Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department

MTA Police officers in New York Penn Station

The department was formed on January 1, 1998, with the consolidation of the Long Island Rail Road Police Department and the Metro-North Railroad Police Department. Since 9/11, the department has expanded in size and has ramped up dramatically its counter-terrorism capabilities, adding canine teams and emergency services officers. There is one lieutenant, four sergeants, and 44 police officers who are assigned to the K-9 Unit and serve as handlers with their canine partners. The department has one of the best trained K-9 units in the United States. At a national competition in 2013, two MTA Police dogs took third and fourth place in explosives detection.[3]

Currently, training for new recruits is conducted at the New York City Police Academy. After successfully completing the academy curriculum, officers are further trained in Connecticut law and law enforcement procedures.

MTA Police Ford Transit No.789

On June 29, 2022, former Yonkers Police Department Commissioner John Mueller was appointed as the sixth Chief of Police.[9]

The structure of the MTA Police is made up of the following senior officers:[10]

1. Chief of Police ("4-star" rank) - head of the MTAPD
2. Chief of Operations, Administration ("3-star" rank) - second in command and in charge of operations
3. Assistant Chief of Special Services ("2-star" rank) - third in command and in charge of special services

Below them rank the rest of the department (see rank structure below) of approximately 1000 police officers.[11]

Officers serve across the transit system and in various departments (see below).

Ranks of Department

Staten Island Rapid Transit Police Patch

The following is a list of all of the ranks of the MTA Police Department:

Title	Insignia	Uniform Shirt Color
Chief of Police		White
Chief of Operations		White
Assistant Chief		White
Deputy Chief		White
Inspector		White
Deputy Inspector		White
Captain/Captain Commander		White
Lieutenant/Detective Lieutenant		White
Sergeant/Detective Sergeant		Dark Blue
Police Officer/Detective		Dark Blue

Rank insignia for Sergeant and Detective Sergeant (when in uniform) is worn on the upper sleeves of the shirt and jacket while rank insignia for Lieutenant through Chief of Department is worn on the collars of the shirt and the shoulders of the jacket.

MTA Police van, No. 2502

MTAPD officers are New York State police officers according to New York State Criminal Procedure Law, §1.20(34- meaning they have police powers in all of New York State.[12]

Officers are also commissioned officers in Connecticut, as MTAPD works in Connecticut (see above section).

MTAPD Sergeant in everyday uniform

Despite being a state (or inter-state) law enforcement agency, MTAPD officers wear similar uniform to NYPD personnel.

This includes:[13]

• dark blue shirt with metal badge and collar pins
• dark blue trousers
• tie
• jacket and coat
• eight-point blue peaked cap, with cap-badge
• duty belt
• bullet-resistant vest
• equipment vest
• boots

The ESU and Hybrid Threat Unit wears a less formal version without metal badges and pins, and with writing on their shirts and jackets, with no "shield".[14]

A variety of vests, gloves and other appropriate gear for the season/duty can be worn, such as traffic vests.

MTAPD officers are all armed with a pistol and also carry:

• Taser
• Expandable baton
• OC spray
• Handcuffs
• Radio that is linked with central despatch and other officers
• notebooks and pens.

All officers wear a police badge (known in New York as a "shield") on their left chest, in regular and ceremonial uniform. The colour and style changes with rank.

MTA Police vehicle at the Tarrytown Metro-North station

There are currently 11 police districts within the MTA Police Department:

MTA Police Department’s Explosive Detection Training Course Canine Graduation

The department has the following specialized units (details):[16]

• Canine (K-9) Unit - provides special police dog support
• Computer Crimes Unit
• Emergency Services Unit[17] - police officers, with special equipment, who are trained for a variety of serious emergencies. Similar to the units of the Port Authority Police and New York City Police.
• Detective Division - investigates serious crimes to do with MTA
• Highway Unit[18] also known as "Highway Patrol" - patrols and protects the MTA bridges, highways, tunnels and other roads.
• Homeless Assistance Unit
• Interagency Counterterrorism Task Force - works with other New York state and city agencies.
• Discovery Unit
• Executive Protection Unit
• Hybrid Threat Unit
• Fare Evasion Task Force
• Body Worn Camera Unit[19]
• Communications Unit
• Emergency Operations
• Internal Affairs Bureau
• Technology & System Development
• Right of Way Task Force
• Training Unit
• Applicant Investigations

A group of MTAPD vehicles parked together. Notice the various lightbars and colour schemes in use.)

The MTAPD has a Patrolman's Benevolent Association, which is a union for the MTA Police officers, from the ranks of "Officer" to "Lieutenant" inclusive.

The MTA website states:[20]

The primary purpose of the MTA PBA is to serve as a representative for the welfare of union members and to be the sole collective bargaining agent for all Police Officers, Detectives, Sergeants, and Lieutenants.

The MTAPD has a Twitter account, that it uses to disseminate useful information for users of the MTA.

• List of law enforcement agencies in New York
• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department
• New Jersey Transit Police Department
• New York City Transit Police (does not exist, absorbed into NYPD in 1995)
• Transit police

• Media related to Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website