Canadian National Police Service

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Canadian National Police Service
Common name	CN Police Service, CN Police North America
Abbreviation	CNPS
Agency overview
Formed	1923
Preceding agencies	Canadian National Railway Police BC Rail Police Illinois Central Railroad Police Grand Trunk Railway Police Wisconsin Central Transportation Police Bessemer and Lake Erie and Affiliated Railroads Police Dept.
Jurisdictional structure
International agency
Countries	2 Canada United States
Operations jurisdiction
Legal jurisdiction	Federal, State, Provincial
Constituting instrument	Railway Safety Act of Canada; 49 U.S. Code 28101
General nature	Civilian police
Specialist jurisdiction	Railways, tramways, and-or rail transit systems.
Operational structure
Headquarters	935 de La Gauchetière Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Agency executive	Stephen Covey, Chief of Police and Chief Security Officer
Parent agency	Canadian National Railway
Website
CN Police Service

Challenge coin for Canadian officers

Challenge coin for U.S. officers

The Canadian National Police Service (commonly referred to as the CN Police) is a private railroad police force protecting the property, personnel, and rail infrastructure of the Canadian National Railway in Canada and the United States.

History[]

Established in 1923 upon the amalgamation of several railway companies, the Government of Canada established the Canadian National Railway Police. Currently, CN Police officers operate in 8 Canadian Provinces and in 16 U.S. States.

In Canada, the BC Rail Police amalgamated into the CN Police Service in 2005. In the United States, four railway police services: the Illinois Central Railroad Police, the Grand Trunk Railway Police, the EJ&E, and the Wisconsin Central Transportation Police also amalgamated into the CN Police Service.

Jurisdiction[]

Canada[]

In Canada, members are federally sworn in under section 44.1 of the Railway Safety Act granting powers as police constables and have the same powers of arrest as any police officer in Canada anywhere in Canada as 'Peace Officers' under Section 2 of the Criminal Code. Police constables are employed by Canadian National and are also considered public servants, sworn to the Crown to uphold the law and protect.

The CN Police federal oath of office primarily directs their duties 'on and along' CN infrastructure, protecting properties owned and administered by CN. CN Police have additional provincial appointments which allow them to extend provincial enforcement such as the Highway Traffic Act outside the boundaries set under the Railway Safety Act of Canada.

Under section 26.1 of the Railway Safety Act, it is an offence for any person to "enter on land on which a line work is situated". Offenders can be dealt with in multiple ways such as being compelled to Federal Court by means of a promise to appear, or being issued a ticket through the relevant provincial Contravention Act and released. Maximum penalties for contravention of the act for any offence can be up to a $10,000 fine and imprisonment in the case of a private person. A company may also face up to a $200,000 fine for contravention of this act.

United States[]

In the U.S., each state in which CN operates grants police powers to CN police officers and special agents. State specific powers are also augmented by interstate authority granted by the United States Secretary of Transportation (Code 49 U.S.C. 28101), meaning officers have police powers related to the railway in all states the CN railway operates. Individual states may expand this authority within their borders.^[1]

Offices and detachments[]

Canada[]

The CN Police Canadian headquarters is located in Montreal, Quebec with regional offices in Toronto, Ontario; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Edmonton, Alberta; and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The CN Police operates further detachments in British Columbia (Kamloops, Prince George, Squamish, Surrey, and Prince Rupert); Alberta (Calgary, Jasper, and Lloydminster); Saskatchewan (Melville, Saskatoon, Lloydminster, and Regina); Manitoba (Brandon); Ontario (Brampton, Brantford, Cornwall, Capreol, Belleville, Fort Frances, Hamilton, London, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Sarnia, Thunder Bay, and Vaughan); Quebec (Charny, Limoilou, Quebec City, Rivière-des-Prairies, Saint-Lambert, and Shawinigan); New Brunswick (Moncton); and Nova Scotia (Halifax).

United States[]

The CN Police United States Headquarters is located in Homewood, Illinois with detachments in Illinois (Harvey and Centralia); Indiana (Gary); Iowa (Waterloo); Michigan (Detroit and Lansing); Tennessee (Memphis); Mississippi (Jackson); Louisiana (New Orleans); Wisconsin (Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Stevens Point, and Superior); and Pennsylvania (Greenville).

See also[]

Other private railroad police departments:

• Amtrak Police
• BNSF Police Department
• Canadian Pacific Police Service
• Union Pacific Police Department

References[]

External links[]

• CN Police Service