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Transit and Railroad Police Occupation Detailed Description

Transit and Railroad Police career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Transit and Railroad Police

The main tasks and work activities of Transit and Railroad Police are to patrol properties to maintain safety, examine personal documentation to ensure that it is valid, collaborate with law enforcement or security agencies to respond to incidents, apprehend criminal suspects. In general, for the Transit and Railroad Police, speaking, active Listening, critical Thinking, complex Problem Solving and other 14 skills are required.
Transit and Railroad Police Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Transit and Railroad Police jobs. 20.57% of Transit and Railroad Police have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 13.78% of Transit and Railroad Police have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
20.57%
Post-Secondary Certificate
13.78%
Some College Courses
25.93%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
5.39%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
34.33%

Tasks and Work Activities of Transit and Railroad Police

  • Patrol railroad yards, cars, stations, or other facilities to protect company property or shipments and to maintain order.
  • Examine credentials of unauthorized persons attempting to enter secured areas.
  • Apprehend or remove trespassers or thieves from railroad property or coordinate with law enforcement agencies in apprehensions and removals.
  • Prepare reports documenting investigation activities and results.
  • Investigate or direct investigations of freight theft, suspicious damage or loss of passengers' valuables, or other crimes on railroad property.
  • Direct security activities at derailments, fires, floods, or strikes involving railroad property.
  • Direct or coordinate the daily activities or training of security staff.
  • Interview neighbors, associates, or former employers of job applicants to verify personal references or to obtain work history data.
  • Record and verify seal numbers from boxcars containing frequently pilfered items, such as cigarettes or liquor, to detect tampering.
  • Plan or implement special safety or preventive programs, such as fire or accident prevention.
  • Seal empty boxcars by twisting nails in door hasps, using nail twisters.
  • Monitor transit areas and conduct security checks to protect railroad properties, patrons, and employees.
  • Enforce traffic laws regarding the transit system and reprimand individuals who violate them.
  • Provide training to the public or law enforcement personnel in railroad safety or security.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersHandling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Performing General Physical ActivitiesPerforming physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Patrol properties to maintain safety.
  • Examine personal documentation to ensure that it is valid.
  • Collaborate with law enforcement or security agencies to respond to incidents.
  • Apprehend criminal suspects.
  • Prepare investigation or incident reports.
  • Direct law enforcement activities.
  • Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
  • Direct security operations.
  • Direct employee training programs.
  • Interview people to obtain information about actions or status of individuals.
  • Record information about suspicious objects.
  • Direct fire fighting or prevention activities.
  • Develop fire safety or prevention programs or plans.
  • Block physical access to restricted areas.
  • Maintain surveillance of individuals or establishments.
  • Enforce rules or regulations.
  • Provide safety training.

Skills and Abilities for Transit and Railroad Police

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Trunk StrengthThe ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
  • Speed of ClosureThe ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
  • Auditory AttentionThe ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Explosive StrengthThe ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Static StrengthThe ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Still camerase.g. 35 millimeter cameras
  • Automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddlese.g. Automated external defibrillators AED
  • Hazardous material protective apparele.g. Biohazard suits
  • Weapon or explosives detectors and suppliese.g. Biological hazard detectors
  • Alcohol analyserse.g. Breathalyzers
  • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR protective shields or maskse.g. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR face shields
  • Weapon or explosives detectors and suppliese.g. Chemical hazard detectors
  • Tape measurese.g. Crime scene tape measures
  • Digital camerase.g. Digital cameras
  • Digital camcorders or video camerase.g. Digital video cameras
  • Measuring wheels for distancee.g. Distance measuring wheels
  • Weapon or explosives detectors and suppliese.g. Explosive detectors
  • Masks or accessoriese.g. Filter masks
  • Fingerprint latent print kitse.g. Fingerprint evidence kits
  • Emergency medical services first aid kitse.g. First aid kits
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Handcuffse.g. Metal handcuffs
  • Notebook computerse.g. Mobile data computers
  • Fire extinguisherse.g. Multipurpose fire extinguishers
  • Night stickse.g. Nightsticks
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • TransportationKnowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • GeographyKnowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • TelecommunicationsKnowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
  • Communications and MediaKnowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.