| Agencyname: | Amtrak Police Department |
| Commonname: | Amtrak Police |
| Abbreviation: | APD |
| Patch: | Amtrak Police logo.jpg |
| Patchcaption: | Supervisor Patch of the Amtrak Police Department |
| Speciality1: | rail |
| Country: | United States |
| Federal: | Yes |
| Legaljuris: | Amtrak Rail System |
| Headquarters: | Washington, D.C. |
| Police: | Yes |
| Sworn: | 431 |
| Sworntype: | Police Officer |
| Chief2name: | D. Samuel Dotson |
| Chief2position: | Chief of Police |
The Amtrak Police Department (APD) is a federal railroad police department of Amtrak (also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation), the government-owned passenger train system in the United States.[1] It is headquartered at Union Station in Washington, D.C., and as of 2023 has a force of 431 sworn police officers,[2] most of whom are stationed within the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak's busiest route.
The APD has primary jurisdiction over Amtrak stations nationwide, trains, rights-of-way, maintenance facilities, and crimes committed against Amtrak, its employees, or its passengers. The APD is one of six American Class I railroad law enforcement agencies, alongside those of BNSF, CPKC, CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific.
Since 1979, most Amtrak police officers have been trained at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC)[3] [4] although some recruits may be certified through a local police academy.
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 (e), states as follows:
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 rights of way.
Since the September 11 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 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 generally are stationed in busier locations.
Each of the Divisional Commands provides various police services for the geographical area they cover. The different divisions within the department can be categorized as the following:
Below is the rank structure for the Amtrak PD.Ranks are listed from junior (bottom) to senior (top).
| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief of Police | |
| Assistant Chief of Police | |
| Deputy Chief | |
| Inspector | |
| Captain | |
| Lieutenant | |
| Sergeant | |
| Detective (Gold Badge/insignias) | |
| Special Agent (Gold Badge/insignias) | |
| Criminal Investigator | |
| Police Officer | |
In 2016, the Amtrak Office of Inspector General launched an investigation into the then-Amtrak Police Chief Polly Hanson, regarding a conflict of interest involving her boyfriend who had been awarded a counterterrorism contract she helped oversee, and in whose award Hanson reportedly had influence. In statements, Hanson claimed no knowledge of the boyfriend, but an 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 (who had appointed Hanson in 2012) to Wick Moorman, Chief Hanson 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.[10] The bullet was fired from a distance between 75 and 100 feet and struck Robertson in the shoulder from behind.[11] 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 $250,000 bail. On March 8, 2017, Amtrak's Fraternal Order of Police lodge claimed having collected more than $4,000 to help Tankson, contending that he fired in self-defense.[12] On February 28, 2020, Officer Tankson was acquitted.[13]