Welcome! Please take a few minutes to introduce yourself to the group. It doesn't have to be an in-depth biography, only as much as you're comfortable with sharing. First name, length of time in law enforcement, your area(s) of expertise and/or interest, what about the RRSA career interests you, etc. Or just a "hello" works, too.



Please feel free to start a new discussion (preferably related to the RRSA career). Also, if you have any RR contacts you have made on this forum, please encourage them to take a look at our group and participate in the discussions.



Stay safe!

Uncle Shetland here. Stay where you are at. I had a position of RRSA and was miserable. Checking box car seals is not real police work. I was on a salary and worked more hours then I desired. It is my understanding many of the rail road companies contract law enforcement. I left after a short while and returned to the police department. I did nothing on the job that was law enforcement related.

uncledennis1 says ...

Uncle Shetland here. Stay where you are at. I had a position of RRSA and was miserable. Checking box car seals is not real police work. I was on a salary and worked more hours then I desired. It is my understanding many of the rail road companies contract law enforcement. I left after a short while and returned to the police department. I did nothing on the job that was law enforcement related.

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I agree, to a point.  It all depends on where you work.  And I mean, what part of the country.  I work in Chicago as a UPRR SA and I do "real police" work everyday. 

Do I do as much as I did when I worked for a municipality? No, no where near.  But that's how I like it now.  I did my time in the trenches, and I like not having as much stress with my job.  So your right in the sense this job is not for every police officer.  I know guys to this day that could never do this job because it would be too boring for them.  And that's fine.  But it's also not a "retired on duty" type of job either.

But your right about checking box cars all day.  That is the main part of our job.  And some SA's in other parts of the country, that is all they do.  But here in Chicago, that is not the case.

Also, I have to also point out that most salaries for RR police is usually considerably higher than municipality salaries.  And I do not know ANY pension that can beat the Federal RR Retirement Pension.

Special Agent with CN Police out of Memphis.  Hired out with the KCS Police in 2003.  Currently a Firearms Instructor, GCCI Instructor, and OL Presenter.  Came to the railroad from working narcotics so it def was a change of pace.  Things have changed in the industry...gone are the days of taking a clerk or a claim agent and making them a Special Agent. 

RailPD133 says ...

Special Agent with CN Police out of Memphis.  Hired out with the KCS Police in 2003.  Currently a Firearms Instructor, GCCI Instructor, and OL Presenter.  Came to the railroad from working narcotics so it def was a change of pace.  Things have changed in the industry...gone are the days of taking a clerk or a claim agent and making them a Special Agent. 

RailPD133, welcome to the group and thanks for the introduction. It's interesting you should mention that last part, because I have heard on a few recent occasions, from other RR employees, that presently one of the best ways to get a Special Agent position is to hire on as something else, and subseqently apply internally for the Special Agent position. Are you saying that this is not generally the case? It seemed to me to be contradictory to the fact that most, if not all, of the RR's require Special Agent candidates 1) to be certified police officers with at least X (usually a minimum of 3) years of experience, 2) have a bachelor's degree or higher, 3) be eligible to be certified as a peace officer in the state in which the position is offered / already be a certified officer in the state in which the position is offered. To your knowedge, is there a different set of requirements or criteria for internal applicants to the Special Agent position?

Understood. Thanks for the response. I guess my question is, in your experience, does that happen often (someone hiring on as something else and tranferring to the SA position internally)?

Rail, thanks for the information. It's good the hear that from someone on the inside and presently doing the job. I'm glad to hear (obviously, for selfish reasons) that they hired an outside applicant. I was beginning to think that was practically unheard of. For those of us who are serious about getting into the RRSA career, which in my increasingly informed opinion has to be one of the most challenging law enforcement positions to obtain, it helps to hear it isn't entirely an insider's game.

Thanks again for your perspective and willingness to share what you know. I hope you'll stop by often. Stay safe!

If there are any CN Officers on this forum, I would love to chat with you for some possible pointers if willing.  I am currently in the process with CN, and would love to work there (Location: Harvey, IL area).