Transit Police, otherwise called transport police, (railway police, railroad police, and several other terms uses for it) are security agencies established particularly by a county, district, state, municipality or by a common carrier (such as a transit district, railroad, railway, bus line or any other different mass transit provider) for maintaining order and balance in any transportation system.
They function according to the order of the transit law enforcement services. Their main purpose is to investigate and prevent all sorts of crimes against the carrier or its passengers and crimes committed incidentally on the carrier’s properties.
They are established to ensure the safety of passengers throughout their journey.
In this article, we will discuss the following subjects:
Can the transit police pull you over?
Can transit Police officers give speeding tickets?
Are Transit Police officers real Police?
What do transit police officers do?
Do Transit Police officers carry guns?
Contents
Can The Transit Police Pull You Over?
A transit police officer has specific arrest powers and jurisdiction for any crime that happens in transit authority facilities throughout the area they are assigned to work.
Transit police officers are established to guide and serve transit employees and customers by accommodating modern policing through several reformations that can incorporate the best practices in enforcing the law to enhance the trust of the public.
Now on the question of whether a transit police officer has the right to pull you over.
A straightforward answer to it is yes depending on the law governing that state or district they are operating.
A Transit police officer has the right to pull you over if the law in that area permits them to do it, but if the law does not permit it in that state, then they absolutely have no right to do so.
So let us say that whether a police officer can pull you over or not is dependent on the law of the state, county or district they are operating in. Transit police function based on the jurisdiction of that area, state or district. It is the jurisdiction that will determine the level of authority or law the transit police can enforce in that state or district they are in.
As long as the state or district has certified them (transit police officers), they have the right to pull you over. However, it is also dependent on the policy governing the department.
In general, transit police officers can pull you over if they are authorized.
Can Transit Police Officers Give Speeding Tickets?
Another frequently asked question is whether transit police officers can give you speeding tickets. A plain answer to this question is yes, but that depends on your state, county or district.
Different states have different laws governing them. In some states, a transit police officer can give you a speeding ticket, while in some other states, they may not be authorized to do so. However, issuing a speeding ticket should be something the cops should be taking full responsibility for.
I have a friend who once complained to me about how a transit police officer in his district gave him a speeding ticket with a huge fine.
It was a bit of a surprise to me because, over here in my state, a transit police officer is not licensed to give you a speeding ticket. Issuing of a speeding ticket is left to police officers from a different department.
In general, transit police officers can give you speeding tickets if they are authorized to do so within their given jurisdiction. As long as he is certified and authorized to do so within his jurisdiction and the state, county or district permits him.
Are Transit Police Officers Real Police?
Most people don’t consider transit police officers as real police officers, but the fact is that they are real police officers with special responsibilities.
So, yes, Transit police officers are real police officers. They are fully sworn as peace officers. They have the right to arrest as other county law enforcement agencies.
They are also licensed to carry out investigations on some specific cases such as trespassing on the right-of-way of a railroad, tagging of graffiti on railroad rolling stock and buses, assaults against passengers, passenger robbery or theft of individual properties, and ticket fraud, among several others.
However, not every state still considers transit police officers as real officers. In some states, their functions and responsibilities are limited, and they do not have the full authority to enforce certain laws in their states as it is not within their jurisdiction.
What Do Transit Police Officers Do?
The responsibilities of transit police officers are numerous and broad. In this section, we shall discuss some of the functions of a transit police officer in a state or district.
A transit police officer is responsible for riding the buses and trains. They also use police cars to respond to prompt emergency situations.
More so, the transit police officers are responsible for investigating all incidents and crimes occurring on the transit properties, buses, light rail, computer trains, facilities, right of way and vehicles, including serious misdemeanor and felonies such as death and criminal acts.
The transit police officers are responsible for ensuring the safety of passengers and their properties and that each of them gets to their destination safely. They are also responsible for punishing anyone found stealing or trespassing against the laws of the transport system.
The transit police officers are also responsible for giving detailed reports of all the happenings in the transportation system whenever they are called upon to do so.
Do Transit Police Officers Carry Guns?
The question of whether a transit police officer does carry guns is dependent on the state, county or district they are operating under.
Some states allow a transit police officer to carry some other police equipment such as a baton, protective vest, handcuffs, pepper spray, and several others except a firearm.
Although the transit police officers in those states are trained adequately in the police academy, they are only established to assist local jurisdiction police officers in investigating any illegal activity or happenings in the transit system.
However, in some countries, transit police officers are adequately trained and equipped with firearms and are supported and authorized by the law governing the states. They often respond to violent offenders and will need their weapons, including firearms, at all times while they are on duty.
Conclusion
Transit police can pull you over if there is any need for it, as they have the right to do so. They can also give you speeding tickets if you trespass against certain driving laws, but that is also dependent on the authorities they have to enforce within that given state or district.
In summary, transit police officers have legal powers to ensure that laws are kept within their jurisdiction. More so, in some states, they are permitted to go with guns, while in some other states, they are not permitted to do so.