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Transit and Railroad Police
Protect and police railroad and transit property, employees, or passengers.
Other titles employers use
Law Enforcement Officer · Patrol Man · Patrol Officer · Patrolman · Police Captain · Police Specialist · Railroad Police · Railroad Police Officer
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Prepare reports documenting investigation activities and results.
- Monitor transit areas and conduct security checks to protect railroad properties, patrons, and employees.
- Apprehend or remove trespassers or thieves from railroad property or coordinate with law enforcement agencies in apprehensions and removals.
- Direct security activities at derailments, fires, floods, or strikes involving railroad property.
- Patrol railroad yards, cars, stations, or other facilities to protect company property or shipments and to maintain order.
- Investigate or direct investigations of freight theft, suspicious damage or loss of passengers' valuables, or other crimes on railroad property.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and persuading work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
Subjects to know
- Public Safety and Security
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Transportation
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.1 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 3.0 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.3 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 3.1 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 40%
- A four-year degree 28%
- High school or less 21%
- A two-year degree 5%
- A master's degree 5%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Web platform development software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Map creation software
- Data base user interface and query software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 800
- Job openings each year
- 10
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 21.2%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 800 | 10 | 21.2% |
| Georgia | 350 | 30 | 9.4% |
| Virginia | 320 | 30 | 3.2% |
| Ohio | 120 | 10 | — |
| Florida | 70 | 10 | −12.5% |
| Washington | 20 | 0 | — |
| Nebraska | 10 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Degrees each year
- 1,454
- Admit rate
- 57%
- Annual cost after aid
- $7,000
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 895
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Sam Houston State University
- Degrees each year
- 888
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Liberty University
- Degrees each year
- 572
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
Florida State University
- Degrees each year
- 554
- Admit rate
- 25%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
California State University-Sacramento
- Degrees each year
- 539
- Admit rate
- 94%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Florida International University
- Degrees each year
- 492
- Admit rate
- 59%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- Degrees each year
- 476
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
Compare every college offering criminal justice and corrections