Amtrak Police Department (APD) is a national railroad police agency. The mission of the APD is to protect passengers, employees, and the property of Amtrak. APD receives their authority from the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, within 49 U.S.C. 24101, and this is what establishes the authority for Amtrak to have its own police agency.
APD has approximately 500 sworn police officer with powers of arrest. APD has 30 locations and operates in 46 states. Since these officers work in multiple jurisdictions, the APD officer have federal law enforcement authority to conduct law enforcement operations anywhere Amtrak operates. APD Police Department Headquarters is located at Union Station in Washington, DC.
The APD as participating members of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) at Glynco, Georgia train their new officers in a 12-week basic police training (police academy). Once the APD officer graduates FLETC, they return to their assigned duty location and undergo field training with a senior APD officer. New officers serve a one-year probation period.
The APD is an accredited law enforcement department with CALEA.
About the Author
Mark Bond has worked in law enforcement and has been a firearms instructor for more than 29 years. His law enforcement experience includes the military, local, state and federal levels as a police officer and criminal investigator. Mark obtained a BS and MS in criminal justice, and M.Ed in educational leadership with Summa Cum Laude honors. As a lifelong learner, he is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in education (EdD) with a concentration in college teaching and learning. Mark is currently an assistant professor of criminal justice at a university and adjunct professor of administration of justice studies at a community college.
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