Amtrak Police, New York City

[bxhousing]

I am taking the Amtrak Police test soon. Can anyone give me any info about salary, benefits, time, and previous LE experience? I know starting is around $31K/year before OT, but I don't know the steps after that? How long to top pay, and how much is that? Is there OT available? Basically i'm looking for the "real, take home" salary of a first and second year Amtrak Cop because at $31K I'll be taking a big pay cut from my current agency.

Given the recent events in London I am sure congress is scrambling to allocate more money to the National Pasgr Railroad Corporation, and given the rising costs of gas I think a railroad job is pretty secure. Anyone have any insight on this?

As for the training... I know as an Amtrak Cop you are sworn under state and federal law. How does this affect me if say I wanted to transfer within the Amtrak system to another location in another state? I have heard the retirement is 30 years or 65... is this true?

Trying to get the most info possible so my next move is my last.

Thanx.

[ftlaudcop]

I am a former railroader, since your working for amtrak
your retirement money is sent thru to the railroad retirement board
and you will not have s.s taken out, butthe percentage taken out
for r.r. retirement will be a few points more, thus a better pension.
For railroad police, i do not think they get a special break for
retirement purposes and they retire at age 60 like a clerk or
a switchman do unless they changed in the last few years.
make a informed decision....you got 25 to 30 more yrs to work..!


www.schackdaddy.com

[Bearcatz06]

I thought playing security guard at Co-op City Housing was a good gig...??

[bxhousing]

Thanx, ftlaudcop.

Judging from your "former" status you left RR policing prior to retirement. Does this have to do with the retirement being so high? Are there other negatives to a RR police job?

How about the positives of a RR police gig vs a local or state agency?

Stay safe, take care.

[dawgguy]

amtrak police

I think taking a job with Amtrak right now may be a little risky. Amtrak is totally funded by the government and the Bush Admin. is seriously looking at cutting funds to it. I personally think cutting funds to Amtrak is a big mistake, but there are several measures in congress and the house to do it.

If you took this job and two years later the government decides to end their funding of it, there goes your job!

[ftlaudcop]

Thanx, ftlaudcop.

Judging from your "former" status you left RR policing prior to retirement. Does this have to do with the retirement being so high? Are there other negatives to a RR police job?

How about the positives of a RR police gig vs a local or state agency?

Stay safe, take care.

I started on the railroad almost right outta high school and most of the jobs
were paying $10.00 ( 1979), I was to young in Illinois for any law enforcement, plus being a white male, at the time several chgo cop's told
me i'd have gray hair before they would hire me no matter the education
or being sqeaky clean, they were on a women and minority hiring spree
back then, i got laid off - furloughed, still onthe senority list, i came to fla
and thru the fire academy, played joe fireman for 1 year at $4.50 a hour
after a ball buster academy, really got tired of medical call's and 90 yr old retired people, then sept 83 i started with the brevard county sheriff, by the kennedy space center for $5.37 a hour, along with a cadet, who
is now the elected " SHERIFF"....talk about a great hook..!! 22 yrs later
i work for nationally known agency in spring break town, and the money
got way better since the $12,500 a year i started at...i usually hit 80,000
a yr depending on how much i wanna scam on overtime, court time and off duty details, I plan on moving back tobrevard in 2008 or 2009 to take care
of my parents who will be in their mid 70's, and use my hook to get a appointed capt of operations position there.
my step dad retired as Lt of police for " chessie system, now csx outta the chgo division, he did 30 yrs with them and 9 with baltimore, plus he had a little army time, he had his fun chasin crooks all over the city, plus indiana.
he was my wild card in my r.r. yr's in case i ran across some knuckle heads who were smokin dope or drinking malt liquor on the job , that was runnin rampant back then, my boss's were all cool guys, from the steam engine days, and my family did business with them for 40 yrs or so sell them diesel fuel, gasoline, etc....but the best thing they did was lay me off
andi got my *** in gear ging to school....I loved workin on the railroad, but that lay off stuff was a bit to much, I was hired as they were phasing out jobs and 1898 technology and modernizing, same way when i got hired with the sheriff's office.....it was mayberry technology...with logging arrests
in the old blotter, the cjis computer was their, but it was down more than it was up. old way of dispatching thru ibm cards, i seen them switch to
c.a.d. in 1984. serving road kill to inmates ( deer ) ran over at the kennedy space center, and me pickin it up and hauling it to the jail...lol..!
it's all been fun..., you run across the same crimes except for traffic and doing accidents, minus domestic violence...!!....all fun...

[bxhousing]

Not for me... for now.

I went to the test and left before I even got a chance to take it. They told me top pay (w/ night diff) is $40,000 after 5 years and retirement after 30 yrs. service or at age 60. The only real problem I have with my current agency is the retirement, but it is still better than 30/60.
I could not afford to live in NYC on that kind of pay... especially because it would be such a drastic cut from what I make now. My current base rate is higher than that and I haven't even hit top pay yet.
The RR police jobs seem to be more for someone who put in 20-25 years with one agency and has a pension from that agency. They can then "double dip" with a second railroad pension... something for me to think about in 20 years?
The one thing I did find impressive about Amtrak was their commitment to training. The officer who spoke said that not only do they go trough a state police academy, but they also go to FLETC. He also said they are constantly doing in-service training.
Ftlaudcop... the railroad seniority thing also kind of got me. You mentioned being laid off (furloughed). It seems that is a good possibility depending on the funding and availability of jobs in whatever division you are assigned. They also said that if you transfer to another location you have 5 years where you have no seniority at the new location and can be sent back to where you came from at any time during those 5 years. They have a 401(k) that they don't contribute to and you don't get dental until you are finished with your year probabtion.
Thanx for the help. It sounds like you had fun doing the RR thing, and I truly believe that Amtrak has a dedicated and professional department of cops who are good at what they do, but I think it's something for me took look at during my second incarnation of a police career rather than my first.

Thanx again and be safe down there.

[amsarge]

Amtrak PD NYC

I went to the test and left before I even got a chance to take it. They told me top pay (w/ night diff) is $40,000 after 5 years and retirement after 30 yrs. service or at age 60. The only real problem I have with my current agency is the retirement, but it is still better than 30/60.
I could not afford to live in NYC on that kind of pay... especially because it would be such a drastic cut from what I make now. My current base rate is higher than that and I haven't even hit top pay yet.
The RR police jobs seem to be more for someone who put in 20-25 years with one agency and has a pension from that agency. They can then "double dip" with a second railroad pension... something for me to think about in 20 years?
The one thing I did find impressive about Amtrak was their commitment to training. The officer who spoke said that not only do they go trough a state police academy, but they also go to FLETC. He also said they are constantly doing in-service training.
Ftlaudcop... the railroad seniority thing also kind of got me. You mentioned being laid off (furloughed). It seems that is a good possibility depending on the funding and availability of jobs in whatever division you are assigned. They also said that if you transfer to another location you have 5 years where you have no seniority at the new location and can be sent back to where you came from at any time during those 5 years. They have a 401(k) that they don't contribute to and you don't get dental until you are finished with your year probabtion.
Thanx for the help. It sounds like you had fun doing the RR thing, and I truly believe that Amtrak has a dedicated and professional department of cops who are good at what they do, but I think it's something for me took look at during my second incarnation of a police career rather than my first.

Thanx again and be safe down there.

Things will get better soon at APD. Go ahead with the process and when you are offered the job, then decide if you want it. Good Luck

[aikido kid]

Question...

I applied online for the Chicago Amtrak Police exam. How long does it take untill they get back to you on it?

[PPDMO373]

I applied online for the Chicago Amtrak Police exam. How long does it take untill they get back to you on it?

Depends. I applied for a couple on the East Coast and it took about 2 weeks for the one from Baltimore to come back. Took over 6 months for the ones for DC and Philly to come back.....

I declined all three because at 31K, there was no way I could move to the East Coast and live......

[amsarge]

I went to the test and left before I even got a chance to take it. They told me top pay (w/ night diff) is $40,000 after 5 years and retirement after 30 yrs. service or at age 60. The only real problem I have with my current agency is the retirement, but it is still better than 30/60.
I could not afford to live in NYC on that kind of pay... especially because it would be such a drastic cut from what I make now. My current base rate is higher than that and I haven't even hit top pay yet.
The RR police jobs seem to be more for someone who put in 20-25 years with one agency and has a pension from that agency. They can then "double dip" with a second railroad pension... something for me to think about in 20 years?
The one thing I did find impressive about Amtrak was their commitment to training. The officer who spoke said that not only do they go trough a state police academy, but they also go to FLETC. He also said they are constantly doing in-service training.
Ftlaudcop... the railroad seniority thing also kind of got me. You mentioned being laid off (furloughed). It seems that is a good possibility depending on the funding and availability of jobs in whatever division you are assigned. They also said that if you transfer to another location you have 5 years where you have no seniority at the new location and can be sent back to where you came from at any time during those 5 years. They have a 401(k) that they don't contribute to and you don't get dental until you are finished with your year probabtion.
Thanx for the help. It sounds like you had fun doing the RR thing, and I truly believe that Amtrak has a dedicated and professional department of cops who are good at what they do, but I think it's something for me took look at during my second incarnation of a police career rather than my first.

Thanx again and be safe down there.

What is the pay and benefits like at CO-OP City Security? I drove by in the RMP and spoke to some of your staff. Some were sharp and others couldn't speak english. I saw in the newspaper complex is going to get rid of your guys. In any event, good luck.

[NYSJAILER2008]

Are There Any Representation For Amtrack Police Officers In This Forum???

[orlandofed5-0]

Is There Any Representation For Amtrack Police Officers In This Forum???

No.. We Dont Like People Who Ask Questions Who Improperly Type. Learn To Type In Proper English.


Translation for the rest of you..

Yes, we are to answer your question.

[NYSJAILER2008]

No.. We Dont Like People Who Ask Questions Who Improperly Type. Learn To Type In Proper English.


Translation for the rest of you..

Yes, we are to answer your question.

Huh? Did you answer yes to my question that you know someone that is active/retired Amtrack Police Officer? If so give some insight on the profession to a curious fellow LEO.

[Bearcat357]

Huh? Did you answer yes to my question that you know someone that is active/retired Amtrack Police Officer? If so give some insight on the profession to a curious fellow LEO.

Ummmm.....He is a Amtrak LEO......

I think he wants you to be an adult and type your questions in regular type and not all Caps....and write so he can understand what you are saying....