G en. 51] 51
CRI M I NAL P ROCE DURE
T RA NS PORT AT I ON A UT HORI T Y

– E X ECUTI V E O RD E R

– T RA NS PORT AT I ON A UT HORI T Y P OLI CE M A Y P AT ROL M ARC R AI L ROA D T RA I NS AN D S T AT I ONS

J une 14, 2007
M r
. R onald L. Fr eeland E xecuti ve Sec retary Ma ry la n d

T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rity
Y o u h a v e a sk e d w h e th e r M a ry lan d T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rity P oli ce m aybe assi gn ed to pat rol M A R C rai l road t rai ns and st at i on s, i ncludi ng A m t rak st at i on s. A s s etfor t h i n gr eat erdet ai l bel ow , St ate law al l ow s fort he j ur i s di ct i on of the Tra ns por t at i on A ut hor i t y Pol i ce t o be ext ended by or derof the G overnor
. A 2004 exec ut ive or derdi r ect ed the T r ans por t at i on A ut hor i t y Pol i ce t o exer ci s e pol i ce pow er s t o pr ot ect publ i cl yow ned and c om m on carr i er“tr ans por t at i on as set s ” – a p h r a s e t h a t i n c l u d e s M ARC t r a i n s a n d s t a t i o n s s e r v e d byM ARC tr ains

. T h u s, in o u r op inion , T ran sp o rt ati o n A uthor i typ o li ce o ff icers m aybe as s i gned t o patr ol M A R C t r ai ns and s t at ion s in M ary l and, i ncl u di ng A m t r ak s t at i ons s erved byM A R C t r ai ns
. T he T r ans por t at i on A ut hor i t yPol i ce mayent eri nt o agr eement s w i t h t he o th e r la w e n f

o rc e m e n t ag e n c ies th a t als o h a v e ju risd ictio n o v er tho se lo c a tio n s, in c lu d in g th e A m tra k P o lice D e p a rtm e n t, t o c o o rd in a te t heireffo rt s. I Backg r ound
A
. Mar

yland T r anspor tati on A uthorit

y Poli ce T he l i neage of t he M ary l and T r ans por t at i on A ut hor i t yPol i ce can be t r ace d b ac k to se ver al pol i ce f or ces t hatw er e cr eat ed beg inn ing i n t he mi ddl e of the 20 centur yt o patr ol var i ous th t r ans por t at i on fa cil it i es i n M ary l and – i ncl udi ng t he St at e R oads C om m i s s i on B r i dge G uar ds , t he H arborT unnel Speci al Pol i ce, t he M ary l and Por tA ut hor i t ySpeci al Pol i ce, t he St at e A vi at i on A d m in is tr a tio n P o lic e , a n d o th e rs
. See M dT A Pol i ce M i l es t ones at <h t t p : / / ww w. md t a
. s t a t e
. md. u s / mdt a / s e r v l e t / d i s p a t c h Se r v l e t ?u r l =/ Pol i ce/pol i ceM ai n.j s p>. B y1998, t hes e var i ous l aw enfor cement5 2 [92 O p . A tt’ y

The expanded jurisdiction under theseparticula r provisions does 1 not ext end to hi ghway s or “other public proper

ty or waterwa

y open for public conveyance .” TR §4-208(b) (2)( i). agenc i es had al l been abs orbed i nt o w hat i s now know n as t he M a ryla n d T ra n s p o rt a tio n A u th o ri ty P o lic e
. I d.
C ur r ent l y , underSt at e l aw, th e Tr a n s por t at i on A ut hor i t yPol i ce m ayexer ci s e pol i ce pow er s on pr oper t y “ow ned, l eas ed, oroper at ed b y o ru n d e rt h e c o n t r o l o f t h e M a r yl a n d T r a n s p o r t a t i o n A u t h o r i t y, M ary la n d A v ia tio n A d m inist rati o n , an d M ary land P o rt A dm i ni s t r at i on. ” A nnot at ed C ode of M ary la nd, T r ans por t at i on A r t i cl e ( “TR ”) , §4- 208( b) ( 1)

. I ndeed, t he s t atut e dire ct s t he T ransport at i on A uthori t y P oli ce t o p rovi de p oli ce ser vices t o those three ag en cies. T R § 4 -20 8 (e).
In a d d iti o n , the ju risd ictio n o f th e T ra n sp o rta ti o n A u th o rity Pol i ce c an be ext ended t o ot her pr oper t y of t he St at e D epart m entof T r ans por t at i on, as w el l as t he ar ea w i t hi n a 500- foot p erim et erof a g e n c yp ro p e rty , if th e G o v e rn o r d e c lar e s a sta te o f e m e rg e n c yo r if nece s s ary“t o pr ot ectagai ns tactual ort hr eat ened phy s i cal i nj ur yor d a m a g e to S tate e m p lo y e e s o r S tate p ro p e rty o r as se ts” a n d c e rta in p roc ed u ral requ ir em en ts are sa tis fied

. T R § 4 -20 8 (b)(2 )-( 3 ). 1 F i nall y , and m ostpert i nen tt o y ou r quest i on , t he st atute pr ov i des:

(4) T he p oli ce of

fi cer m ayno texerci se [po l i ce] pow ers on anyotherpropert yun l ess: ( i ) En g a g e d i n f

r e s h pur s ui t of a su sp ec ted o ff

en d er; ( i i ) Speci a l l y r e q u e s t ed o r perm i t t ed t o do s o i n a pol i t i cal s ubdi vi s i on by it s chi ef e xecut i ve off

i cerori t s chi ef pol i ce offi cer ; or ( i i i ) O r der ed to d o so b y t he G o v ern o r. T R § 4 -2 0 8 (b )( 4 ).
I n 2004, t he G overnori nvoked the author i t ydel egat ed byt he L egi s l atur e i n T R §4- 208( b) ( 4) ( i i i ) t o expand t he j ur i s di ct i on of the T r ans por t at i on A ut hori tyPol i ce. T he G overnordi r ect ed, i n an execu t i ve o rder , as fol l ow s:G en. 51] 53

Those circumstance s include joint investigat ions with other 2 po lic ea g e nc ie s, sit

uatio ns wh e retheof

fi c e r i s rend eringa ssi sta nc eto another officer or is ac ting at the reque st of another officer and emerg ency situations. C P §2-102(b)(3) . In those circumstances, the offic er must be actingin compliance w ith the re gulations of the offic er’ s depar tment and must noti fy

cer tain local police of

ficials. CP §2-102(b)( 3)(ii), (c ). T h e M a ry la n d T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rity Pol i ce, w hi l e on duty , underthe author i t yof th e C h ief o f

th e T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rity Po l i c e , s h a l l , p u r s u a n t t o Sect i on 4- 2 0 8 (b)(4 )(i ii ) .

. . an d b y this E x ec u ti v e O rde r, have a l l t he pow er s gr ant ed t o a pea ce of fi cer and a pol ice o ffi cerof thi s St at e as pr ovi ded byl aw , hence for t h w i th expande d j ur is di ct i on and author i t

y t o pr ot ecti t s fac i l i t i es and ar eas of pr i m aryj ur i s di ct i on and t o en h ance the pr ot ect i on and sa

f et y of al lpubl i cl

y ow ned, com m er ci al , and/

or com m on car r i er tr ans por t at i on a s s et

s thr oughoutthe Stat e. T h e M a ry lan d T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o ritysh a ll adoptpol i ci es and pr ocedur es t o i m pl ement th e p ro v isio n s o f

th is E x e c u tiv e O rd e r a n d to ens ur e the s afe , eff

i ci ent , and coope r at i ve p ro v isio n o f

law e n f

o rc e m e n t se rv ic e s in i ns t ances i n w hi ch the expa nded j ur i s di ct i on and author i t yi s exer ci s ed i n t hi s St at e. C O M A R 0 1

. 0 1

. 2 0 0 4

. 2 8 B (M ay1 8 , 2 0 0 4 ) (em p h asis ad d ed ).
Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n Au t h o r i t yp o l i c e o f f i c e r s a l s o h a v e t h e s a me author i t yas ot herpol i ce of fi cer s i n t he St at e t o m ake arr es t s , conduct in v e stig a tio n s, a n d o th e rw ise e n f o rc e th e la w s o f

th e S tate t hr oughoutt he St at e i n s peci fi ed ci r cumst ance s au tho r i zed by s ta tu te o r w h e n a c tin g in f re s h p u rs u it. See A nnot at ed C ode of 2 M a ry lan d , C rim in a l P ro c e d u re A rticle (“ C P ” ), § 2 -1 0 2 ; see al so 89 O pi ni ons of

the At t or ney G ener al66, 70- 72 ( 2004) ; 89 O pi ni ons of the At t or ney G ener al1 5 8 (20 0 4 ).
B. M AR C T r ains and

Stati ons Si nce the m i d- 1970s , t he St at e has pr ovi ded the r ol l i ng s t ock for comm ut er r ai l s ervi ce i n t he M ary l and and e nt er ed i nt o oper at i ng a g re e m e n ts w ith v a ri o u s ra ilr o a d s to p ro v id e th a t s e rv ic e
. See5 4 [92 O p . A tt’ y

In addition, one station is owned by the City of Gaithersburgand 3 one station is owned by

the National Par

k Service

. H i s t o r y of M A R C at <h t tp : // ww w. mt a ma r y l a n d

. c o m/ a b o u t/ t r a n s i tp r o f i l e s / >. T hats ervi ce ha s o p er at ed undert he l ogo “M A R C ” s i nce 1983 a nd i s curr ent l y over s een byt he M ary l and Tra ns i tA dm i ni s t r at i on, one of the modal admi ni s t r at i ons of the M ary land D epart m entof T r ans por t at i on. T R §§2- 107, 7- 902. C ur r ent l y , t he M A R C s y s t em pr ovi des comm ut er r ai l s ervi ce fr om Per r yvi l l e and B al t i m or e ( and i nterm ediarypo in ts) to U nion S t at i on i n W ashi ng t on , D

. C

. Ital so pr ovi des s ervi ce f

r o m Fr eder i ck, and M ar t i ns bur g, W es tV i r gi ni a, ( and i nt erm edi ary poi nt s ) t o U ni on St at i on. M A R C t r ai ns s t op at42 stat ion s. M o st o f th e pa ssen g er st ati o n s serv ed b yM A R C tr ains are o w n ed o r l eased b yt he S t at e and op erat ed b yt he T ra n sit A dm i ni s t r at i on; fourof the s t at i ons ar e ow ned byA m t r ak, t he fede r al l ychart er ed and ow ned i nt er s t at e pas s engerr ai l r oad. 3
V a rio u s la w e n f

o rc e m e n t au th o rities h a v e ju risd ictio n w ith re sp e c t to M A R C tr a in s a n d sta tio n s. T h e M a ry lan d T ra n sit A dm i ni s t r at i on Pol i ce exer ci s e pol i ce pow er s on “pr oper t yow ned, l eas ed, oroper at ed upon, by , orundert he contr ol of the [M ary l and T r ans i t ] A dm i ni s tr at i on] , ” w hi ch i ncl udes r ai l r oad fac i l i t i es
. T R §7- 207( b) ( 1)

. H ow ever , t hat j ur i s di ct i on does notl i m i tt he author i t yof o th e r p o lice a g e n c ies , such as the M ary l and T ransporta tio n A u th o rity pol i ce, on s uch pr oper t y
. T R §7- 207( b) ( 2)

. T he A m t r ak Pol i ce D epart m enti s author i zed unde rfede r al l aw to p rov i de s ecur i t yfor p asse n g ers a n d p rop ertyo f A m tr a k

. 4 9 U

. S

. C

. § 2 4 3 0 5 (e). In a d d iti o n , law en fo rce m en t age n cies in th e jurisdicti o n s w h ere sta tio n s a n d tra c k s a re lo c a ted a lso m a y e x e rc ise p o lice p o w e rs in t ho se l ocati on s.

II
A n a ly sis
T h e G e n e ra l A ss e m b lyh a s d e f in e d b ysta tu te th e a re a s w ith in w hi ch a Tr ans por t at ion A ut hor i t ypol i ce of fi ceror di nar i l ym ay exerci se poli ce po w ers – esse nti al l yS t at e-operat ed tol l faci l i t i es, a irp o rt f a c ilities , an d p o rt f

a c ili ties . T R § 4 -2 0 8 . T h e sta tu te pr ohi bi t s offi cer s fr om nor m al l yexer ci s i ng pol i ce pow er s on ot her pr oper t y“unl es s
. . . [o] r der ed t o do so b y the G overnor
. ” TR §4-G en. 51] 55

Th eprov isi on

a llo wingfo r e xten sio n o f j urisdic tio n p ur su ant t o 4 a gub e rn atoria l orde r h a d b e e n a part of thestatut e s g ov e rningtheState Aviation Police and the Toll F acilities Police, two of the pre dece ssors of the Tra nsportation Aut h o rity

police, since1974. Chapter 665, §§2, 4, L aws of Ma

ryland 1974, then c od

ifi e d a t Article 1A, §42(b) and Ar tic le 4 1 , § 2 0 8 C ( d) , r e s p e c t i v e l y. 208( b) ( 4) ( i i i )

. I n acc or dance w i t h t hatdel egat i on, t he G overnorhas 4 iss u e d su c h a n o rd e r. T h a t o rd e r g ra n ts th e T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rity Pol i ce “ expande d juri sd i ct i on and author i t y
. . . t o enhanc e the pr ot ect i on and s afe t yof all publ i cl yow ned, comm er ci al , and/ or c o m m o n ca rri er trans p o rt ati o n asse ts th rou g h o u t th e S tat e .” COM AR 0 1

. 0 1

. 2 0 0 4

. 2 8 B.
W hethert hi s or dergi ves t he Tra ns por t ati o n A ut hor i t yPol i ce author i t yt o patr ol M A R C t r ai ns and s t at i ons tur ns on w hethert hey ar e prope r l y char act er i zed as “publ i cl y ow ned, comm er ci al , and/ or comm on carr i ert r ans por t at i on as s et s
. ” The or derdoes notdefi ne the term “tr a n s p o rt ati o n asse t. ” T h ere is no q u esti o n that M A R C ’s r ol l i ng s t ock i s “publ i cl yow ned. ” O t herr ai l r oad pr oper t yus ed for oper at i on of the tr ai ns , s uch as t he M A R C and A m t r ak s t at i ons , even i f not “publ i cl y ow ned, ” s ur el ycoul d be cha r act er i zed a s bel ongi ng to a c o m m e rc ia l e n te rp ri s e o r a c o m m o n c a rr ie r. C f. A nnot at ed C ode of M ary l and, Publ i c U t i l i t yC om pani es A r t i cl e, §1- 10 1 ( e) (d e f in in g “ c o m m o n c a rrie r” to in c lu d e ra ilro a d s ) . M o re o v e r, itis not abl e thatt he exe cut ive o rde r w as i s s ued i n t he s pr i ng of 2004 sh o rtly a f

te r te rro rist b o m b in g s ta rg e ted c o m m u ter tra in s a n d tra in sta tio n s in M a d rid , S p a in . U n d o u b ted lyth e o r d e r w a s in ten d e d to al l ow T r ans por t at i on A ut hor i t ypol i ce of fi cer s t o augm en t the exi s t i ng l aw enfor cementuni t s t hats erv e com m ut ert r ai ns and s t at i ons i n M ary l and.
W e under s t and that , att he t i m e the Executi ve O r derw as i s s ued, t he C hi ef of

t he Tra ns por t at i on A u thor i t yPol i ce c ons t rued t h e p h r a s e “ t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a s s e t ” b r o a d l yi n a g e n e r a l o r d e rt h a the i s s ued t o al l T r ans por t at i on A ut hor i t ypol i ce pe r s onnel

. G ener al O r der# 04- 20 ( M ay24, 2004)

. A m ong ot hert hi ngs , he cons t rued t he phr as e t o i ncl ude “any

. . . vehi cl e,
. . . convey ance , r ai l r oad,

. . . or othert rans p o rtat i on res ou rce, pu bli c or pri vate, i ncludi ng t ho se d e s c r i b e d i n T r ans por t at i on A r t i cl e §21- 101.

. . . ” TR §21- 101 defi nes a number of tr ans por t at i on- r el at ed t erm s , i ncl udi ng “r ai l r oad” a nd “r ai l r oad trai n. ” See T R § 2 1 -1 0 1 (p ), (r); s ee al s o T R § 7 -1 0 1 (j) ( d ef ining “ra il roa d fa cil ity ” to in clud e “ an yfa cil ityu sed in p rovi di ng rail roa d serv ices,” inc lud in g lo co m o ti v es, ca rs, an d rea l pro p erty ). T hus , i ti s cl eart hatt he age ncychar ged w it h ca rry i ng outt he5 6 [92 O p . A tt’ y

We n e e d n ot dec id e wheth e r every te rm in T R §2 1- 10 1 s ho uld 5 properly be conside red a

“tra nsportation asset” within the meaningof the Exe c uti veOrde r, a s th e rec an b elittledisputethat th eordin ary plain meaningof transp o rt at ion asset would enc ompass a railroad station or railroad train. E xecut i ve O r der i nt erpr et ed i t t o i ncl ude r ai l r oads and r ai l r oad tr ai ns a t th e tim e th e o rd e r w a s is s u e d

. C f

. A dvent is tHeal th C ar e, I nc. v. Mar yland Heal th C ar e C om m is s i on , 392 M d. 103, 119- 20, 896 A

. 2d 3 2 0 (2 0 0 6 ) (c o u rts s h o w g re a t d e f e re n c e to in ter p re tatio n o f sta tu te o r reg u latio n b y a g e n c y c h a rg e d w ith its a d m in istra tio n ); M ar yland Trans por t at i on A uthor i t

y v. K i ng , 369 M d. 274, 288- 89, 799 A

. 2d 1 2 4 6 (20 0 2 ) (sam e). 5
T hi s i nt erpretat i on of the Execut i ve O r derw as w el l know n. A n anal y s i s of the Tra ns por t at i on A ut hor i t y ’ s budgetpr epar ed by leg isla tiv e sta f

f f o r th e 2 0 0 5 se ss io n o f th e G e n e ra l A ss e m b ly r epor t ed thatt h e E xecut i ve O r derhad bee n i s s ued t o expand the ju risd ictio n o f

th e T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rityp o lic e w ith re sp e c t to t r ans p o r t a t i o n a s s e t s a n d t h a tt h e e x p a n d e d j u r i s d i c t i o n i n c l u ded “di s pat ch s ecur i t yand l aw enfor ce me n to n M a ry l and R ai l C om m ut er r a i l l i ne s
. ” D e pa r t mentof Leg i s l a t i ve Se r vi c e s , A na l y s i s of t he FY 2006 M ary l and Execut i ve B udget , 2005, J 00J 00 - M ary land T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rity , at p .4 ; s ee ht tp:// m l i s
. s t at e. m d. us / 2005r s /budget_docs / A l l / O per at i ng/ J 00J0 0

_ -_M ary land

_ T r ans por t at i on_A ut hor i t y
. pdf

. Fi nal l y , w hen mul t i pl e pol i ce a genci es have j ur i s di ct ion i n a par t i cul arar ea, i ti s a com m on pr act i ce t o ent er i nt o a mem or andum o f u n d e rsta n d in g th a t d e lin e a tes a d iv isio n o f l abo r and respo n sib ili ty a m o n g th o s e a g e n c ie s
. Cf

. T R §7- 207( e) ( s peci fi cal l yauthor i zi ng T r ans it A d m i ni s t r at i on Pol i ce t o ent eri nt o agr eement s w i t h other p u b l i c s a f

e t y a u t h o r i t i e s c o n c e r n i n g i t s r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s )

. We re c o m m e n d th a t th e T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rityP o lice e n ter in to appr opr i at e mem or anda of under s t andi ng, par t i cul ar l yw i t h t he A m tra k P o lice D e p a rtm e n t.

III
C oncl usi on St at e l aw al l ow s fort he j ur i s di ct i on of the Tra ns por t at i on A ut hor i t ypol i ce t o be ext ended byor dert he G overn o r. A 2004 e x e c u tiv e o rd e r d ire c ted th e T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rityp o lice toG en. 51] 57

Many MARC trains originate or terminate outside of Mary land 6

– i.e ., West Virginia or

the Dis trict of Columbia. You havenot asked, a nd we do not address, the police powers of Transportation Authority police of fi c e rs in t ho sejurisdic tio ns
. exer ci s e pol i ce pow er s t o pr ot ect publ i cl yow ned and c om m on carr i er “tr ans por t at i on as s et s ” – a phr as e t hat pr oper lyincl udes M A R C tr a i n s a n d s t a t i o n s s e r v e d b y M AR C tr a i n s
. Th u s , i n our o p in io n , T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rity p o lice o f f ice rs m a yb e a ss ig n e d to p a tro l M A R C tra in s a n d sta tio n s , in c lu d in g A m tra k sta tio n s in M a ry lan d

. T h e T ra n sp o rta tio n A u th o rityP o lice m a ye n ter in to

6 agr eement s w i t h t he otherl aw enfor cementagenc i es t hatal s o have j ur i sd ict ion ove rt hos e l ocat i ons , i ncl udi ng t he A m t r ak Pol i ce D e p a rt m e n t, to c o o rd in a te th e ire f f o rt s
. D ougl as F

. G ans l er A t t or neyG ener al
R o b e rt N . M c D o n a ld C hi ef C ouns el O pi ni ons and A dvi ce