Empathy is an integral part of our human nature. It is a skill ingrained in us, but it can also be learned and improved upon. Explore ways to develop your empathy and be more successful in life.

Watch a TED Talk about empathy.

Being prepared and well trained to respond to a variety of emergency situations is a huge part of a security professionals job. Learn more about how you can protect yourself and others! 

Learn more about emergency preparedness and response.

Contact the agency you're interested in and ask about ride-along programs. You'll be riding with someone working as a police officer, firefighter or paramedic to see what they do and ask questions.

Ride with a police officer, firefighter, or paramedic.

Ask your school counselor about how to find JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) programs that you can join. 

Learn about teamwork and leadership in JROTC.

Explore the Federal Railroad Administration's website to learn more about what they do and what their principles are. Are you interested in working in this field?

Learn more about the Federal Railroad Administration.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to see details at a distance.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Transit and Railroad Police

Protect and police railroad and transit property, employees, or passengers.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Police Officers

Protective Service Occupations

Law Enforcement Workers

Prepare reports documenting investigation activities and results.

Monitor transit areas and conduct security checks to protect railroad properties, patrons, and employees.

Apprehend or remove trespassers or thieves from railroad property or coordinate with law enforcement agencies in apprehensions and removals.

Direct security activities at derailments, fires, floods, or strikes involving railroad property.

Patrol railroad yards, cars, stations, or other facilities to protect company property or shipments and to maintain order.

Investigate or direct investigations of freight theft, suspicious damage or loss of passengers' valuables, or other crimes on railroad property.

Examine credentials of unauthorized persons attempting to enter secured areas.

Enforce traffic laws regarding the transit system and reprimand individuals who violate them.

Provide training to the public or law enforcement personnel in railroad safety or security.

Plan or implement special safety or preventive programs, such as fire or accident prevention.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System IAFIS

Law enforcement information databases

National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database

Crime mapping software

MapInfo Professional

MapInfo StreetPro

Microsoft Outlook

SmugMug Flickr

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft Word

Web browser software

Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP

Police bicycles

Police motorcycles

Police patrol cars

Biological hazard detectors

Chemical hazard detectors

Explosive detectors

Metal handcuffs

Plastic handcuffs

Laptop computers

Mobile data computers

Pistols

Service revolvers

First aid kits

Filter masks

Automated external defibrillators AED

35 millimeter cameras

Multipurpose fire extinguishers

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

Every day

How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?

Deal With External Customers or the Public in General

Extremely important

How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions

Once a week or more but not every day

How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?

Very high responsibility

High responsibility

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a month or more but not every week

How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

Transit and Railroad Police

Overview

Career

What Transit and Railroad Police Do

Other Job Titles Transit and Railroad Police May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Transit and Railroad Police

Overview

Career

What Transit and Railroad Police Do

Other Job Titles Transit and Railroad Police May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Transit and Railroad Police

Majors Related to Career

Related Leaders