Union Pacific Police Department

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Union Pacific Police Department is the law enforcement arm of the Union Pacific Railroad. Its headquarters is in Omaha, Nebraska and its current Chief of Police is Dennis Jenson.

When Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch gang held up a Union Pacific train, this posse was organized to give chase. L to R: Standing, Unidentified; On horse, George Hiatt, T. Kelliher, Joe Lefors, H. Davis, S. Funk, Thomas Jefferson Carr. [1]

1 Jurisdiction
2 Railroad emergencies
3 Officers down/Line of duty deaths
4 External links

[edit] Jurisdiction

Union Pacific maintains a functioning police department staffed with officers given the title of Special Agent with jurisdiction over crimes against the railroad. Like most railroad police, its primary jurisdiction is unconventional, consisting of 54,116 miles (87,091 kilometers) of track in 23 western U.S. states. Railroad police, however, are certified state and federal law enforcement officers and have investigative and arrest powers both on and off railroad property. Special Agents typically investigate major incidents such as derailments, sabotage, grade crossing accidents and hazardous material accidents and minor issues such as trespassing on the railroad right of way, vandalism/graffiti, and theft of company property or customer product.

Special Agents often coordinate and liaise with local, state, and federal law enforcement on issues concerning the railroad and are dispatched nationally through the Response Management Communications Center (RMCC) in Omaha, Nebraska. The Union Pacific Police Department and the term "Special Agent" were models for the FBI when it was created in 1907.

[edit] Railroad emergencies

The Union Pacific Police Department can be contacted for railroad emergencies on Union Pacific tracks or right of way at 1-888-UPRR-COP (877-7267).

[edit] Officers down/Line of duty deaths

Since 1878, the Union Pacific Police Department (and other railroad police departments absorbed by UP) has suffered 40 deaths of Special Agents in the line of duty. [2]