Via Rail Police Service

The VIA Rail Canada Police Service is the railway police agency of the Canadian national passenger train operator VIA Rail Canada. The agency was formed in 2015 under the Railway Safety Act with Peter Lambrinakos becoming VIA Rail Canada’s first Chief of Police and Chief of Corporate Security. As the only intercity passenger rail police in Canada, VIA Rail Canada Police Service and Corporate Security plays a key role in ensuring the safety and security of intercity passenger rail in Canada.[2]

VIA Rail Canada Police Service
Common nameVIA Rail Police
AbbreviationVRCPS
Agency overview
Formed2015
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionCanada
Legal jurisdictionFederal
Constituting instrument
  • Railway Safety Act
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters3 Place Ville Marie, Suite 500
Montreal, Quebec
H3B 2C9
Agency executive
Parent agencyVia Rail Canada
Website
www.viarail.ca/en/travel-information/security

Authority

As indicated under Canada's federal Railway Safety Act, VIA Rail police constables are appointed by a Judge of a Superior Court for the enforcement of the laws of Canada and/or a province in so far as their enforcement relates to the protection of property owned, possessed or administered by VIA Rail Canada and for the protection of persons and property on their property.

VIA Rail Canada is mandated to operate intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada.[3] The police constables have jurisdiction on property under the administration of VIA Rail Canada and in any place within 500 metres of property that VIA Rail Canada owns, possesses or administers.[4]

Operations

The VIA Rail Police deploy at VIA Rail passenger train stations, along VIA Rail owned right-of-way, and on board VIA Rail trains to prevent security incidents and to exercise response and counterterrorism capabilities including events such as the 2013 Via Rail Canada terrorism plot.

VIA Rail Canada Terror Plot

On March 20, 2015, Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jaser were sentenced to life in prison for conspiring to commit murder for a terrorist group following a conspiracy to derail a train route operated by Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada, known as the Maple Leaf, running between Toronto and New York City.[5]

Canine Unit

The VIA Rail Police has its own canine unit and deploys vapor wake dogs to alert their human police canine handlers to the presence of threats. The police dogs can quickly screen large crowds and they can follow the trail of a scent.[6]

See also

References
  1. 10th Annual Law of Policing Conference
  2. "Blue Line - VIA Rail Canada Police protecting Canada's intercity passenger rail service". 2020-05-03.
  3. "VIA Rail Committed to Follow the Way Towards a More Accessible and Inclusive Future". CISION. 2020-06-25. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  4. "Railway Safety Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. 32 (4th Supp.))". Justice Canada. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  5. "Via Rail plotters weren't sick or addicted — they were evil, FBI undercover agent says". National Post. 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  6. "The 'Vapor Wake' Dogs That Protect the Thanksgiving Day Parade". WIRED. 2017-11-22. Retrieved 2021-01-03.


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