Metra Police Department
Encyclopedia
The Metra Police Department (also known as The Metra Transit Police Department) was created to protect the Metra
rail system, which operates in Chicago
and the Chicago metropolitan area, spanning 6 counties.. The primary function of the Metra Police Department is to protect Metra passengers, Metra assets, enforce criminal laws, traffic
laws and ordinances that directly or indirectly relate to the Metra system. Safety is an important part of this function, and preventing accidents and injuries are a focus of the department. Many times enforcing traffic laws around Metra stations and crossings is intended to increase awareness and citizen compliance. Metra Police work in cooperation with local authorities to reduce or attempt to prevent hazardous conditions or blatant violations of the law which result in an unsafe condition. Metra Police routinely assist local, county and state agencies in non Metra related matters. The jurisdiction of the Metra Police extends well past the property owned or leased by Metra. Metra Police may make arrests outside their jurisdiction, just as any police officer in the state of Illinois can make an arrest or write a ticket outside of their jurisdiction. (725 ILCS 5/107-4)[ftp://www.ilga.gov/ILCS/Ch%200725/Act%200005/072500050K107-4.html]
In 1974 the Illinois State Legislature created The Regional Transportation Authority. When the RTA reorganized in 1983 Metra was created. This act empowers all the sub units of the RTA to establish and maintain police forces. The Metra Police Department was created at that time. The RTA Act states that these police departments have the authority of municipal police
officers. Metra Police Officers routinely and regularly enforce all Criminal law
violations of the state of Illinois
. Metra Police Officers are authorized to enforce all of the traffic laws of the Illinois Vehicle Code. The main focus of Metra Police law enforcement
is the six county transit operation, however due to the great distances between rail lines, off property arrests occur on a regular basis. All Metra Police Officers are fully certified Police Officers and many are former State, City, County, and Suburban police officers. The Metra Police Department requires that a candidate possess several years experiences in State, City, County, or Suburban police work. Because of the six counties of police operation, tickets and criminal complaints are booked into many different courts. As a general rule, court cases will be assigned in the nearest court, in the county of arrest.
After September 11, 2001 The Metra Police Department increased its effort in anti-terrorism concerns. Newly formed K-9 Bomb detection teams and a Special Operations Unit concentrate on protecting passengers and Metra terminals in the downtown Chicago
area. Metra Police Officers have been assigned to multi agency Criminal Task Forces, The Chicago Joint Operations Center, the Chicago Police Fusion Center (C-PIC), and the Illinois State Police Statewide Terrorism Information Center (STIC). Metra Police officers regularly participate in the Chicago CAPS
programs and attend beat meetings all over the city of Chicago. Metra Police regularly participate in Chicago Office of Emergency Communications (OEMC) planning meetings for large events. New security measures and methods are constantly being developed. Metra Police work closely with city/village/county/state and federal agencies to create new ways of protecting the entire system. In about 2008, The Metra Police Patrol Division began using a computer aided dispatch system and new electronic report writing system.
547 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60661-2517
312.322.2800 (24 hour dispatch)
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
rail system, which operates in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and the Chicago metropolitan area, spanning 6 counties.. The primary function of the Metra Police Department is to protect Metra passengers, Metra assets, enforce criminal laws, traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
laws and ordinances that directly or indirectly relate to the Metra system. Safety is an important part of this function, and preventing accidents and injuries are a focus of the department. Many times enforcing traffic laws around Metra stations and crossings is intended to increase awareness and citizen compliance. Metra Police work in cooperation with local authorities to reduce or attempt to prevent hazardous conditions or blatant violations of the law which result in an unsafe condition. Metra Police routinely assist local, county and state agencies in non Metra related matters. The jurisdiction of the Metra Police extends well past the property owned or leased by Metra. Metra Police may make arrests outside their jurisdiction, just as any police officer in the state of Illinois can make an arrest or write a ticket outside of their jurisdiction. (725 ILCS 5/107-4)[ftp://www.ilga.gov/ILCS/Ch%200725/Act%200005/072500050K107-4.html]
In 1974 the Illinois State Legislature created The Regional Transportation Authority. When the RTA reorganized in 1983 Metra was created. This act empowers all the sub units of the RTA to establish and maintain police forces. The Metra Police Department was created at that time. The RTA Act states that these police departments have the authority of municipal police
Municipal police
.Municipal police are law enforcement agencies that are under the control of local government, including the municipal government, where it is the smallest administrative subdivision. They receive pay from the city budget, and usually have fewer rights than the "state paid" police...
officers. Metra Police Officers routinely and regularly enforce all Criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
violations of the state of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Metra Police Officers are authorized to enforce all of the traffic laws of the Illinois Vehicle Code. The main focus of Metra Police law enforcement
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
is the six county transit operation, however due to the great distances between rail lines, off property arrests occur on a regular basis. All Metra Police Officers are fully certified Police Officers and many are former State, City, County, and Suburban police officers. The Metra Police Department requires that a candidate possess several years experiences in State, City, County, or Suburban police work. Because of the six counties of police operation, tickets and criminal complaints are booked into many different courts. As a general rule, court cases will be assigned in the nearest court, in the county of arrest.
After September 11, 2001 The Metra Police Department increased its effort in anti-terrorism concerns. Newly formed K-9 Bomb detection teams and a Special Operations Unit concentrate on protecting passengers and Metra terminals in the downtown Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area. Metra Police Officers have been assigned to multi agency Criminal Task Forces, The Chicago Joint Operations Center, the Chicago Police Fusion Center (C-PIC), and the Illinois State Police Statewide Terrorism Information Center (STIC). Metra Police officers regularly participate in the Chicago CAPS
Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy
Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy was started in 1993 as a pilot program in five diverse neighborhoods. A year later, the Chicago Police Department implemented CAPS all across Chicago...
programs and attend beat meetings all over the city of Chicago. Metra Police regularly participate in Chicago Office of Emergency Communications (OEMC) planning meetings for large events. New security measures and methods are constantly being developed. Metra Police work closely with city/village/county/state and federal agencies to create new ways of protecting the entire system. In about 2008, The Metra Police Patrol Division began using a computer aided dispatch system and new electronic report writing system.
Contact
Metra Police Department547 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60661-2517
312.322.2800 (24 hour dispatch)