What You'll Do

  • Patrol railroad yards, cars, stations, or other facilities to protect company property or shipments and to maintain order.
  • Examine credentials of unauthorized persons attempting to enter secured areas.
  • Apprehend or remove trespassers or thieves from railroad property or coordinate with law enforcement agencies in apprehensions and removals.
  • Prepare reports documenting investigation activities and results.
  • Investigate or direct investigations of freight theft, suspicious damage or loss of passengers' valuables, or other crimes on railroad property.
  • Direct security activities at derailments, fires, floods, or strikes involving railroad property.
  • Direct or coordinate the daily activities or training of security staff.
  • Interview neighbors, associates, or former employers of job applicants to verify personal references or to obtain work history data.
  • Plan or implement special safety or preventive programs, such as fire or accident prevention.
  • Monitor transit areas and conduct security checks to protect railroad properties, patrons, and employees.

Essential Skills

Active Listening 4.0/5
Speaking 4.0/5
Critical Thinking 3.88/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.75/5
Monitoring 3.38/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.38/5
Writing 3.25/5
Active Learning 3.25/5
Coordination 3.25/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.25/5
Reading Comprehension 3.12/5
Negotiation 3.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.

Common styles

Self-Control, Stress Tolerance, Integrity, Dependability, Leadership

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Problem Sensitivity 4.12/5
Oral Comprehension 4.0/5
Oral Expression 4.0/5
Inductive Reasoning 3.88/5
Speech Clarity 3.88/5
Written Expression 3.75/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.75/5
Near Vision 3.75/5

Technologies & Tools

Crime mapping software Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System IAFIS Law enforcement information databases MapInfo Professional MapInfo StreetPro Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database SmugMug Flickr Web browser software

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Self-Control (High importance: 4.83/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.83/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.82/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.76/5)
  • Leadership (High importance: 4.58/5)

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How to Become One

This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Canine Officer (K-9 Officer) Field Training Advisor Field Training Agent Law Enforcement Officer Officer Patrol Man Patrol Officer Patroller Patrolman Police Captain Police Specialist Public Transit Specialist Railroad Detective Railroad Police Railroad Police Officer Railroad Safety Specialist Railroad Watchman Secured Entrance Monitor Track Patrol Track Watchman Transit Authority Police Transit Authority Police Officer Transit Officer Transit Police Officer Transit Specialist Transportation Officer Transportation Sergeant Unarmed Officer