Transport police officer: keeping public transport safe.
Across Switzerland, over 190 transport police officers work to keep public transport areas such as train stations or means of transport safe and in order. Ensuring safety is also of the utmost importance at major events in which SBB is involved as well as during operational failures. You will interact with customers directly, boosting SBB’s presence and allowing you to intervene if necessary.
For us, ensuring safety and order at stations and on trains is our top priority – and no two days are the same!
YannickRuppen
Security dog handler/transport police officer, and Finn, German shepherd, love training with balls.
No two days are the same – working as a transport police officer is a challenging, but diverse experience. You need a well-balanced nature and high level of physical fitness as well as the ability to work flexibly and grasp things quickly. Thanks to a flexible work strategy, the two-person patrols reach the scene quickly and work closely with train crew and other police forces. They work in specialised departments, such as the specialist “Video&Graffiti” unit or “Genesis” task force. You will earn the trust and respect of customers by conducting yourself in a respectful and responsible way.
Strong mindset.
As a transport police officer, it’s not always possible to prepare yourself for certain assignments, such as accidents, deaths, emergency responses and criminal offences. This makes providing professional support, a strong individual mindset and a healthy social environment all the more important. A strong relationship of trust among transport police officers is also essential, as assignments at night or in extreme situations require you to trust each other blindly. In addition to all this, each day will bring enriching encounters with passengers.
Keen noses at work.
Dog handlers foster a close connection with their four-legged partners, treating them as they would their own dog. They plan their preventative patrol assignments independently after assessing the potential dangers.
Explosives detection dogs sniff for explosive materials primarily as a preventative measure, but are also used in suspicious situations to detect the presence of any explosive substances. In an emergency, explosives detection dog handlers make further checks, using technical aids to examine an item. If the item is found to contain explosives, you will cordon off the area and specialist police units will arrive at the scene. Harmless objects are taken to the lost property office. Explosives detection dog handlers are also trained as the first investigating persons for explosive substances.
As a security dog handler, in an emergency you may be required to take action during football games, surveillance operations, copper thefts or graffiti vandalism. Security dogs are therefore used during major events and to protect passengers.
“Practice makes perfect.”
Our transport police officers, trained according to Swiss standards, are continuously prepared for new challenges and equipped with the latest gear. To ensure their own safety and the safety of others at all times, all transport police officers regularly attend further training sessions. This includes annual shooting duties, self-defence courses and sessions on tactical thinking. You will regularly train for emergency situations as part of ongoing exercises, optimally preparing you for your wide range of different assignments.
The further training programme for transport police officers generally has one start date per year, lasts for 24 months and takes place at a renowned police academy in one of the three regions. Continue reading for more important information:
If you are interested in joining our training for police officers, you must meet the following criteria:
Be aged between 21 and 35
Be a Swiss citizen
Have completed military training school (for those required to complete military service; those not required to complete military service must provide justification for this)
Have successfully completed your studies with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training or equivalent education (e.g. school-leaving certificate)
Hold a category B driving licence (by the time of recruitment)
Provide a clean character reference and demonstrate sound finances
Minimum height for women: 160 cm; minimum height for men: 170 cm
Be physically and mentally strong
Foreign language or IT skills would be an advantage
Be proficient in touch typing (10-finger method)
Training programmes at the Intercantonal Police Academy Hitzkirch usually begin on 1 October each year. Applications are accepted between November and February.
The first step is to take the police requirements test (PAP) at the Hitzkirch Intercantonal Police Academy. Click here to find out everything you need to know and register for the PAP:
Once you’ve passed the PAP, visit our “Job Search” website to find our application form under the heading “Aspiring Police Officer”. To be considered for this position you will need to submit the following documents:
Cover letter
Standardised application form, filled out and signed
Certificate of participation in the police requirements test at the Hitzkirch Intercantonal Police Academy
Certificate of qualification including transcript of marks, certificates, further training
References and evidence of employment
Copy of driving licence, passport or ID card (front and back)
Debt enforcement register extract (no older than three months)
Criminal record extract (no older than three months)
On our “Job Search” website, you will find our application form under the heading “Aspiring Police Officer”. To be considered for this position you will need to submit the following documents:
Cover letter
Standardised application form, filled out and signed
Certificate of qualification including transcript of marks, certificates, further training
References and evidence of employment
Copy of driving licence, passport or ID card (front and back)
Debt enforcement register extract (no older than three months)
Criminal record extract (no older than three months)
Extract from Swiss offences and sanctions register (ADMAS) (no older than three months)
If your documents meet our requirements, you will automatically be registered for the police requirements test at the Centre Blécherette of the Vaud Cantonal Police Department.
Training programmes at the Giubiasco Police Academy usually begin on 1 March each year. Applications are accepted between December and the end of January.
On our “Job Search” website, you will find our application form under the heading “Aspiring Police Officer”. To be considered for this position you will need to submit the following documents:
Standardised application form, filled out and signed
Certificate of qualification including transcript of marks, certificates, further training
References and evidence of employment
Copy of driving licence, passport or ID card (front and back)
Comando Polizia cantonale Risorse umane «Concorso SCP/SAC 2019» Casella postale 2270 CH-6501 Bellinzona
If your documents meet our requirements, you will automatically be registered for the police requirements test held by the Ticino Cantonal Police Department.
If you successfully pass all of the preliminary tests, you will be invited to take part in an interview, undergo medical examinations (e.g. sight and hearing test, talk with a psychologist) and provide further clarifications (e.g. character reference).
If you meet all of these requirements, you will begin your two-year basic training as a police officer at one of the regional police academies. After one year, you will take an interim test to demonstrate your suitability (e.g. tactics, self-defence). In the second year, you will gain experience in different departments of the SBB Police, preparing you for all tactical and technical aspects of your assignments. Your studies will end with you successfully passing the examination and being awarded the Federal PET Diploma for police officers. You will then be sworn in and officially accepted into the SBB Police.
Benefits.
Salary during your training.
While training, aspiring police officers will have a fixed-term contract pursuant to the SBB collective agreement, Annex 1 “Staff in further training”. Gross annual salaries are between CHF 58,500 and CHF 67,600 (including expenses) depending on age at the time of joining.
Salary after training.
After the police academy, gross annual salaries will immediately increase to between CHF 73,000 and CHF 78,600, depending on age.
Social security contributions.
Compared with similar roles, social security contributions are above average. In addition, the provisions set out in the collective agreement offer transport police officers a high quality of life.
Special offers for SBB employees.
Our employees benefit from attractive discounts with companies throughout Switzerland – such discounts are offered for everything from insurance and fashion products to language courses and electronic devices.
Generalabonnement (GA).
All of our employees are issued a 2nd class GA travelcard – the only requirement is that they work at least 50 per cent of full-time working hours and have been employed at SBB for more than a year. Our staff also benefit from discounted rail journeys abroad.
As a transport police officer, you can expect a diverse and exciting range of tasks every day – there won’t be a single dull moment! SBB operates around the clock, which means you’ll be travelling throughout Switzerland on weekdays, weekends and holidays. Because of this, you speak two of the three national languages fluently and are skilled at using these on a daily basis.
Irregular working hours are normal at SBB – but you’ll also benefit from quiet ski slopes during the week, no longer having to go shopping during peak times and the ability to structure your free time more flexibly. Your work schedules are organised weeks in advance, giving you plenty of notice to plan your free time.
With us you can achieve big things and quickly take on responsibility. Your qualifications and dedication are crucial for our success, which is why offering a broad range of individual, specialist training and attractive employment conditions is so important to us. External courses, further training with other police forces and several days of internal training per year help us to meet the ever-growing demands of our day-to-day police work. In addition, we offer financial support and/or time off work to employees who wish to take part in external training programmes which offer benefits for both SBB and the employees themselves.
Being able to count on a robust team and great colleagues, even on challenging assignments, will instil in you a strong sense of trust. In your free time as a transport police officer you will also enjoy various occasions and events with your colleagues.
SBB Police fares.
The services of the SBB Police Operations Centre, available 24/7 for customers and staff, are included in the cost rate.
