Layed-off Guilford RR police

b&m 1566 wrote:...I do feel the railroad should have enough of its own police to keep an eye on the major yards....

Such as the kids on top of the cars in Lawrence yard Monday......

SPACEMONKEY wrote:They are a duplicate of the city and town cops!! so ture, exactly what I was saying, they are NOT trained in anything special, they are a usless waste of money for the RR, they already have the tax bill for the cities and towns the run through why pay your own police department on top of all that? plus the liability? it's just not worth it. I hear all the RR cops that were laid off are working already working on other departments and are much better off, they would be crazy to go back to a private outfit that can't support a police department with equip. training etc. As far as RR operations, any city or town can send it's officers to operation life saver classes and learn all about RR operations, I hear most police departments already have sent officers and are ready for any incidents.

Take it easy. Everything gonna be allright

I know ....I am right!

SPACEMONKEY wrote:They should get rid of them all, they are the biggest waste of money driving around doing nothing but wasting expensive gas.

This is quite the change of attitude, compared to a few months ago when you said that Guilford had a "moral obligation and safety obligation" to police its own property.

SPACEMONKEY wrote:I know ....I am right!

Well, that makes ONE...

It never really hit me until recently that they are 100% private business in the USA.

Keeping that in mind, what makes them any different then any other business hauling gas or haz mat? nothing really, no trucking companies have their own police, they dont have any obligation and many other RR's dont bother to employ a uniformed police department either, but your point is well taken and I stand corrected on my past statement of obligation to the RR, they are private out to make a buck and based in the USA, they have no obligation, the government bears that responsibility to it's tax payers including private companies

SPACEMONKEY wrote:It never really hit me until recently that they are 100% private business in the USA.

Keeping that in mind, what makes them any different then any other business hauling gas or haz mat? nothing really, no trucking companies have their own police, they dont have any obligation and many other RR's dont bother to employ a uniformed police department either, but your point is well taken and I stand corrected on my past statement of obligation to the RR, they are private out to make a buck and based in the USA, they have no obligation, the government bears that responsibility to it's tax payers including private companies

They are the oldest police agencies deriven from the pinkertons back in the 1800's. They have specific antiquated powers and laws that give them federal,state,and local authority. They also have specific training,and knowledge of railroad related laws and operations. Just like anything else you can train others with the same training as railroad police. However the railroad police utilize that training daily system wide. Other agencies would only handle a call once in a blue moon in their specific community if they don't utilize that training they will lose it. I give alot of credit to railroads that keep and have their own police. It is a necessary asset to employ police to deter liability. By the way everybody including yourself is out to make a buck. The RR IS NOT MAKING ANY MONEY OFF OF THEIR POLICE.

Ask any street cop about the railroad, most will not know anything about it. I seen on COPS one night they were searching for a suspect, and the cop was walking down the gauge of the track (big No No). So it is good to have people who have knowledge of the railroad, who knows what trains are.

Pretty sad during this time of war, terrorisim, especially terrorisim being targeted at trains that you call railroad police at 800-955-9217 and the phone just rings and rings.