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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police (also known as the T Police or Transit Police and colloquially known as the "Subway Cops") is a police force which has primary jurisdiction on
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network ...
(MBTA) property and vehicles in each of the 175 cities and towns within the MBTA. The department has grown to an authorized strength of 266 officers and 10 civilians. The majority of the MBTA Police Department's efforts are focused on patrol in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
and surrounding communities. The department patrols and protects the 5 subway lines to include the Silver Line, 13 commuter rail lines, 4 passenger ferry routes, 181 bus routes and The Ride paratransit system in
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
communities. The agency is currently led by Chief Kenneth Green. His predecessor was Chief Paul MacMillan who was initially appointed acting chief in 2007 by then MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas to replace Joseph C. Carter who left the job to accept the position of
Adjutant General An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...
(TAG) of the
Massachusetts National Guard The Massachusetts National Guard is the National Guard component for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded as the Massachusetts Bay Colonial Militia on December 13, 1636, it contains the oldest units in the United States Army. What is tod ...
. In 2008, Grabauskas permanently appointed MacMillan chief of the agency. MacMillan is the first agency chief appointed from within the ranks of the organization.


History

In October 1968, legislation was passed (Chapter 664 of the Acts of 1968, amended by Chapter 829 of the Acts of 1970 and Chapter 329 of the Acts of 1993) which created the MBTA Police Department (hereafter referred to as the MBTA Transit Police Department or the MBTA Transit Police) under the provisions of Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L.), Chapter 31. The first full-time MBTA Transit
Police Officer A police officer (also called a policeman and, less commonly, a policewoman) is a warranted law employee of a police force. In most countries, "police officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the ...
s were hired on December 9, 1968. Chapter 664 of the Acts of 1968 (amended by Chapter 829 of the Acts of 1970 and Chapter 329 of the Acts of 1993): established a Police Department under the supervision of a Police Officer to be known as a Chief of Police; provided that all Police Officers except for the positions of the Chief, Superintendent or Major would be subject to Chapter 31; provided that all Police Officers would have, within the territorial limits of the authority, the powers and duties conferred or imposed upon Police Officers of cities and towns by Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 41, Section 98; provided MBTA Transit Police Officers additional powers of Railway Police Officers under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 159, Section 93; and provided that MBTA Transit Police Officers have the same authority on city or town property as they have on MBTA property. Therefore, MBTA Transit Police Officers have full police powers within the territorial limits of the Authority. After a rash of indecent
sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...
s on the Green Line in 2007 and 2008, detectives from the Criminal investigations Section began riding Green Line trains in plain clothes. Female detectives posed as patrons and had success in catching
sex offender A sex offender (sexual offender, sex abuser, or sexual abuser) is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and legal jurisdiction. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crim ...
s in the act.


Possible merger

As of August 5, 2006, the local
media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...
reported the MBTA Police could merge with the
Massachusetts State Police The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state. As of 10/4/2022, it ...
due to budgetary and staffing concerns. The union which represents the MBTA Transit Police supports this plan citing the difficulty the 257-member force has providing security for a transit system that spans 175 cities and towns in the state. They also cite a rider to officer ratio of 5,058 passengers per transit officer, far greater than the national average of 1,759 passengers per transit officer. The union reasons that after a merger, the existing MBTA officers could form a new State Police troop concentrating on providing security for inner-city Boston subway and bus systems, while state police officers could concentrate on commuter rail stations, T parking and MBTA routes outside of the city. The merger would have an effect on pay scales as the state police force has a base
salary A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis. F ...
$24,000 greater than the $48,000 base salary of a Transit Police officer. The union representing state police officers opposes the merger citing different training methods and selection processes for officers and extra competition for promotion opportunities. Because of the projected cost of the merger (estimated at $11 million), the merger seems unlikely, at best.


Jurisdiction

The MBTA Transit Police Department has jurisdiction and full police authority in all of the 176 cities and towns that comprise the MBTA service area. Outside the 176 cities and towns, the Transit Police exercises street railway police powers on the vehicles, properties and rights of way that comprise the Commuter Rail System. The Transit Police promotes safety and security throughout Greater
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
and eastern
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
, working with federal, state and local
law enforcement agencies A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws. Jurisdiction LEAs which have their ability to apply their powers restricted in some way are said to operate within a jurisdiction. LEA ...
. The MBTA Transit Police Department provides police services to patrons and employees of the Authority on MBTA property and vehicles. Enforcement of transit-related laws off MBTA property, such as writing parking tickets at bus stops, is shared with municipal police departments, and the
Massachusetts State Police The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state. As of 10/4/2022, it ...
on Massport and DCR property.


See also

*
List of law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts This is a list of law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2008 ''Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies,'' the state had 357 law enforcement agencies employi ...


References


External links


MBTA Police
{{MBTA Transit police departments of the United States Specialist police departments of Massachusetts 1968 establishments in Massachusetts