# Toll Booth Police????



## Guest (Dec 26, 2003)

Maybe someone can answer fill me in here. Whats the deal w/ Massport? I know they run/operatemaintian the Tobin bridge. But whats the deal with the Toll Collectors in a police uniform, I asked one of them if they where SSPO's and the guy said no, so obviously I asked then why the police apparell? he said he didnt know its just the unifrom they use, and at one time they where police but not any longer. 

OKAY :shock: 

I know Massport has its own PD, so I always assumed they rotated duties or they requested the Bridge for there permanent dutie assigenment.


Anyone here know anything about what the deal is over there?I'm Curious


I know the MassPike doesnt do this practice.


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## Guest (Dec 26, 2003)

I have seen regular toll collectors and then toll collectors with Massport POLICE badges. I've always been confused by this and asked a Massport Police Officer and he didn't seem to know.


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## michaelbos (May 8, 2002)

Ok, before I start, this is not written fact, but taken from pass exp working for a state agency. Many moons ago, I worked for a small Police agency for one of the state authority's, and they had toll collectors in one of their garages and the collectors had Police uniforms, have the agency patch with the word police and a agency badge that said police but has no police powers, they had multiple jobs. Providing security etc. years later when they did start their own little police force with authority, the work police was removed from the collectors badge and patch, but they still had the police type uniform.

The Commonwealth in the old days like their employees to look very offiical and neat, hence they used the work Police very lose. I know Mass Port also has thier police force and I always thought the sgt's of the collector was a SSPO in the old days and maybe still today. I had an uncle that worked transportation years ago for a state agency and he had a uniform, you would think he was a Major for the State Police.

So more or less it's a carry over just from the way the Commomwealth did things and being an authority, it's like the Vatican, they control themselves.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

Yes.........

as Artie Johnson would say;
_*"verrry intehressting.......But Schtupidd!!!"*_

I myself have seen the Massport "police" badge on the Tobin Bridge toll collector's chests. And I'll smack anyone out there who asks who Artie Johnson is!
:shock:


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## Guest (Dec 26, 2003)

Private colleges with campus police departments (et al) can't use that state seal :lol: but toll collectors can wear a badge that says "police". :roll: 
Anyone else think this situation is retarted?


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## Guest (Dec 26, 2003)

mpd61 said:


> Yes.........
> 
> as Artie Johnson would say;
> _*"verrry intehressting.......But Schtupidd!!!"*_
> ...


Who's Artie Johnson?.............................DOH :L: Just Kidding


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## Guest (Dec 26, 2003)

Seagull said:


> Private colleges with campus police departments (et al) can't use that state seal :lol: but toll collectors can wear a badge that says "police". :roll:
> Anyone else think this situation is retarted?


RETARDED? you say, thats an understatment, whats more retarded who be someone getting charged w/ misuse of the state seal.Or havign a MassPort Toll Collector coming out of the booth to arrest someone for being a vagrent because they dont have there toll $.

Has anyone ever heard the Adam Sandler skit w/ toll booth willy?

" I'm coming out of the BOOOOth"


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## Officer Dunngeon (Aug 16, 2002)

Seriously, who is Artie Johnson?

"Welcome to Worcestah... a dollah twenty-five please!"

While driving through NYC, I seem to remember police officers collecting the tolls there.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

Officer Dunngeon said:


> Seriously, who is Artie Johnson?
> 
> ".


Forget it Dunngie! You're Wayyyyy to young to remember _*Laugh-in!*_


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2003)

Officer Dunngeon said:


> While driving through NYC, I seem to remember police officers collecting the tolls there.


In worcester???? really at a MassPike toll booth? I never saw that before.

I wonder if this is going to be a new trend or a new dept.

the MTB-PD aka "Mass Toll Booth Polce Dept".

Lets see, cops in Toll Booths,doesnt sound appealing.


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## Officer Dunngeon (Aug 16, 2002)

No, the Worcester thing was from the Toll Booth Willy bit. In NYC, I think they had Port Authority officers collecting the tolls... I may be wrong though. They definately had NYPD-ish style patches and were armed.

I remember Laugh In... Sock it to me! Ok, ok, now I know who you're talking about. :wink:


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## dekk (May 15, 2002)

NYC has the Triboro Bridge and Tunnel PD who are armed and police the bridges and tunnels that are intracity connectors (Queens Midtown Tunnel, Triboro Bridge, Whitestone Bridge etc) The Port Authority PD are also and armed PD and police all Ports of entry that are interstate connectors to NYC (i.e. George Washignton Bridge, Ouerbridge Crossing, JFK and La Guardia airports, the bus station etc...)


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2003)

dekk said:


> NYC has the Triboro Bridge and Tunnel PD who are armed and police the bridges and tunnels that are intracity connectors (Queens Midtown Tunnel, Triboro Bridge, Whitestone Bridge etc) The Port Authority PD are also and armed PD and police all Ports of entry that are interstate connectors to NYC (i.e. George Washignton Bridge, Ouerbridge Crossing, JFK and La Guardia airports, the bus station etc...)


This I can see, considering the volume of traffic and area which those bridges and tunnels span,although from the best of my recolection I dont think any of the toll booth collectors are police officers, I know they have a PD but I dont ever remember seeing a PO in a toll booth, only here in MA have I ever encountered that, not to say it isnt done else where.

My question is whats the deal w/ them being police here, the Pike Collectors dont do it on the only toll bridge in the state????


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2003)

Hey Dunngeon,

Don't some of the Boston Municipal cops do garage duty down the Army Base in South Boston on an overtime basis?? Sweet gig back in the day as I recall and good hours too.

Now that Joe Lawless (ex-member of the French &amp; Electric Blue) is relegated to Head Of Security for Ports &amp; Piers for Massport, does he have any police authority at all? I do recall last month he and some civilian stopped some dope from doing a "Charles Stuart" off the bridge. Maybe the guy couldn't take the toll increase. Who knows?

Dekk,

The NY TBTA Police / toll collectors are only armed if they are Sergeants and above. They are responsible for taking the money from the booths, hence the sidearm.

The NY/NJ PAPD have been armed since their inception way back in the 1930's. They have dual state jurisdiction 90 miles from Gotham in every direction. They also serve a couple airports and train stations in and around NYC. 

On a related matter, can anyone tell me who those MBTA guys are who drive that huge armored car and collect tokens and $$ from the train stations? They are dressed like regular T bus drivers but wear either a .38 or a .357 on thei hip. Where's T-Cop4Life when you need him??


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## MatchStick (Apr 1, 2003)

The MBTA token collectors are out gunned by the twelve year old students on the Orange line.


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## MVS (Jul 2, 2003)

Seagull


> Private colleges with campus police departments (et al) can't use that state seal but toll collectors can wear a badge that says "police".
> Anyone else think this situation is retarted?


I've seen Private Campus PD's badges with the state seal....


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2003)

RPD931 said:


> I've seen Private Campus PD's badges with the state seal....


That doesnt mean its legit, hence read the topic about the state seal.

http://www.masscops.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2917


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## MVS (Jul 2, 2003)

What if they are Sworn Deputies?


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## SRRerg (Sep 19, 2003)

The T guys dressed like bus drivers are for lack of a better explanation, The MBTA's in-house armored car service. They have no police powers. They take the money from the buses, trolleys and booths to a central location, where it is counted sorted, and apparently pocketed by a few less than honest counters.


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2003)

RPD931 said:


> What if they are Sworn Deputies?


then it would be ok, however there not. Again from the best of my knowledge the Massport Authority Public Safety ( as there vehicles are labeled) aka police are sworn under 22c (SSPO).

Now yesterday I went over the Tobin again ( as almost a dailey routine) so I asked again if they are part of Assport police 
( I say Assport because there raising the the Bridge toll to $3.00 :evil: and for those that use it almost everyday that sucks). The answer I got was an absoulute no and the toll collector also expressed her wish to be apart of the Police.

I'm just curious why they dress them that way if there not COPS, seems kind of ridiculious, and unsafe, just my :2c:

I was kind of hoping someone on the board worked over there and could explain.


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2003)

SRRerg said:


> They take the money from the buses, trolleys and booths to a central location, where it is counted sorted, and apparently pocketed by a few less than honest counters.


WOW, Remember that scandal? That was awhile ago ( not to say its not happening still)

Which sparks my memory about another T practice, remember the inspectors and chief inspectors had police badges on there white shirts w/ blue MBTA inspector patch ( they still use the same patch) just minus the badge. I remember seeing there badges it said Street and Railway on the top. I think they stopped that practice sometime back in the late 80's early 90's. I remember that becuase I always thought they where cops, I used to work thereback in 87 and I remember seeing that badge.

I wonder if they ever had Police powers?


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## Mortal knight (Jun 17, 2003)

Just to add to the list of "dress like cops" list; Lowell Armour Car. I believe they wear the standard Mass badge, not sure if they have the state seal or not. Wells Fargo actually look like Sheriffs from some ass backwards town in Vermont :rofl:[/b]


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