Transportation Authority Police

What you will do:	You will protect and police railroad and transit property, as well as employees and passengers. Some specific tasks you will be asked to complete include: Examine credentials of people entering secured areas Examine cargo for evidence of pilfering and check validity of cargo records Guard facilities to protect property and cargo Investigate crimes in the port area, and work in conjunction with local police as needed Plan and execute drills dealing with emergencies such as fires and prepare for accident prevention
Knowledge required for this job:	Understanding policies and procedures that protect and secure people, data, property, and institutions Laws and regulations governing transportation security activities An understanding the transportation organization you are hired to protect, including its relation to the overall transportation system How to communicate effectively with staff and the general public using appropriate telecommunication systems
Skills required for this job:	Good active listening skills Logically consider various alternative solutions to a problem and evaluate the consequences of each Ability to communicate with others and make yourself readily understood Ability to understand different written materials, including governing documents such as executive orders and relevant legal documents
What education you need:	Most transit authority police have at least some college experience. About half (49.6%) of people ages 25-44 who currently hold this kind of job have had some college experience. Just over 30% (30.4%) have a bachelor's degree. 20% have a high school diploma or lower.
Salary:	Nationally, people working in this job earn between $14.88 and $35.30 an hour. In Maryland, the pay scale ranges from $18.31 - $30.69 an hour. (Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) 2007)
Future job prospects	Nationally, all transit authority police jobs are expected to increase from 4,800 positions in 2004 to 5,200 in 2014. (+9%) There is no Maryland data about this position because of federal privacy standards.

According to the Maryland Commission on Higher Education, training for this career is available through these resources:

Keyword: MARYLAND PORT AUTHORITY POLICE located the police academy program.
Keyword: US COAST GUARD located the military academy program.
Keyword: HOMELAND SECURITY located the 2- and 4- year programs.

The Maryland Career Clusters help students prepare for their future education and careers while they are in high school. The job of Maryland Transportation Authority Police is part of the Human Resource Services Career Cluster in the core area of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services.

You can explore other careers in the Human Resource Services Career Cluster here.