SF1786 Summary

• Railroads employing railroad peace officers must appoint a Minnesota-licensed chief law enforcement officer to oversee them, subject to Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training approval before exercising peace officer powers.

• Railroad peace officers have full peace officer powers on railroad property for offenses involving injury to passengers/employees or damage to railroad property, except they cannot enforce railroad rules unrelated to criminal offenses or investigate civil litigation matters.

• The Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training may immediately suspend or revoke a chief law enforcement officer's license, which automatically places all railroad peace officers' licenses in inactive status and disbands the railroad's law enforcement agency.

• Railroad peace officers are compensated solely by their employing railroad and receive no state or political subdivision compensation or benefits, though they may attend training courses by paying reasonable tuition.

• Railroads are fully liable for all acts, errors, and omissions of their peace officers and must indemnify officers for civil damages, while the state and political subdivisions have no liability for railroad peace officer conduct.