The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department is the police agency of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Officers of the MTAPD are fully empowered under the New York State Public Authorities Law and are commissioned in the state of Connecticut. Its jurisdiction extends across fourteen counties in two states, covers approximately 5,000 square miles, including New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State and southern Connecticut, and serves a population of 14.4 million people. Amongst its many duties and responsibilities throughout the service region, the MTAPD provide police services and security to the two major Rail Transportation hubs in the northeast United States, Grand Central Station and Pennsylvania Station.

The department was formed in 1998 with the consolidation of the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Railroad Police Departments. Since 9/11, the department has expanded in size and has ramped up dramatically its counter-terrorism capabilities, adding canine teams and emergency services officers. On June 1, 2005 the 25-member MTA Staten Island Railway Police Department – which was responsible for policing Staten Island Railway – merged with the MTA Police. This was the most recent step in consolidating MTA agency law enforcement, and increased the total workforce of the department to 716, including civilians.

The MTAPD Commanding Officers Association (COA) was originally established on July 2, 1996 as a fraternal organization amongst the department’s higher ranking officers. In August of 2008, the association filed with the New York State Office of Public Employment Relations Board for certification as a labor union representing the ranks of   Captain, Captain Commander, Deputy Inspector, Inspector and Assistant Deputy Chief.

The COA was duly recognized as the negotiating representative of the negotiating unit by decision of New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) Administrative law Judge Philip L. Maier dated March 5, 2009 Case #5825 and certified by PERB on June 6, 2009.