What Agencies Operate in Two States?

 

*Jurisdiction()​

Current bi-state police agencies formed by an interstate compact include:

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• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (New York and New Jersey)

• Metro Transit Police Department (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia)

• Delaware River Port Authority Police Department(Pennsylvania and New Jersey)

• Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department (Delaware and New Jersey)

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Current bi-state police agencies formed by city/state laws include:

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• Delmar Police Department (Delaware and Maryland)

• Colorado City/Hildale City Police Department (Arizona and Utah)

• Union City Police Department (Indiana and Ohio)

• Ardmore Police Department (Alabama and Tennessee)

• Texhoma Police Department (Texas and Oklahoma)

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Notable railroad agencies (with a visible presence) that operate across state lines:

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• Amtrak (The United States)

• Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department(New York and Connecticut)

• SEPTA Police Department (Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania)

 

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Summary of Each Agency:​

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Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department:

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, or PAPD, has jurisdiction in New York and New Jersey. They are the law enforcement arm of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. On June 1, 1928, PAPD was the first bi-state police agency to be formed in the United States. It was done through an interstate compact agreement between the states of New York and New Jersey, and congressional consent. Officers are labeled "police officers" in both New York and New Jersey, giving them full police powers throughout both states.

 

Metro Transit Police Department:

Metro Transit Police Department, or MTPD, has jurisdiction in Washington, D.C, Maryland, and Virginia. They are the law enforcement arm of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. MTPD was established in 1976 with congressional consent. Officers have full police powers in each jurisdiction regardless of the crime's relevance to the transit authority.

 

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.[7] Their authority is statewide as officers retain full police powers throughout both states, but crimes unrelated to the Port Authority are turned over to agencies with primary jurisdiction. DRPAPD has an interstate compact, congressional consent, and presidential consent from President Harry S. Truman. 

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Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department:

The Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department, or DRBAPD, has jurisdiction in Delaware and New Jersey. They safeguard DRBA properties, which include airports in both Delaware and  New Jersey, the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and parts of the Delaware River. DRBA has an interstate compact and congressional consent. Officers carry full police powers in Delaware and New Jersey.

 

Delmar Police Department:

The Delmar Police Department is the official police agency for the towns of Delmar, Delaware, and Delmar, Maryland. The Delmar Police Department was formed in 1954 with the consolidation of the Delmar, Delaware, and Delmar, Maryland, Police Departments. Interestingly, Arthur Lenwood Godfrey was the first Chief of Police for both towns. Both departments consolidated into one department in 1938. Legal documents cite their authority as coming from state and local laws, with no mention of Congress or congressional approval. 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. The Chief and all officers must be sworn and certified by both Delaware and Maryland. This is done by attending an academy in Delaware and then an academy in Maryland.

 

Colorado City/Hildale City Police Department:

The 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 any time 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. 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.

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Union City Police Department:

Union City Police Department is the official police agency of Union City, Indiana, and Union City, Ohio. The consolidation of the Union City, Indiana, and Union City, Ohio, Police Departments happened on January 26, 2024. Contracts allow Union City, Indiana, police officers to exercise arrest powers and authority in the state of Ohio, in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code. Union City, Ohio, officers are sworn in as reserve police officers for the Union City, Indiana, Police Department, granting them full arrest powers within the state of Indiana. This gives each Union City police officer full police powers in both states.

Ardmore Police Department:

Ardmore Police Department is the official police agency of Ardmore, Alabama, and Ardmore, Tennessee. Their motto is "serving two states and four counties." Legal documentation showcasing their authority is not publicly accessible.

 

Texhoma Police Department:

Texhoma Police Department is the official police agency for the towns of Texhoma, Oklahoma, and Texhoma, Texas. Legal documentation showcasing their authority is not publicly accessible.

 

Amtrak Police Department:

The Amtrak Police Department is the official police department of Amtrak. Amtrak is government-owned by the Federal Government, making it a federal police agency. Amtrak police may be sworn in by states allowing them to enforce state law outside of the Assimilative Crimes Act. Amtrak may also be granted authority under state railway police laws. For example, Amtrak Police Officers have statewide jurisdiction in Pennsylvania, including traffic violations occurring off of railway property.

 

Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department is the official police department of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Officers are commissioned in New York and Connecticut and have police power.

 

SEPTA Police Department:

SEPTA Police Department is the official police agency for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. Officers are commissioned in Pennsylvania having full police powers. SEPTA Transit Officers operating outside of Pennsylvania are acting under state and federal laws governing railway police.