Bi-State Police
Police agencies with multi state jurisdiction are commonly referred to as bi-state police agencies. Bi-state police agencies operate in two or more states.
Officers of these agencies have full law enforcement powers and responsibilities in each state they operate in. This includes the power to arrest, enforce laws, conduct investigations, run traffic, write traffic citations, respond to emergencies, form mutual aid agreements, assist other agencies, testify in court, and more.
Railroad and federal law enforcement agencies share similarities of this attribute, as they operate in multiple states under federal and state law. [1] Federal officers accomplish this through the Assimilative Crimes Act and state laws, including cross deputization. [2] [3] [4]
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was the first bi-state agency to be formed. It was formed through an interstate compact authorized by US Congress after conflicts or interests between New Jersey and New York.[5]
An interstate compact is needed to form a bi-state agency, [6] [7] but some towns have formed their agency through state and local laws. Delmar Police Department of Delmar, Delaware and Delmar, Maryland is an example. Their authority comes from state and local laws.[8] There is no mention of Congress or an interstate compact.
Transportation Agencies
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, or PAPD, was the first bi-state police agency to be formed in the United States on June 1, 1928.[9][10] PAPD has an interstate compact and congressional consent. [11]
Officers are labeled "police officers" in both New York and New Jersey. Giving them full police powers in both states.[12][13] Officers are trained for both states during the academy. [14]
Delaware River Port Authority Police Department
The Delaware River Port Authority Police Department, or DRPAPD, has jurisdiction in Pennsylvania and New Jersey safeguarding DRPA/PATCO ports, bridges, and properties, as well as parts of the Delaware River.[15] [16] DRPA PD has an interstate compact, presidential consent, and congressional consent.[17]
Officers retain full powers throughout each state. Their patrol duties entail the same duties as New Jersey and Pennsylvania municipal officers. [18] [19]
Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department
Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department, or DRBAPD, has jurisdiction in states of Delaware and New Jersey. They safeguard DRBA properties, airports in both New Jersey and Delaware, the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and The Delaware River itself. DRBA has an interstate compact and congressional consent.[20]
- Officers
- Officers are assigned to a post that focuses on one state. This allows for officers to focus on one set of laws rather than both while contributing to the goals of the Authority. Regardless, officers are trained at the academy for both states and can work in either state. Officers carry full police powers in Delaware and New Jersey.[21]
Metropolitan Transit Police
Metro Transit Police Department has jurisdiction in D.C, Maryland, and Virginia. They are WMATA's transit police agency. MTPD was established in 1976 with congressional consent.[22]
These officers have full police authority in each jurisdiction they patrol, regardless of the crimes relevance to the transit authority.[23]
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department
City Agencies
Delmar Police Department
Delmar Police Department is the official police agency for the towns of Delmar, Delaware and Delmar, Maryland.
Delmar's police station is located in Maryland. [24]
Delmar Police department was form in 1954 with the consolidation of Delmar, Delaware and Delmar, Maryland Police Departments. Arthur Lenwood Godfrey was the first Chief of Police For both Delaware and Maryland towns. [25]
Delmar Police Departments authority comes from state and local laws. [8]
Officers are sworn by the mayor of both Delmar, Delaware and Delmar, Maryland. [26]
Delmar police officers are considered "Peace Officers" and carry full law enforcement powers in both Delaware and Maryland. This includes off-duty arrest powers in both states. Their power of arrest is statewide, but limited to felonies, violence, and threats of violence when outside of Delmar, unless they are on property owned by Delmar that is outside of its city limits or pursuing offenders of violations committed within the city limits. [8]
The Chief and all officers must be sworn and certified by both Delaware and Maryland. [27]
Texhoma Police Department
Texhoma Police Department is the official police agency for the towns of Texhoma, Oklahoma and Texhoma, Texas.
Texhoma doesn't have its official seal posted anywhere, but you can see faint visuals of it on officer uniforms and cars in pictures posted on its official police page on Facebook.[28]
Ardmore Police Department
Ardmore Police department is the official police agency of Ardmore, Alabama and Ardmore, Tennessee.
No formal information about the police department is public, besides their motto - serving two states and four counties.[29]
Union City Police Department
Union City Police Department is the official police agency of Union City, Indiana and Union City, Ohio.
The consolidation of Union City, Indiana and Union City, Ohio Police Departments happened in November 2023. This is when both official department pages changed their profile pictures from independent agency seals, including the state's signature, to a singular Union City seal, with the state boundaries of Ohio and Indian combined, and a star in the center to represent Union City.[30][31]
Colorado City/Hildale City Police Department
Colorado City/Hildale City Police Department is the official police agency for Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale City, Utah.
The police department was formed in 2013 by a type of mutual aid agreement called an intergovernmental cooperative agreement, or IGA. The agreement automatically renews annually, but either city is allowed to back out of the agreement at anytime with a six month notice. The authority for this agency comes from A.R.S 9-240 and 11-952 of Arizona, and 11-13201 and 11-13-202 of the Utah Code.[32]
- Officers
- Officers are employed by Colorado City and commissioned in Arizona as police officers. When operating in Utah, officers are granted the same authority that Hildale City officers would have if they had their own department. This means that officers must comply with Utah law, and only enforce Utah and Hildale law.
Defunct Agencies
Waterfront Commission Police Department
The Waterfront Commission had primary jurisdiction at NJ and NY ports in the New York Harbor Area.[33]
In 2018, the New Jersey government asked to exit the Waterfront Commission Compact, and in 2023 was granted this ability by the US Supreme Court. With this, WCPD lost jurisdiction in New Jersey and was disbanded.[34]
Railroad Police
Besides Amtrak, railroad police departments are state agencies with full law enforcement power and responsibilities in multiple states.[35] They share all the attributes of bi-state police, but there are some differences. Their power is granted by state and federal law, but they do not need an interstate compact to be formed. Depending on the state, railroad police officers may have as much power as any other officer in the state whether it relates to the railroad or not. [36]Federal law authorizes them to enforce the laws of any state where their company owns property regardless of state law.[37]
Some transit authority agencies, such as SEPTA Transit Police, may operate under this authority to ensure jurisdiction over the company's entire system.[38] "Railroad Railway" can be seen on the badge of each SPD police officer.[39]
Honorable Mentions
Federal LEO's
Federal law enforcement officers have the ability to enforce federal law anywhere in any state or territory under the jurisdiction of The United States government. They also have the ability to enforce state law, including traffic laws, in any state thanks to the Assimilative Crimes Act.[40] This is only allowed on or in the immediate area surrounding federal property including public roads, walkways, and even interstates that may pass through such as I-14 at Fort Cavazos.
In 2022, the Federeal Protective Service had 2105 total arrests, detentions, and citations which included state and municipal penal code violations. [41]
All crimes will be prosecuted in federal court when charged under the Assimilative Crimes Act.[42]
All federal LEO's have full or limited local authority in Washington DC. For example, United States Park Police has concurrent local jurisdiction with Metropolitan Police Department, often responding simultaneously.[43] USPP also holds primary jurisdiction of G.W Parkway in Virginia and sections of B.W Parkway in Maryland. Multiple federal agencies are given state law enforcement powers in Virginia thanks to § 19.2-12 in the Code of Virginia.[44]
Another common way that federal LEO's enforce state law is by becoming cross-deputized by states. This is common for preservation agencies such as the United States Forest Service, National Park Service, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service, but also includes agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, United States Postal Service, Federal Protective Service and more.[45] Officers are likely to be cross-deputized in multiple states when their post straddles multiple state boundaries, such as US Park Police on Ellis Island, US Park Police and Rangers stationed at locations such as the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, US Forest Service officers in national forests that are located in more than one state, and United States Bureau of Land Management officers.
These powers and responsibilities include responding to local emergencies, writing traffic tickets, arresting offenders, enforcing local law, investigating local crimes, and more. These powers vary by state.[46]
Officers that have been cross-deputized have discretion to choose where charges are filed. Crimes that violate both state and federal laws can be taken to either local or federal prosecutors.[47]
Mutual Aid Agreements
Mutual aid agreements offer agencies the ability to enforce the laws of another state. This is usually done under certain circumstances, but some smaller agencies may utilize them daily. It's more common in small twin/border cities of separate states which allows two cities to operate different departments but work together to achieve the same goal, including the ability to cross state lines to assist.[48] Texarkana, Texas & Texarkana, Arkansas are good examples of this as they share a police department building, jail, and courthouse, but operate different police offices.[49][50]
References
- ↑ "Did You Know That Railroad Police Exist In Minnesota + Wisconsin?".
- ↑ "Could abortion clinics be placed on federal land? Law prof who proposed it sees some risks".
- ↑ "Federal law enforcement officers; powers".
- ↑ "Deputizing Federal Law Enforcement Personnel Under State Law".
- ↑ "The page you're looking for can't be found - the Port Authority of NY & NJ". Archived from the original on 29 September 2006.
- ↑ "Interstate Compacts: An Overview".
- ↑ "INTERSTATE COMPACTS ARE FORMAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN STATES".
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Policy 1.2 Jurisdiction, Organization and Authority" (PDF). www.delmarpolice.com.
- ↑ "History". www.panynj.gov. Archived from the original on 2024-12-29. Retrieved 2025-01-24. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "About". www.panynj.gov. Archived from the original on 2024-12-29. Retrieved 2025-01-24. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Is It Time to Dismantle the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey?".
- ↑ "NYS Open Legislation | NYSenate.gov". www.nysenate.gov. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
- ↑ "New Jersey Statutes Title 32. Interstate and Port Authorities and Commissions 32 § 2-25".
- ↑ "Port Authority Welcomes 151 New Police Officers".
- ↑ "DRPA | Police Department | About the Department". www.drpa.org. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
- ↑ "Delaware River Port Authority Police Makes Promotions".
- ↑ "Statement by the President Upon Signing Bills Relating to the Delaware River Port Authority | Harry S. Truman".
- ↑ "Section 32:4-6 - Delaware River Port Authority police officers, N.J. Stat. § 32:4-6 | Casetext Search + Citator".
- ↑ "Corporal John Quigley Named DRPA Police Officer of the Year".
- ↑ "DRBA Police History | Delaware River and Bay Authority". www.drba.net. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
- ↑ "New Jersey Statutes Title 32. Interstate and Port Authorities and Commissions 32 § 11E-1.6".
- ↑ "About the Metro Transit Police Department". www.wmata.com.
- ↑ "Crime Statistics | WMATA". www.wmata.com.
- ↑ "Delmar police officer Keith Heacook declared clinically dead".
- ↑ "History | Delmar Police".
- ↑ "THREE DELMAR POLICE OFFICERS TAKE OATH OF OFFICE BEFORE CROWD OF CITIZENS".
- ↑ "Delmar chief: 'I couldn't think of a better job'".
- ↑ "Departments police cars, uniform patches, & badges include Oklahoma & Texas flags combined". Facebook.
- ↑ "Ardmore AL/TN Police Department". Facebook.
- ↑ "Union City, Indiana". Facebook.
- ↑ "Union City, Ohio". Facebook.
- ↑ "INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE TOWN OF COLORADO CITY, ARIZONA AND HILDALE CITY, UTAH FOR POLICE SERVICES" (PDF). www.hildalecity.com.
- ↑ "Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor - Police".
- ↑ "New Jersey State Police Assumes Control of New Jersey Port from Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor". 19 July 2023.
- ↑ "Union Pacific Special Agent Castaneda Protects and Serves in Eagle Pass".
- ↑ "Minnesota railways will soon be patrolled by licensed police officers".
- ↑ "History of CSX RR Police". www.csx.com.
- ↑ "Transit Police – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority".
- ↑ "Blackinton Model B1549-AV9 (SEPTA)".
- ↑ "Justice Manual | 667. Assimilative Crimes Act, 18 U.S.C. § 13 | United States Department of Justice". 19 February 2015.
- ↑ "Operations | Homeland Security".
- ↑ "Traffic tickets on base carry hefty penalties". 18 May 2011.
- ↑ "Jurisdiction and Authority - United States Park Police (U.S. National Park Service)".
- ↑ "§ 19.2-12. Who are conservators of the peace".
- ↑ "Utah Code Section 53-13-106".
- ↑ "FEDERAL CROSS DEPUTIZATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN INDIAN COUNTRY" (PDF). static1.squarespace.com.
- ↑ "Deputizing Federal Law Enforcement Personnel Under State Law".
- ↑ "Adventure".
- ↑ "Bi-State Criminal Justice Center Compact – National Center for Interstate Compacts | the Council of State Governments". 12 July 2024.
- ↑ "Bi-State Criminal Justice Center Compact".
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