outside of this time.

Heck - once I saw a Union Pacific special agent. Climbed out of an unmarked pickup truck and was wearing plain clothes. If anything, he looked like a construction worker until he hung his badge from a chain. This was after our train was stopped after it hit someone walking on the tracks.

Hmm, you may be right about the drug sweeps now that you mention it.

 

[VentureForth]

Outside of the NEC they are more like FBI Secret Agents. I met one not-so-secret one in Waycross waiting for a transfer. He was looking to pick up a wanted person off a train.

 

[Acela150]

I haven't seen Amtrak Police in traditional police uniform outside of NYP.

The one time I saw officers on a train was with two K-9 units. They were wearing tactical vests, military style pants, and maybe a polo shirt. They were clearly police.

And why, or what were they looking for?

APD's K9's are trained for picking up explosives. These types of things are daily and normal things to see. The few interactions I've had with them most are very professional and love their job. The ones that tell the photographers to take a hike can be understanding or just plain straight up jerks.

 

[Green Eye]

I had a 33 year career as a National Park Ranger and I wouldn't have given that up for anything. Qualified as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, paramedic, wildland firefighter, structural firefighter, hazardous materials techniciam, search and rescue technician and various incident management positions made the job action-packed, diverse and always interesting. Because of the incident management positions (Planning Section Chief and Operations Section Chief), I ended up working in all 50 states at one time or another in some of the most beautiful and historic areas in the country.

However, if one was allowed to do two full careers in a lifetime, I would think that I would also love an Amtrak Police career! Large, diverse areas of the country to cover and, of course, TRAINS!

 

[railiner]

Outside the NEC and other major Amtrak properties like CHI, LAX, NOL, etc.....Amtrak relies upon local police and host railroad 'special agents' and police for support....