New Jersey Transit Police Department
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| New Jersey Transit Police Department |
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| Established | January 1, 1983 |
| Jurisdiction | The State of New Jersey |
| Sworn | 220 Sworn Police Officers 67 Non-Sworn Civilian Members[1] |
| Chief | Joseph C. Bober |
| Website | NJ Transit Police |
The New Jersey Transit Police Department (NJTPD) is a transit police force for the New Jersey Transit Corporation in the state of New Jersey. It is a general-powers police agency with state wide jurisdiction with the primary focus on policing the numerous bus depots, rail and light-rail stations throughout New Jersey.
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[edit] Primary mission
The primary mission of the New Jersey Transit Police Department is to ensure a safe and orderly environment within the transit system, promoting the confidence of the riding public and enhancing the maximum use of the transit system. Their fundamental duty is to safeguard lives and property; protect against deception, intimidation and violence, counter-terrorism;[2] and to uphold, without prejudice, the constitutional rights of all people.
[edit] History
The New Jersey Transit Police Department is the only transit policing agency in the country with statewide authority and jurisdiction.[3] The department was created on January 1, 1983, and it evolved as a result of the passage of the Public Transportation Act of 1979 and subsequent legislation on the state and federal levels. At that time, the original complement included thirty-nine Commissioned Rail Police Officers. On January 12, 1990, NJSA 27:25-15.1 was enacted into law, and it established the New Jersey Transit Police Department as a sworn law enforcement agency with the "general authority, without limitation, to exercise police powers and duties, as provided for police officers and law enforcement officers, in all criminal and traffic matters at all times throughout the State..." The authorized strength of the Department includes 220 sworn officers and 67 non-sworn members (which include Fare Enforcement Inspectors) serving the more than 400,000 commuters who use the NJ Transit system daily. In addition, the New Jersey Transit Police is responsible for policing the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and the RiverLINE.
[edit] Command regions
The New Jersey Transit Police Department has its headquarters located out of One Penn Plaza East, Newark, New Jersey. However, the department has many different commands located over the entire state to provide coverage to New Jersey Transit's extensive system of railways and bus terminals.
North Region 1:
- Penn Station Command - Newark
- Broad St. Station - Newark
North Region 2:
South Region 1:
South Region 2:
[edit] Organization and operations
Each of the regional commands provide different police services for their geographical area they cover, the different divisions within the department can be categorized as the following,
- Patrol - By far the largest operation within the department. The patrol division provides general law enforcement services to those utilizing the New Jersey Transit System as well as providing a presence to deter crime.
- Detective Bureau - Investigates threats directed towards the transit system and crimes committed on transit property.
- Special Operations - Encompasses different units such as the JUSTICE Team, Training Unit, Office of Emergency Management, K-9.
- Justice Team - This is NJTPD's high visibility enforcement unit. They also are assigned to "Impact" zones which are New Jersey Transit Properties and Stations which have experienced a surge in crime with the intention of reducing crime considerably, except weekends.
- Administration - The higher ranking officers who are responsible for reporting the daily operations to the New Jersey Transit Corporation itself, as well as the responsibility for overseeing the day to day functions of the department.
[edit] Rank structure
The NJTPD has the following rank structure, in decending order,
- Chief
- Deputy Chief
- Captain
- Lieutenant
- Sergeant
- Detective
- Police Officer
[edit] Counter-Terrorism
One of the primary missions of the New Jersey Transit Police Department is the prevention of terrorism on all of New Jersey Transit's trains and buses. This is especially relevant since the 2004 terrorist attacks of the transit system in Madrid, Spain.
After September 11, 2001, the Essex County, NJ, bomb squad had a tenfold increase in requests for bomb detection. This caused a problem for New Jersey Transit, according to the agency’s then police chief, Mary F. Rabadeau. At Penn Station in Newark, the transit authority had been dependent on the Essex County bomb squad to respond to every bomb threat or suspicious parcel. That disrupted the station, sometimes for hours, having an immense impact on transportation in the area, because the station is host to hundreds of daily Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains, plus two rapid transit lines and intercity and local buses. The best resource the agency could provide with the most apparent and immediate impact was canine bomb-detection teams. After interviewing people at other agencies that had their own canine bomb-detection squads, New Jersey Transit chose the Essex County police to train the transit police on New Jersey Transit property—on trains and buses and in stations and other facilities where the teams would be working. The program was fairly inexpensive, using dogs that had washed out of seeing-eye training but were calm and obedient—fine for bomb detection. New Jersey Transit customized three road vehicles so that the teams could operate statewide, presenting themselves without notice. By patrolling Penn Station, the teams have "hardened it as a target and are welcomed by passengers, said Rabadeau". Because a large percentage of bomb alerts turn out to be false, the fast response minimizes disruption to the flow of trains and passengers. The teams also give demonstrations at schools and terminals and provide assistance to other agencies.[4]
During his tenure, former Governor James McGreevy helped dramatically expand the counter-terrorism capabilities of the New Jersey Transit Police. The governor allowed the purchase of a Police Mobile Command Vehicle, which is a 40-foot transit bus converted into a mobile response unit for the New Jersey Transit Police Department. The vehicle contains outside phone lines, a fax machine, portable computers and printers, and an on-board radio system with several frequency bands to communicate with other law enforcement agencies, as well as other regional transit agencies. The following measures were also enacted,[5]
- New Jersey Transit has increased unformed and plainclothes police train patrols and will now be supplemented by uniformed New Jersey State Police troopers.
- New Jersey Transit increased the number of New Jersey Transit Police K-9 units – which are trained to detect explosive devices.
- New Jersey Transit is purchasing belt clip-on radiation detectors to ensure that all of its regional police commands throughout the state are equipped with the devices.
- The New Jersey Transit Police Department has activated a hotline to accept anonymous calls of suspicious activity on New Jersey Transit equipment or property.
- Significantly increased the number of its uniformed and plainclothes police officers at stations, on board trains and in road patrol units. Officers ride trains randomly at any given time during the day. New Jersey Transit Police are protecting passenger facilities, maintenance facilities and infrastructure.
- The New Jersey Transit Police Department has established vehicular checkpoints at several stations and terminals, particularly where deliveries are accepted.
- New Jersey Transit Police are alternating patrolling methods and locations on a daily basis.[6]
[edit] Criticism and issues
The New Jersey Transit Police Department is not without its fair share of problems and criticism. In 2002, a study relased by the former New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton has concluded that New Jersey Transit's police force is not prepared to handle a terrorist attack. The report said the agency's then 120-member police force lacks the training to protect the 400,000 daily bus and rail commuters. The report, which was completed in the fall of 2001, recommends that the agency should create divisions to monitor troubled train stations and to crack down on fare-beating.[7] The direct response to this was the creation of the Justice Team and an extensive hiring blitz to bring new police officers onto the department. Since the study the department has considerably added onto its counter-terrorism capability with the creation of many new units and the issuance of better technology to its patrol officers. Each transit police officer is issued a Dosimeter which can be used to measure radiation.[8]
[edit] Retention issues
The main problem currently plaguing the department is the exodus of its police officers to better paid municipal police departments. The top salary of $73,000,[9] while very high compared to that of other transit police agencies such as the Amtrak Police Department,[10] lags behind its municipal and state counterparts, such as the Port Authority Police Department.
[edit] Uniform and equipment
The New Jersey Transit Police Department's "Class A" uniforms share a striking resemblance to the uniforms of the New Jersey State Police. It features the same style of uniform belt, Sam Browne Belt, uniform hat and dress blouse. However, unlike the NJSP, Transit allows its officers to wear "Class B" uniforms. Transit police officers wear a badge on their coat, unlike the NJSP, modeled after the badge of the New York City Police Department
Officers in Special Operations wear a B.D.U. uniform BDU's. During special events and training, other members of the Department wear B.D.U.'s as well.
As for equipment, the standard sidearm for the department is the SIG P229 chambered in .40 S&W. Transit also utilizes the Remington 870 Police Magnum shotgun as well as M4 Commando Rifles for Special Operations officers including the JUSTICE Team, OEM and Training Unit.
[edit] Transportation
The New Jersey Transit Police Department utilizes many different vehicles in its fleet. Among the used vehicles are Ford Crown Victorias, Ford Explorers, Chevrolet Impalas, Dodge Durangos, Dodge Magnums, Chevrolet Tahoes and Chevrolet Suburbans. Transit police officers also ride the busses and railways to provide more direct policing. In addition, the NJTPD has several minibuses outfitted as mobile command centers at strategic locations.
[edit] See also
- Amtrak Police Department
- List of law enforcement agencies in New Jersey
- New Jersey Transit
- New York City Transit Police
- New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department
- Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Police Department
- Transit police
[edit] References
- ^ New Jersey Transit Police Department, 2006, Accessed August 29, 2007.
- ^ Homelandsecurity.org, July 2002, Accessed August 29, 2007.
- ^ New Jersey Transit Police Department Website, August 2006. Accessed August 28, 2007.
- ^ Homelandsecurity.org, July 2002, Accessed August 29, 2007.
- ^ New Jersey State Legislature, March 2003, Accessed August 29, 2007.
- ^ New Jersey State Legislature, March 2003, Accessed August 29, 2007.
- ^ Briefing: Transportation; Transit Police and Terrorism New York Times, March 10 2002:, Accessed August 29, 2007.
- ^ New Jersey State Legislature, March 2003, Accessed August 29, 2007.
- ^ New Jersey State Public Employment Commission, December 21 1999, Accessed August 29, 2007.
- ^ Amtrakpolicepay.com, August 5 2007, Accessed August 29, 2007.
[edit] External links
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