Non-public policing

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Kind of an interesting concept. Privately paid people who are given real police powers. Or perhaps limited police powers.

I would think the most common are railroad police. At least in my state they're allowed to enforce state laws provided that they meet the same training standards. I've actually been on a train that was stopped for what they call a "trespassing incident", although some people would call it something else. Local police were the first to show up, followed a plainclothes Union Pacific Police officer who arrived in a marked police pickup truck. Union Pacific owned the tracks, so they were part of the investigation. Some "public" railroads have police. Amtrak Police are considered federal law enforcement and go to the same law enforcement training centers.

San Francisco has this oddball setup called SFPD "Patrol Specials". I'd actually seen one of these guys before during an event, where I'm thinking he was paid to work it. But normally they were paid for by local businesses to patrol neighborhoods, check on locks, etc. Apparently weren't required to meet the same standards as regular police, but were allowed weapons and had citizens' arrest powers and the tacit cooperation of San Francisco Police. Looked it up, and the last one retired in 2024.

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Some private universities have their own policing. In my state there's a few. I think USC and the University of the Pacific, although those are supposedly some arrangement with the chief of police of the city. Might not be full police powers at USC.

Stanford University has a unique arrangement. Their public safety department hires trained people or puts them up at police academies, where they become reserve sheriff's deputies with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office. It's via a memorandum of understanding, and they get a unique badge that identifies themselves as "Stanford Reserves". But their head is a reserve captain (or might not be now). I think their badge is different - maybe fewer points.

The Stanford Department of Public Safety Deputy Sheriffs receive their peace officer powers through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Santa Clara Sheriff's Department.​
Each of the deputies at SUDPS are deputized by the Sheriff of Santa Clara County pursuant to California Penal Code 830.6 upon meeting the standards prescribed by the California Peace Officer Standards and Training defined in Penal Code Section 832.6. Each of the deputies is classified as a Santa Clara County Reserve Deputy Sheriff at Stanford. The powers conferred upon the deputized members of the SUDPS are outlined in the MOU.​

I think it works differently in other states. I've heard of actual police at Brigham Young University, University of Notre Dame, and Harvard University. Probably not unique.

https://www.hupd.harvard.edu/
 
Here we have a "Citizens Patrol", but no police powers to arrest, nor weapons. Basically check on "snowbird" houses during the summer, and an extra set of eyes otherwise.
 
If they have to call the 'real' police when things get exciting, they're not police and shouldn't be called anything more than "Security" or like JohnnyG says, "Citizens Patrol".

As for railroads, given their tight relationship with the federal gov't, I'm sure their folks have plenty of power. And for schools (K-12 and colleges) and hospitals, in Ohio, many have their own police forces and they are 100% state-certified "peace officers". Not sure if that term is used a lot elsewhere, but that's a all-encompassing term for law enforcement (police, sheriff deputy, state highway patrol, etc).
 
If they have to call the 'real' police when things get exciting, they're not police and shouldn't be called anything more than "Security" or like JohnnyG says, "Citizens Patrol".

As for railroads, given their tight relationship with the federal gov't, I'm sure their folks have plenty of power. And for schools (K-12 and colleges) and hospitals, in Ohio, many have their own police forces and they are 100% state-certified "peace officers". Not sure if that term is used a lot elsewhere, but that's a all-encompassing term for law enforcement (police, sheriff deputy, state highway patrol, etc).

As far as state police powers go, it depends on state law. At least in California, the only private entity specifically empowered to have police powers is railroads. I was thinking this wasn't accountable to any public entity, but the law specifies that they're commissioned by the Governor of California, so theoretically any officer can be stripped of police authority.

830.33.

The following persons are peace officers whose authority extends to any place in the state for the purpose of performing their primary duty or when making an arrest pursuant to Section 836 as to any public offense with respect to which there is immediate danger to person or property, or of the escape of the perpetrator of that offense, or pursuant to Section 8597 or 8598 of the Government Code. Those peace officers may carry firearms only if authorized and under terms and conditions specified by their employing agency.​
(e) (1) Any railroad police officer commissioned by the Governor pursuant to Section 8226 of the Public Utilities Code, if the primary duty of the peace officer is the enforcement of the law in or about properties owned, operated, or administered by the employing agency or when performing necessary duties with respect to patrons, employees, and properties of the employing agency.​

I've heard of some really obscure railroad police, like the Napa Valley Railway Police, which serves the Napa Wine Train tourist railroad. No joke.

I guess it can be pretty interesting. At least in one state, it's been ruled that private police forces allowed under state law are subject to all public records laws.
The Court rejected that argument, saying under state law, officers in a private university are given the same power and authority as a city police officer or county sheriff's deputy.​
"The department is created under a statute for the express purpose of engaging in one of the most fundamental functions of government: the enforcement of criminal laws, which includes power over citizens as necessary for that enforcement," the court wrote.​
The decision only applies to private colleges or universities that created a police department under Ohio Revised Code 1713.50, and not schools that use security guards, court spokeswoman Kathy Maloney said.​
That includes police departments at Case Western Reserve University and John Carroll University. Officials at both schools had not heard of the ruling when first contacted by Northeast Ohio Media Group Thursday and needed time to review the decision.​
"We will take steps required to comply with the court's ruling, while at the same time honoring federal and state privacy protections that apply to faculty, staff and students," Case Western said in a statement released late Thursday.​
Baldwin Wallace University uses security officers, not sworn police officers, according to its website.​
 
The California State University campus police are sworn and POST certified

https://www.calstate.edu/systemwide-campus-safety-security/Pages/university-police-departments.aspx

Sure. But that's legally considered public. Same section of law that authorizes the CHP and UCPD.

830.2.

The following persons are peace officers whose authority extends to any place in the state:​
(a) Any member of the Department of the California Highway Patrol including those members designated under subdivision (a) of Section 2250.1 of the Vehicle Code, provided that the primary duty of the peace officer is the enforcement of any law relating to the use or operation of vehicles upon the highways, or laws pertaining to the provision of police services for the protection of state officers, state properties, and the occupants of state properties, or both, as set forth in the Vehicle Code and Government Code.​
(b) A member of the University of California Police Department appointed pursuant to Section 92600 of the Education Code, provided that the primary duty of the peace officer shall be the enforcement of the law within the area specified in Section 92600 of the Education Code.​
(c) A member of the California State University Police Departments appointed pursuant to Section 89560 of the Education Code, provided that the primary duty of the peace officer shall be the enforcement of the law within the area specified in Section 89560 of the Education Code.​
 
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If they have to call the 'real' police when things get exciting, they're not police and shouldn't be called anything more than "Security" or like JohnnyG says, "Citizens Patrol".

As for railroads, given their tight relationship with the federal gov't, I'm sure their folks have plenty of power. And for schools (K-12 and colleges) and hospitals, in Ohio, many have their own police forces and they are 100% state-certified "peace officers". Not sure if that term is used a lot elsewhere, but that's an all-encompassing term for law enforcement (police, sheriff deputy, state highway patrol, etc).
Sounds like the TSA …
 
A few years ago there were national news stories about thieves repeatedly targeting trains in southern California, taking packages from boxcars and leaving papers and trash on tracks at railyards. Given the stories about railroad police busting people for penny-ante stuff such as walking on tracks, I wondered where the railroad police were while the thefts were happening. That's when it dawned on me that I hadn't actually heard about railroad police anywhere in some time.
 
If you're referring to my first paragraph, TSA are definitely not law enforcement at all. They are basically security screeners.

Several airports (the best known being SFO) are authorized to hire private security rather than use TSA.

The Screening Partnership Program contracts security screening services at commercial airports to qualified private companies. These companies run screening operations under federal oversight and must comply with all TSA security screening procedures.​
 
So this is like corporate hired arm security? Like those armed money transportation services with guns and armored vehicles?

I think the biggest concern would be whether they cost more than the protection is worth and whether they can be sued if they shot someone and how much the insurance companies will charge after any incident. We have no problem in self defense in this country, but we have a real problem not letting the criminals sue us afterward if they don't die on the scene.
 
The California State University campus police are sworn and POST certified

https://www.calstate.edu/systemwide-campus-safety-security/Pages/university-police-departments.aspx
Same with most of the universities in Texas.

Many state agencies here in Austin have gun toting security guards. I don't know what their exact powers are but if they're carrying guns, I would assume they are authorized to use deadly force under certain situations.

Some other agencies have actual Capitol Police or DPS (State Troopers).

At the place I contract at, they are "VSP" or something like that, I think Veteran Security Patrol. Maybe VSA, not sure. Many Iraqis and Afganistanis. All carrying a service pistol.
 
So this is like corporate hired arm security? Like those armed money transportation services with guns and armored vehicles?

I think the biggest concern would be whether they cost more than the protection is worth and whether they can be sued if they shot someone and how much the insurance companies will charge after any incident. We have no problem in self defense in this country, but we have a real problem not letting the criminals sue us afterward if they don't die on the scene.

It's kind of weird. Railroad police have real police police powers in most states, even though the vast majority are privately employed by the railroad.

The San Francisco Police Patrol Specials were very different though. They weren't sworn law enforcement, but were allowed to wear police style uniforms as well as a badge that was nearly identical to real SFPD. I think this is an earlier version of the badge:

272623746_239270531722611_6813638007735521311_n.jpg


Stanford has an oddball arrangement, but legally they're reserve law enforcement.

Most reserve sheriff's deputies and reserve police officers in California serve on an unpaid basis, although I've heard that they can be eligible for paid "off-duty" assignments such as sporting events, nightclub security, or concerts. One big one in the Bay Area is at Levi's Stadium where they typically need about 200 officers, but the city only has about 240 total. So they hire quite a few on a temporary basis as a "double badge" where they're issued a local police badge/uniform, but only if approved by their own agency. But I guess this is being paid for by private funds. But there's a lot of that going on, including theme parks like Disneyland.

Santa Clara devised the solution of creating a new position of special events police officer—that is, sworn officers from other jurisdictions who would be brought on duty as needed wearing Santa Clara uniforms. Funding of these positions, as well as all of the special costs to SCPD or any of the other participating law enforcement agencies, comes from stadium funds, not the city’s general fund.​
The requirements for a “double badge” special events officer were strict: 1) currently employed by a California law enforcement agency as a full-time police officer or level 1 reserve officer; 2) peace operations specialized training certificate; 3) completion of field training officer and probation; 4) psychological, medical, and background investigation reviews; and 5) an interview with SCPD’s professional standards unit.​
The position would be categorized as “as needed, at will,” but the special events officer would have full police powers in deployment in and around the stadium to provide crowd and traffic control, arrest of offenders, report writing, and general enforcement duties.​
 
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Worth a listen, don't watch it just listen. Citizens auxiliary police.

Edit: The guy uses a couple of words that may get some panties twisted. Look on youtube for

Operation: Peep Tom 2015 with Jay Santos​

 
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In Connecticut most big universities have there own "Police Force" with arrest powers. The water company, amtrack, state capital, tax department all have arrest powers. Most real cops consider them glorified rent-a-cops
 
In Connecticut most big universities have there own "Police Force" with arrest powers. The water company, amtrack, state capital, tax department all have arrest powers. Most real cops consider them glorified rent-a-cops

Public agencies have all that, but they are generally considered government agencies. Our local park district have real police and even a police helicopter. There’s also the US Park Police, which has overlapping jurisdiction with National Park Service law enforcement rangers. But the park rangers have specific authority to enforce state law in California, while US Park Police have to be specifically authorized by a police chief and/or sheriff. Not sure how it works in San Francisco where the Sheriff operates a limited force that doesn’t have any duties outside of securing buildings, protecting city workers, and the normal civil division (evictions and civil seizures).

USPP_Vehicle_GGB_backround_NPS_JoeGriess.jpeg


USParkRangerSUV_GGBbackground_AVanVechten.jpg
 
In SC the large gated communities have their own police forces. They follow mostly the same rules as a small town would. They can arrest people but have no capacity to do anything after that and would turn whomever to the local government authority.

So long as they follow the law I have no issues with the concept.
 
The guy that owns thousands of satellites and an electric car company got his bodyguards deputized as Federal Marshalls.
 
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