New Jersey Transit Police Department
Encyclopedia
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.
and the RiverLINE
.
. 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:
North Region 2:
South Region 1:
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 Sheriff's 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 Sheriff's 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 Sheriff's Office 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.
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 feet (12.2 m) 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,
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. 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.
The New Jersey Transit Police Department's "Class A" uniforms share a minor resemblance to the uniforms of the New Jersey State Police
. However, NJ Transit Police Officers wear a badge on the left side of their chest.
Officers in Special Operations wear a B.D.U.
uniform. 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
and Remington 700 Sniper rifles for the Emergency Services Unit officers.
The New Jersey Transit Police Department utilizes many different vehicles in its fleet. Among the used vehicles are Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
s, Ford Explorers, Dodge Durango
s, Chevrolet Tahoe
s and Chevrolet Suburban
s. Transit police officers also ride the buses and railways to provide more direct policing. In addition, the NJTPD has several minibuses outfitted as mobile command centers at strategic locations. The agency recently received in 2011, a Pierce Hybrid Rescue/Pumper truck which is capable of going off road and onto the rails where needed.
Transit police
Transit police are a specialized police agency or unit employed by a common carrier, which could be a transit district, railroad, bus line, other transport carrier, or the state...
force for the New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
Corporation in the state of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It is a general-powers police agency with state wide jurisdiction with the primary focus on policing the numerous bus depots
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
, rail and light-rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
stations throughout New Jersey.
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; and to uphold, without prejudice, the constitutional rights of all people.History
The New Jersey Transit Police Department is the only transit policing agency in the country with statewide authority and jurisdiction. 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 260 sworn officers and 67 non-sworn members (which include Fare Enforcement Inspectors) serving the more than 500,000 commuters who use the NJ Transit system daily. In addition, the New Jersey Transit Police is responsible for policing the Hudson-Bergen Light RailHudson-Bergen Light Rail
The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Owned by New Jersey Transit and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, it connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City , and North Bergen.The system began...
and the RiverLINE
River Line (New Jersey Transit)
The River Line is a diesel light rail system in New Jersey, United States, that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is operated for New Jersey Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group , which originally included Bechtel Group and Bombardier...
.
Command regions
The New Jersey Transit Police Department has its headquarters in One Penn Plaza East, Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. 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 CommandPennsylvania Station (Newark)Pennsylvania Station is a major transportation hub in Newark, New Jersey. Located at Raymond Plaza, between Market Street and Raymond Boulevard, Newark Penn Station is served by the Newark Light Rail, New Jersey Transit commuter rail, Amtrak long distance trains, the PATH rapid transit system, and...
- NewarkNewark, New JerseyNewark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
North Region 2:
- Hoboken CommandHoboken TerminalHoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
- Hoboken - Secaucus JunctionSecaucus JunctionThe Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction Station is a major commuter rail hub in Secaucus, New Jersey...
- Secaucus
South Region 1:
- Atlantic City CommandAtlantic City Rail TerminalThe Atlantic City Rail Terminal is Atlantic City, New Jersey's train station. It is the easternmost stop on the Atlantic City Line to and from Philadelphia and the Atlantic City Express Service to and from New York City and Newark. The Atlantic City terminal is a 5-track, 3-platform terminal...
- Atlantic City - Camden CommandWalter Rand Transportation CenterThe Walter Rand Transportation Center is a transportation hub located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey, named for Walter Rand, a former New Jersey State Senator, who specialized in transportation issues while serving in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature...
- Camden - Trenton CommandTrenton Rail Station (New Jersey)Trenton Transit Center, formerly known as Trenton Rail Station, is the main passenger train station in Trenton, New Jersey. It is the southernmost stop in New Jersey on the Northeast Corridor...
- Trenton
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 Emergency Services Unit, and the K-9 unit.
- Emergency Services Unit - This unit was formally called the JUSTICE Team (renamed in 2011), which was NJTPD's high visibility enforcement unit who was assigned to "Impact" zones which are New Jersey Transit properties and stations which have experienced a surge in crime. This ESU unit has extensive training in numerous fields such as, SWAT to include high risk warrant service, barricaded subject, and hostage rescue, rope/high angle rescue, train/vehicle extrication, firefighting duties, and are all hazmat technicians.
- Administration / Support Services - 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. Includes the Training Unit.
Rank structure
The NJTPD has the following rank structure, in descending order:| Title | Insignia | Uniform Shirt Color |
|---|---|---|
| Chief |  |
|
| Deputy Chief |  |
|
| Captain Police captain - France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant.... |
||
| Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
 |
|
| Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... |
 |
|
| Detective Police Officer Police officer A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force... |
||
Counter-Terrorism
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
After September 11, 2001, the Essex County Sheriff's 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 Sheriff's 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
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
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
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
, New Jersey Transit chose the Essex County Sheriff's Office 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.
During his tenure, former Governor
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
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 feet (12.2 m) 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,
- New Jersey Transit has increased uniformed and plain clothes police train patrols
- New Jersey Transit has created special operations units which specifically focus on high visiblity patrol and counter terrorism
- New Jersey Transit significantly increased the number of New Jersey Transit Police K-9 units – which are trained to detect explosive devices.
- New Jersey Transit purchased belt clip-on radiation detectorsGeiger counterA Geiger counter, also called a Geiger–Müller counter, is a type of particle detector that measures ionizing radiation. They detect the emission of nuclear radiation: alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays. A Geiger counter detects radiation by ionization produced in a low-pressure gas in a...
as well as other explosive and radiological material detecting equipment to ensure that all of its regional police commands and officers throughout the state are equipped to detect explosives and radiological matter.
- The New Jersey Transit Police Department lauched the "If you see something say something" campaign and has activated telephone and text message hotlines to accept anonymous calls and text messages of suspicious activity and/or persons on New Jersey Transit equipment or property.
- The New Jersey Transit Police Department provides counter terrorism and behavioral analysis training to all its officers.
- 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 to include uniform and plain clothes officers, facility checks conducted by officers on motor patrol and proactive sweeps by special operations units .
Criticism and issues
The New Jersey Transit Police Department is not without its fair share of problems and criticism. In 2002, a study released by the former New York City Police CommissionerNew York City Police Commissioner
The New York City Police Commissioner is the head of the New York City Police Department, appointed by the Mayor of New York City. Governor Theodore Roosevelt, in one of his final acts before becoming Vice President of the United States in March 1901, signed legislation replacing the Police Board...
William J. Bratton
William J. Bratton
William Joseph "Bill" Bratton CBE is an American law enforcement officer who served as the chief of police of the Los Angeles Police Department , New York City Police Commissioner, and Boston Police Commissioner....
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. 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
Dosimeter
Dosimeters measure an individual's or an object'sexposure to something in the environment — particularly to a hazard inflicting cumulative impact over long periods of time, or over a lifetime...
which can be used to measure radiation.
Uniform and equipment
New Jersey State Police
The New Jersey State Police is the state police force for the state of New Jersey. It is a general-powers police agency with state wide jurisdiction when requested by the Governor, designated by Troop Sectors.-History:...
. However, NJ Transit Police Officers wear a badge on the left side of their chest.
Officers in Special Operations wear a B.D.U.
Battle Dress Uniform
The Battle Dress Uniform were the fatigues that the armed forces of the United States used as their standard uniform for combat situations from September 1981 to April 2005. Since then, it has been replaced in every branch of the U.S. military. Only the U.S. Navy currently authorizes wear of the...
uniform. 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
.40 S&W
The .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by major American firearms manufacturers Winchester and Smith & Wesson. The .40 S&W was developed from the ground up as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge which could...
. Transit also utilizes the Remington 870 Police Magnum
Remington 870
The Remington Model 870 is a U.S.-made pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, Inc. It is widely used by the public for sport shooting, hunting, and self-defense. It is also commonly used by law enforcement and military organizations worldwide.-Development:The Remington 870 was...
shotgun, as well as M4 Commando Rifles
M4 Carbine
The M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,...
and Remington 700 Sniper rifles for the Emergency Services Unit officers.
Transportation
Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Though the name has been officially in use since 1992, the 1978–1991 full-size LTDs and LTD Crown Victorias and 1992 updated body style used the "P72" production code designation for both fleet/taxi and police models, with the model itself being internally classified as S...
s, Ford Explorers, Dodge Durango
Dodge Durango
The Dodge Durango is a full-size crossover SUV from the Dodge division of Chrysler. It was introduced in 1998 as a mid-size SUV, and as a replacement for the Ramcharger discontinued in the North American market in 1993, and was redesigned to full-size for 2004....
s, Chevrolet Tahoe
Chevrolet Tahoe
The Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
s and Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet offered a station wagon body, built on the 1/2 ton truck frame. This model was specifically built for National Guard units and Civilian Conservation Corps units. Much of the body was constructed from wood, and could seat up to eight occupants....
s. Transit police officers also ride the buses and railways to provide more direct policing. In addition, the NJTPD has several minibuses outfitted as mobile command centers at strategic locations. The agency recently received in 2011, a Pierce Hybrid Rescue/Pumper truck which is capable of going off road and onto the rails where needed.
See also
- Amtrak Police DepartmentAmtrak PoliceThe Amtrak Police is a railroad police agency that acts as the security and law enforcement agency of Amtrak, a passenger train system in the United States...
- List of law enforcement agencies in New Jersey
- New Jersey TransitNew Jersey TransitThe New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
- New York City Transit PoliceNew York City Transit PoliceThe New York City Transit Police Department was a law enforcement agency in New York City that existed from 1953 to 1995. The roots of this organization go back to 1936 when Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia authorized the hiring of Special Patrolmen for the New York City Subway system...
- New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department
- Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Police DepartmentPort Authority Police DepartmentThe Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, or Port Authority Police Department , is a law enforcement agency in New York and New Jersey, the duties of which are to protect all facilities owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and to enforce state and city laws...
- Transit policeTransit policeTransit police are a specialized police agency or unit employed by a common carrier, which could be a transit district, railroad, bus line, other transport carrier, or the state...