# Transit Police



## TripleSeven

If there is anyone here from the Transit Police willing to answer some questions, please PM me. Thank you. 


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## Rogergoodwin

Anyone aware of any non-vets getting a card for the mbta?


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## Guest

Never heard of a non-vet getting in with MBTA. If I remember correctly didn't you say you scored like a 97 on the CS exam in the CS thread? I'm not sure where you live but municipal should be no sweat with a score like that especially with some of the scores being reported so far. There's people I see on twitter celebrating just "passing" haha

Hell with a 97 I wouldn't even rule out MSP


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## Rogergoodwin

jgraham11 said:


> Never heard of a non-vet getting in with MBTA. If I remember correctly didn't you say you scored like a 97 on the CS exam in the CS thread? I'm not sure where you live but municipal should be no sweat with a score like that especially with some of the scores being reported so far. There's people I see on twitter celebrating just "passing" haha
> 
> Hell with a 97 I wouldn't even rule out MSP


Well I'm not that smart because I didn't pick the msp. I only chose mbta and municipal. Idk know what I was thinking when I did that. Maybe I'll send them a $50 bill and see if they can add me to the list.


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## Guest

Rogergoodwin said:


> Well I'm not that smart because I didn't pick the msp. I only chose mbta and municipal. Idk know what I was thinking when I did that. Maybe I'll send them a $50 bill and see if they can add me to the list.


Well from my experience most, if not all, MBTA guys are vets. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I've come to understand. I'd say your best chance is municipal. Hopefully you live in a city/town that you like! haha


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## unexpo

jgraham11 said:


> Never heard of a non-vet getting in with MBTA. If I remember correctly didn't you say you scored like a 97 on the CS exam in the CS thread? I'm not sure where you live but municipal should be no sweat with a score like that especially with some of the scores being reported so far. There's people I see on twitter celebrating just "passing" haha
> 
> Hell with a 97 I wouldn't even rule out MSP


Where on Twitter are you seeing score conversations? Just wondering


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## Guest

unexpo said:


> Where on Twitter are you seeing score conversations? Just wondering


Just a twitter search of "Civil Service 2017" occasionally you'll see some MA people saying they passed the CS exam. It's mostly all Thailand CS exam tweets though for some reason haha

I didn't see anybody talking about scores though really. Just one kid who said he got a 95


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## unexpo

jgraham11 said:


> Just a twitter search of "Civil Service 2017" occasionally you'll see some MA people saying they passed the CS exam. It's mostly all Thailand CS exam tweets though for some reason haha
> 
> I didn't see anybody talking about scores though really. Just one kid who said he got a 95


Ahhhh, ok gotcha


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## patrol22

Transit seems like it could be a very interesting job but it seems like they don't have the greatest reputation for holding on to people. Anyone know if this is starting to change?


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## j809

Just remember that if you decide to leave the T for a municipal or state police job none of your time transfers over.


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## 9319

Say a Deputy gets picked up by the T, can he bring any time with him?


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## Rogergoodwin

Although anyone posting on twitter about their score


Javert said:


> Say a Deputy gets picked up by the T, can he bring any time with him?


No. Nothing at all.


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## 9319

Rogergoodwin said:


> Although anyone posting on twitter about their score
> 
> No. Nothing at all.


Jesus, that's sad. I'd love to be a T cop but that's a tall order to ask someone to toss away several years of time and benifits.

Is the retirement worth it at least in the long run?


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## j809

One great thing about the railroad retirement is that your spouse gets a pension too n top of yours. So if you retire with 75 percent, your spouse also gets a 37.5 percent. This is what some guys for T told me on a detail, which sounds pretty good. I also heard that MSP now, you have to do 20 or 25 years before any outside time gets added to that. There used to be a time where you did 10 years and only had to do 15 more for example.


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## Rogergoodwin

j809 said:


> One great thing about the railroad retirement is that your spouse gets a pension too n top of yours. So if you retire with 75 percent, your spouse also gets a 37.5 percent. This is what some guys for T told me on a detail, which sounds pretty good. I also heard that MSP now, you have to do 20 or 25 years before any outside time gets added to that. There used to be a time where you did 10 years and only had to do 15 more for example.


You can retire from the msp based on prorated time or you can retire as if you were group 4. So if you do 10 years as a sheriff and 5 with the msp, at 55 (or 57 depending on start date) you can retire as if you were group 4 the whole time. But there's no minimum you need to do with the msp to add your other time in.
What I'm not sure about is they used to have the 25year/75%. Not sure if they still have it.


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## Rogergoodwin

j809 said:


> One great thing about the railroad retirement is that your spouse gets a pension too n top of yours. So if you retire with 75 percent, your spouse also gets a 37.5 percent. This is what some guys for T told me on a detail, which sounds pretty good. I also heard that MSP now, you have to do 20 or 25 years before any outside time gets added to that. There used to be a time where you did 10 years and only had to do 15 more for example.


I think the railroad retirement is different from the mbta retirement. I don't think spouses get hooked up under the mbta.


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## Treehouse413

Yes railroad and mbta are 2 totally different retirements.

QUOTE="Rogergoodwin, post: 1013321, member: 32319"]I think the railroad retirement is different from the mbta retirement. I don't think spouses get hooked up under the mbta.[/QUOTE]


Rogergoodwin said:


> I think the railroad retirement is different from the mbta retirement. I don't think spouses get hooked up under the mbta.


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## Rogergoodwin

woodyd said:


> The below information is based on my understanding of the situation. I believe it to be true, but cannot 100% guarantee it. Please verify before making any decisions based on this.
> 
> As previously stated, Transit PD has their own retirement system, which no one else in the state is in- no other Cops, and no other MBTA employees (the non-Police employees are in different plans). No time carries over, in either direction. Also, for Veterans, I don't believe Transit has military buyback, which state/municipal does.
> As far as which plan is "better", there are a few considerations:
> -With Transit, you are in both the MBTA Police Association Retirement Plan (their pension plan), as well as Social Security. You need to pay into the pension plan based on your base pay, and into social security on your base as well as OT and details.
> -With State/Muni, you are in the state plan only, no social security. Also, you only contribute on your base pay.
> -Working for Transit, you will pay a lot more into the combined pension/social security over your career, but you will also be able to collect both down the road.
> -For Transit, I believe it's 25/55 to retire, with higher benefits if you wait longer. Not by any means certain of that though, maybe one of our Transit members can inform.
> -State/Muni is obviously Group 3 for MSP and Group 4 for local PDs
> -Overall, my personal opinion is that, in terms of retirement only, Group 4 with a municipality is a better arrangement than what Transit has. Granted you don't get social security for time worked as a municipal cop, but you'll pay less in total during your career, the pension seems better, and you can get a retirement job to get your social security quarters in and maybe start a 401k at a retirement job.
> 
> If anyone from Transit has a copy of the union contract that they'd be willing to share, I'd be interested. It does look like a very interesting Department, and I'd love to get on, but with my CS scores this round... let's just hope for 2019


It would be interesting to know what percentage of their base pay that t cops pay into their retirement. I was under the impression their contribution rate was much lower than state. Any idea?


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## mpd61

Spouses DO get a pension.........
T + Social Security will edge out any State/municipal group 3 or 4, bet on it.


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## Rogergoodwin

mpd61 said:


> Spouses DO get a pension.........
> T + Social Security will edge out any State/municipal group 3 or 4, bet on it.


Spouses get one under the railroad pension, not the mbta. Plus, imagine investing the 6.25% of your entire pay in a tax deferred retirement plan, instead of SS. You'd make out much better under unit 4. Especially after SS goes under anyways.
Group 3 isn't even up for debate. Msp pay is so high and group 3 is so generous, they blow t salaries out of the water, which translate into bigger pensions.


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## 9319

This might be a stupid question, feel free to open fire if it is...

Say someone gets called for the T who already has a full MPTC academy (self sponser, or already working else where etc..) Would the T make him/her go to Quincy?


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## Dustoff137

Are you talking in regards to being forced to attend the Transit Police Academy? No, from what I understand it's the same certification upon graduation just like any other MPTC backed police academy. Remember there are Municipal Police Officers that graduate from that academy every cycle as well!


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## j809

Javert said:


> This might be a stupid question, feel free to open fire if it is...
> 
> Say someone gets called for the T who already has a full MPTC academy (self sponser, or already working else where etc..) Would the T make him/her go to Quincy?


Yes. My academy classmate got layed off when he graduated from Abington and he got many cards because he got on the layoff list. He went through the MbTA process and they told him he would have to go to their academy again. He laughed at them and told them to pound sand as he graduated three weeks before from Weymouth. The town got the money and he was back at work a few months later.

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## Rogergoodwin

Javert said:


> This might be a stupid question, feel free to open fire if it is...
> 
> Say someone gets called for the T who already has a full MPTC academy (self sponser, or already working else where etc..) Would the T make him/her go to Quincy?


No. I believe it's only Boston and msp that require their own specific academy.


j809 said:


> Yes. My academy classmate got layed off when he graduated from Abington and he got many cards because he got on the layoff list. He went through the MbTA process and they told him he would have to go to their academy again. He laughed at them and told them to pound sand as he graduated three weeks before from Weymouth. The town got the money and he was back at work a few months later.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You sure about that?


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## JD02124

Rogergoodwin said:


> No. I believe it's only Boston and msp that require their own specific academy.
> 
> You sure about that?


I'd say"Yes. My academy classmate" might be a reliable source?


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## civservice2017

Does MBTA disqualify for having a disability rating too high? Say 50%


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## Edmizer1

This has been challenged and won by at least one officer but I don't remember the PD, it might have been MBTA or Worcester if I remember. I remember the basic ruling was that if a PD routinely accepts MPTC certified officers, they cannot suddenly require specific training for specific candidates. I remember the case was from a currently employed full-time municipal officer that got hired off the regular CS test for another PD who them told him that he needed to attend another recruit academy in order to get hired. 

Years ago I used to hear about the old Boston Municipal Police officers who sometimes attended the BPD academy with regular BPD recruits. I'd hear about muni officers getting hired by BPD while they were in the current BPD academy as a muni. BPD would make them attend the next academy as a BPD recruit. They would graduate and start the same academy a couple of weeks later.


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## Bloodhound

Edmizer1 said:


> This has been challenged and won by at least one officer but I don't remember the PD, it might have been MBTA or Worcester if I remember. I remember the basic ruling was that if a PD routinely accepts MPTC certified officers, they cannot suddenly require specific training for specific candidates. I remember the case was from a currently employed full-time municipal officer that got hired off the regular CS test for another PD who them told him that he needed to attend another recruit academy in order to get hired.
> 
> Years ago I used to hear about the old Boston Municipal Police officers who sometimes attended the BPD academy with regular BPD recruits. I'd hear about muni officers getting hired by BPD while they were in the current BPD academy as a muni. BPD would make them attend the next academy as a BPD recruit. They would graduate and start the same academy a couple of weeks later.


BPD still does this.


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## JD02124

Edmizer1 said:


> This has been challenged and won by at least one officer but I don't remember the PD, it might have been MBTA or Worcester if I remember. I remember the basic ruling was that if a PD routinely accepts MPTC certified officers, they cannot suddenly require specific training for specific candidates. I remember the case was from a currently employed full-time municipal officer that got hired off the regular CS test for another PD who them told him that he needed to attend another recruit academy in order to get hired.
> 
> Years ago I used to hear about the old Boston Municipal Police officers who sometimes attended the BPD academy with regular BPD recruits. I'd hear about muni officers getting hired by BPD while they were in the current BPD academy as a muni. BPD would make them attend the next academy as a BPD recruit. They would graduate and start the same academy a couple of weeks later.


I would have just taken the full time academy and went somewhere else when they were disbanded. Thats insane . . .


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## USAF3424

Bloodhound said:


> BPD still does this.


Not everyone but 99%. If you have a big enough dime......


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## mrdavch

Heard over in the CS thread they sent out vacancy notices for the new list. Anyone know how many they are trying to hire?


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## Kilvinsky

A former co-worker of mine was called by Medford. Keep in mind this was in the mid 90s, things may have changed. He went to Medford and was told, that regardless of having graduated from a full academy only a few years prior, he HAD to attend their academy. He declined, stayed with us a few year and then beat feet to LAPD.

He ended up miserable there, but since my chief wouldn't take him back, he stuck it out. I feel he was MUCH better off.


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## felony

In 2013 Transit took laterals. On the job posting, it stated the following:
*Preference will be given to candidates who possess the following:*
Associates degree (or higher);

Two years full-time policing; and

Graduate of the MBTA Transit Police Academy;


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## Danusmc0321

They don't require you attend their academy for a lateral. Two of my coworkers from my muni did it. They have an in house program set up for laterals.


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## Rogergoodwin

JD02124 said:


> I'd say"Yes. My academy classmate" might be a reliable source?


Just wondering because the majority of misinformation on this site comes from "my buddy told me". Especially considering his response of "pound sand", he might have been trying to save face after a rejection, because I know MBTA accepts laterals.


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## Danusmc0321

j809 said:


> Yes. My academy classmate got layed off when he graduated from Abington and he got many cards because he got on the layoff list. He went through the MbTA process and they told him he would have to go to their academy again. He laughed at them and told them to pound sand as he graduated three weeks before from Weymouth. The town got the money and he was back at work a few months later.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It honestly wouldn't suprise me if he was told this, its not true, but Transit plays a lot of games with their CS list.


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## LA Copper

Kilvinsky said:


> A former co-worker of mine was called by Medford. Keep in mind this was in the mid 90s, things may have changed. He went to Medford and was told, that regardless of having graduated from a full academy only a few years prior, he HAD to attend their academy. He declined, stayed with us a few year and then beat feet to LAPD.
> 
> He ended up miserable there, but since my chief wouldn't take him back, he stuck it out. I feel he was MUCH better off.


Hi Kilv,

Do you remember his name? I'm wondering if he's still with us. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to put it on here.


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## j809

Roger, he did tell MBTA to pound sand, he was offered many jobs while he was layed off but decided to stay on unemployment because the town told him they'd get the money in a couple of months. That's what they told him in 2002. 

Also an officer that worked for a non civil service town that just graduated the Reading Academy about 8 years ago worked for a non civil service PD and Lynn PD called him and made him go through the full time academy again, Reading Academy again, because that was their rule and how they determine seniority. 


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