View source for Highway patrol

{{Short description|Police unit}}
{{other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2008}}
[[File:Motorcycle patrol officer along San Tomas Expressway, Santa Clara, California - 20060224.png|thumb|A [[California Highway Patrol]] [[Police motorcycle|motorcycle officer]] along the [[San Tomas Expressway]] through [[Santa Clara, California|Santa Clara]], [[California]]]]
A '''highway patrol''' is a [[police]] unit, detail, or [[law enforcement agency]] created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing [[traffic safety]] [[Regulatory compliance|compliance]] on [[road]]s and [[highway]]s within a jurisdiction. They are also referred to in many countries as [[traffic police]], although in other countries this term is more commonly used to refer to foot officers on point duty who control traffic at junctions.

[[File:Police Car Missouri Highway Patrol (15177420427).jpg|thumb|a [[Missouri]] highway patrol car]]

==Functions==
Duties of highway patrols or traffic police may include the following:
*Accident investigation: Gathering evidence to determine the cause of a roadway [[accident]].
*Commercial vehicle enforcement: Enforcing highway laws related to commercial transport, including weight limits and hazardous materials rules.
*Education: Providing public information, handouts, and displays to encourage safe driving and usage of the roads.
*Emergency response: Securing the scene of a traffic accident by using cones and flares as well as providing [[first aid]] to the injured.
*Law enforcement: Assisting local police in rural areas, and keeping an eye out for non-traffic violations.
*Maintenance: Observing and reporting damage to the roadways, and conducting hasty road surveys after disasters or the passage of inclement weather.
*Traffic enforcement: Enforcing laws and regulations intended to improve [[traffic safety]], such as speed limits.

==Argentina==
In [[Argentina]], traffic policing is the responsibility of the [[Argentine National Gendarmerie]].

==Australia==
[[File:2016 Holden Commodore (VF II) SV6 sedan, Western Australia Police (2016-11-12).jpg|thumb|right|Western Australia Police, Holden Commodore of the Traffic Enforcement Group]]
{{Main|Law enforcement in Australia#State}}
In Australia, traffic policing is the responsibility of the state police forces (with the notable exception of the [[Australian Capital Territory]], under the responsibility of the [[Australian Federal Police]]). Each force has its own traffic sections, often a local section in each area and a statewide section.

==Austria==
In Austria, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Austrian Federal Police]].

==Belgium==
[[File:Walcourt - Tour de la province de Namur, étape 3, 7 août 2015, arrivée (A45).JPG|thumb|Audi patrol car from the [[Belgian Federal Police]]'s Roads and Highways Unit]]
In Belgium, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the Wegpolitie - Police de la Route (WPR) a section of the [[Federal Police (Belgium)|Federal Police]] (former [[Gendarmerie (Belgium)|Gendarmerie]]).
* [[:nl:Wegpolitie|Wiki page about the WPR (in Dutch)]]

==Brazil==
[[File:Com_radares_portáteis,_equipe_da_PRF_fiscaliza_velocidade_na_BR-277_(34184626056).jpg|thumb|right|Brazilian Federal police patrol on the BR-277 highway]]
In Brazil, traffic policing is the responsibility of state and federal police forces accordingly to the highway administration status. State administered highways (usually shorter, within state borders, two-way, single lane, lower traffic) are policed by a branch of the ''[[Military Police (Brazil)|Military Police]]'' forces, called ''State Highway Military Police''. At the same time Federal highways and roads (longer, crossing state borders, some double lane and high-traffic) are the responsibility of the [[Federal Highway Police (Brazil)|Federal Highway Police]].

==Canada==
In Canada, traffic policing on highways is primarily the responsibility of the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]], except for in the provinces of [[Ontario]], [[Quebec]], [[Alberta]], [[Saskatchewan]] and [[New Brunswick]].  In these provinces, the following agencies are responsible for highway patrol:

*[[Ontario Provincial Police]]
*[[Sûreté du Québec]]
*[[Alberta Sheriff Highway Patrol]]
*[[Saskatchewan Highway Patrol]]
*[[New Brunswick Department of Public Safety]]

In [[Newfoundland and Labrador]], the [[Royal Newfoundland Constabulary]] serves only major metropolitan areas<ref>{{cite web|title=Constabulary Website|url=http://www.rnc.gov.nl.ca/|access-date=27 January 2012}}</ref> and highway policing is the responsibility of the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]].
In [[British Columbia]], provincial RCMP Traffic Services rebranded themselves as the [[British Columbia Highway Patrol]]. British Columbia Highway Patrol vehicles have their own liveries without the RCMP logo but unlike other highway patrol agencies, they are not a separate agency. Instead they remain part of the RCMP. In [[New Brunswick]], [[Inspections and Enforcement New Brunswick]] officers assist provincial RCMP officers with traffic enforcement as the RCMP dismantled all but one of its traffic units in the province. 
In 2018 [[Saskatchewan]] gave additional authorities to its commercial vehicle enforcement branch in relation to Criminal Code and provincial traffic offences and renamed the branch the [[Saskatchewan Highway Patrol]] to reflect its new powers. In addition to the [[Sûreté du Québec]], [[Quebec]] maintains the {{ill|Contrôle routier Québec|fr}} which enforces traffic laws in relation to commercial vehicles. The [[Northwest Territories]] has a highway patrol agency called the [[Northwest Territories Highway Patrol]].  It is responsible only for enforcing laws in relation to commercial vehicles.

== China ==
In China some provinces, including Sichuan<ref>{{Cite web |title=四川成立高速公路公安局，新设机构将如何运行？- 四川省人民政府网站 |url=https://www.sc.gov.cn/10462/12771/2017/7/10/10427759.shtml |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.sc.gov.cn}}</ref> have a separate Expressway Patrol [[Public security bureau (China)|Public Security Bureau]] which is under the administration of provincial Public Security Departments, however in most provinces such as Guangdong, the task of highway patrol is assigned municipal traffic police.<ref>{{Cite web |last=马娟 |title=中华人民共和国公安部令（第116号） 公路巡逻民警队警务工作规范__2011年第32号国务院公报_中国政府网 |url=https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2011/content_1992571.htm |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=www.gov.cn}}</ref>

Prior to its deactivation in 2018, the Chinese {{Ill|People's Armed Police Transportation Corps|zh|中国人民武装警察部队交通部队}} was tasked with maintenance, disaster response and security along highways in rural or border areas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=网易 |date=2023-09-10 |title=武警交通部队被解散后，却组建了5个交通支队，正军级变旅级！ |url=https://www.163.com/dy/article/IE23DB5U0543IAP6.html |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=www.163.com}}</ref>

==Colombia==
In Colombia, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Colombian National Police]], under the responsibility of the [[Highway Police (Colombia)|Highway Police]] corps.

==Croatia==
In Croatia, traffic police special department is the national motorway patrol, patrols the motorways in Croatia. Missions include the prevention and detection of driving offences.

==Czech Republic==
In the Czech Republic, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Police of the Czech Republic|Policie CR]].

==Denmark==
In Denmark, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Police of Denmark|Danish National Police]].

==Finland==
In Finland, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Police of Finland|Finnish National Police]].

==France==
In France, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of dedicated units of the [[Gendarmerie Nationale (France)|Gendarmerie Nationale]], the ''Escadron départementaux de sécurité routière (EDSR)'' and the [[Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité|CRS autoroutières]] of the [[National Police (France)]].

==Germany==
[[File:Autobahnpolizei Niedersachsen Fahrzeug.jpg|thumb|A highway patrol vehicle of the [[Lower Saxony]] State Police]]
In Germany, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Autobahnpolizei]] section of the [[Landespolizei]].

==Hungary==
In, Hungary, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the Hungarian National Police ([[Rendőrség]]).

==India==
In India, some states have formed Highway Patrol Divisions under their respective state police departments. such as [[Karnataka Police|Karnataka Highway Patrol]], [[Kerala Police|Kerala Highway Police]], [[Tamil Nadu Police|Tamil Nadu Highway Patrol]], [[Maharashtra Police|Maharashtra Highway Police]], etc. In states where there is no highway police system, traffic policing duties on highways are performed by the traffic police of the respective state police forces.

==Indonesia==
[[File:Indonesian traffic police car.jpg|thumb|An Indonesian traffic police highway patrol car]]
In Indonesia] traffic policing is the responsibility of the [[Indonesian National Police]]'s Traffic Corps. The Indonesian National Police Traffic Corps (''Korps Lalu Lintas Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia'' abbreviated "Korlantas Polri") oversees several units which regard to traffic policing including the highway patrol unit. It conducts activities such as traffic: law enforcement, management, control, accident handling and prevention, education, [[Police escort|escort]], and [[Police patrol|patrol]] in the [[roads]] of the country. The issuing of a driver's license is also conducted by this unit.

==Ireland==

The [[Garda Traffic Corps]], a specialised unit of the [[Garda Síochána]] (the national police force of Ireland) is responsible for patrolling the countries motorways and other national routes. They patrol using motorbikes, off-road/4X4s, and a mixture of marked and unmarked high-powered saloon cars.

==Italy==
In Italy, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Polizia Stradale]] section of the civilian [[Polizia di Stato]] and the Gendarmerie force of the [[Carabinieri]].

==Japan==
In Japan, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the {{Nihongo|Expressway Traffic Police Units|[[:ja:高速道路交通警察隊|高速道路交通警察隊]]|Kōsoku-dōro kōtsu-keisatsu-tai}}, operational units of the traffic department within each [[prefectural police]] agency.<ref>{{Cite book|editor=National Police Agency Police History Compilation Committee|year=1977|title=Japan post-war police history|publisher=[[:ja:警察協会|Japan Police Support Association]]|language=ja|id={{NCID|BN15987654}}|pages=934–1051}}</ref>

==Liechtenstein==
Despite the non-existence of motorways due to the country's small size, the [[National Police (Liechtenstein)|Liechtensteiner National Police]], the country's small national police force, is in charge of traffic matters.

==Luxembourg==
[[File: Luxembourg Stolzembourg Police Car.jpg|thumb|A traffic unit from the Grand Ducal Police, recognisable by the orange markings]]
In Luxembourg, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Grand Ducal Police]], the country's national police force, under the responsibility of the Road Police Unit (UPR - ''Unité de la police de la route'' / ''Eenheet vun der Verkéierspolice'' / ''Verkehrspolizeieinheit'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://police.public.lu/fr/votre-police/services-et-unites/upr.html|title = Police de la route | date=6 July 2020 }}</ref> This task was previously enforced by the defunct Luxembourgish National [[Grand Ducal Gendarmerie]].

== Malaysia ==
[[File:Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Police patrol car.jpg|thumb|Malaysia used [[Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X]] as a highway patrol car which called as "Helang Lebuhraya" in [[Malay language|Malay]] meaning "Eagle Highway".]]
In Malaysia, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility by [[Royal Malaysia Police]]. [[Road Transport Department Malaysia|JPJ]] also charged with the responsibility of undertaking registration and licensing of drivers and all motor vehicles and trailers in Malaysia.

==Mexico==
In Mexico, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Mexican National Guard]].

==Monaco==
Despite the non-existence of motorways due to the country's small size, the [[Law enforcement in Monaco|Monegasque Public Security]], the country's small national police force, is in charge of traffic matters.

==Morocco==
In Morocco, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of [[Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie]], the country's national [[gendarmerie]] force.

==Netherlands==
In the Netherlands, policing on the highways falls under the purview of the ''Dienst Infrastructuur'', which is one of the [[Landelijke Eenheid]] (national police services, as opposed to the regional forces). Their primary focus is to conduct traffic stops with the aim to detect criminal activities and to intercept weapons, money and drugs. Which can be used for criminal activities. further they work with agencies to prevent international drug trade. Within the ''Dienst Infrastructuur'' there is an organisation called ''FIT (Flexibel Interventie Team)'' they are an organization that specializes in tackling embezzlement and theft of cars and tackling drug transport via cars.

==New Zealand==
{{Main article|New Zealand Police}}
In New Zealand the Highway Patrol operates almost exclusively on [[State highway|state highways]] and is a subdivision of the Road Policing Team of the [[New Zealand Police]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/structure/teams-units/road-policing|title = Road policing teams and units}}</ref> The Road Policing Team includes many different Highway Patrol type policing teams such as the Strategic Traffic Units, Commercial Vehicle Safety Team, Impairment Prevention Teams, and Serious Crash Units.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Road policing teams and units |url=https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/structure/teams-units/road-policing |access-date=2024-09-19 |website=New Zealand Police |language=en}}</ref> Formerly traffic law enforcement was the responsibility of the [[Traffic Safety Service]] of the [[Ministry of Transport (New Zealand)|Ministry of Transport]]. The MOT had no law enforcement authority beyond traffic. The MOT merged with the Police in 1992 and the Highway Patrol was re-established as its own unit within the New Zealand Police in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.noted.co.nz/life/life-in-nz/when-traffic-cops-used-to-rule-new-zealand-roads/|title=When traffic cops used to rule New Zealand roads|last=Noted|website=Noted|language=en|access-date=2019-06-19|archive-date=2019-05-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504101333/https://www.noted.co.nz/life/life-in-nz/when-traffic-cops-used-to-rule-new-zealand-roads/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Norway==
In Norway, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of National Mobile Police Service of the [[Norwegian Police Service]].

==Pakistan==
In Pakistan, traffic policing on National Highways And Motorways is the responsibility of [[National Highways & Motorway Police]].

==Philippines==
In the Philippines, traffic policing on national highways and motorways is the responsibility of the [[Highway Patrol Group]] of the '''[[Philippine National Police]]'''. The Highway Patrol Group are responsible for intelligence, promulgating anti-carnapping campaigns and other road enforcements. In regards to traffic violations, the [[Land Transportation Office]] Law Enforcement Service are responsible for enforcing traffic rules and regulations both for public utility and private vehicles on national highways.

Furthermore, the [[Metropolitan Manila Development Authority]] is responsible for policing traffic rules around Metro Manila highways, particularly on [[Epifanio de los Santos Avenue]].

==Poland==
In Poland, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Policja]], the National Police Force.

==Portugal==
In Portugal, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Republican National Guard (Portugal)|Republican National Guard]].

==Russia==
In Russia, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of [[Main Directorate for Road Traffic Safety (Russia)|GIBDD]] section of the [[Politsiya]] and the Public Security Service of the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia)|MVD]].

==Spain==
[[File:Mercedes-Benz Vito Guardia Civil.JPG|thumb|A traffic unit from the Civil Guard, the country's national gendarmery force (operating in 14 of the 17 autonomous communities)]]
[[File:Seat Ateca dels Mossos 03.jpg|thumb|A traffic unit from the 'Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan autonomous police force, competent of the community's motorways since the 1990s]]

In Spain, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[Civil Guard (Spain)|Civil Guard]] (the country's Gendarmery force), except in the autonomous communities with transferred competences on traffic policing ([[Catalonia]] and the [[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque Country]]), where autonomous police forces ([[Mossos d'Esquadra]] and [[Ertzaintza]], respectively) are responsibly for this area. As of 2020, traffic policing in [[Navarra]] has been fully transferred to the local autonomous police force, the [[Policía Foral de Navarra]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-expulsa-guardia-civil-trafico-navarra-gracias-psoe-201912310138_noticia.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org|title = El PNV expulsa a la Guardia Civil de Tráfico de Navarra gracias al PSOE}}</ref>

==Sri Lanka==
In Sri Lanka, traffic policing is the responsibility of the [[Sri Lankan Traffic Police|Traffic Police]], a specialised unit of the [[Sri Lanka Police|Sri Lankan National Police]].

==Sweden==

In Sweden, traffic policing is the responsibility of the [[Swedish Police Authority]]. All Swedish police officers have the authority to stop drivers but it is only the police officers within the Swedish Traffic Police division who have the authority to clamp vehicles etc.

==Taiwan==
In Taiwan, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of the [[National Police Agency (Republic of China)|National Police Agency]].

==Tunisia==
In Tunisia, traffic policing on highways is the responsibility of [[Tunisian National Guard]], the country's national [[gendarmerie]] force.

==Turkey==
In Turkey, road traffic duties are carried out by Traffic Police under Turkish National Police and Traffic Gendarmerie under General Command of Gendarmerie in their respective areas of responsibilities.

==United Kingdom==
In the United Kingdom, traffic policing on highways is the traffic officers responsibility of the [[Roads Policing Unit]] of the [[territorial police force]], although patrol may be done by [[National Highways traffic officer]]s on motorways and similar roads.

==United States==
{{Main|State police (United States)}}
[[File:Utah Highway Patrol Vehicle .jpg|thumb|A [[Utah Highway Patrol]] cruiser along [[Utah State Route 150]]]]
Many [[State Police (United States)|state police]] agencies in the United States take the name of "highway patrol" rather than "state police". State police agencies may fulfil the role of highway patrol, and vice versa. For instance, the [[Arizona Highway Patrol]] is actually a state police agency, meaning that it is a police body having statewide authority to conduct law enforcement activities and criminal investigations. In addition to its highway patrol duties, it performs functions outside the normal purview of the city police or the [[County (United States)|county]] [[sheriff]], such as enforcing traffic laws on state highways and interstate expressways, overseeing the security of the state capitol complex and other state buildings, protecting the governor, providing technological and scientific support services, and helping to coordinate multi-jurisdictional task force activity in serious or complex cases. The California Highway Patrol serves as bailiffs and courtroom deputies for certain state courts, such as the appellate courts and the [[California Supreme Court]] building in San Francisco. The state traffic enforcement agency retained the name "[[California Highway Patrol]]" after the merger of the smaller [[California State Police]] with the larger and better-known CHP and the combination of their functions into one agency. On [[Long Island]], [[New York (state)|New York]], along with neighboring [[New York City]], an unusual arrangement exists in which the city and county highway patrols conduct everyday enforcement on the limited-use highways, with the [[New York State Police]] acting in a support role on the limited-access highways within NYC, especially when [[New York City Police Department Highway Patrol|NYPD Highway Patrol]] officers call for assistance or are unavailable due to limited manning and deployment elsewhere in NYC.

Some highway patrol organizations, such as the [[Florida Highway Patrol]], [[North Carolina State Highway Patrol]], and [[Tennessee Highway Patrol]], are specifically charged with the enforcement of traffic laws, and while able to enforce other laws, they are ''not'' an official "state police" agency, yet retain their statewide jurisdiction<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nccrimecontrol.org/Index2.cfm?a=000003,000014 |title=NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety |publisher=Nccrimecontrol.org |access-date=2009-06-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202214658/https://www.nccrimecontrol.org/Index2.cfm?a=000003,000014 |archive-date=2007-02-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in the same vein as the California Highway Patrol or the [[New Jersey State Police]].  States like Texas have a bona fide and appropriately named state police department such as the [[Texas Department of Public Safety]], of which only one arm is a highway patrol division.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dps.texas.gov/orgchart/OrgChart.pdf|title=Texas DPS Organization Chart|date=27 Dec 2017|website=www.dps.texas.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626045036/http://www.dps.texas.gov/orgchart/OrgChart.pdf|archive-date=26 June 2018}}</ref> In addition, the police departments of [[Boston]], [[New York City]], [[Philadelphia]], [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau]] and [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk]] counties in New York have highway patrol bureaus. These units have special uniforms for their highway duty- service caps with the wire grommet removed, giving the classic "crusher" look, leather jackets, riding breeches, riding boots, [[Sam Browne]]-style belts and lanyards for their service pistols. A privately compiled list of Highway Patrol organizations and similar [[state police]] agencies is available on the web.<ref>{{cite web|author=Terrance D. Martin |url=http://www.statetroopersdirectory.com/ |title=Official Directory of State Patrol and State Police |publisher=Statetroopersdirectory.com |access-date=2009-06-11}}</ref> The [[Iowa State Patrol]] maintains a list of phone numbers and cell phone dialing codes for non-emergency calls to the dispatchers of the Highway Patrol organizations in all 50 states.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dps.state.ia.us/ISP/information/emergency_numbers.shtml |title=Iowa State Patrol Division - Emergency Contacts While Traveling in Iowa |publisher=Dps.state.ia.us |date=2009-05-19 |access-date=2009-06-11}}</ref> These numbers are useful for motorists who want to report [[aggressive driving]], [[driving under the influence]], or other dangerous but not life-threatening situations that do not require a [[9-1-1]] call.

Highway patrol and state police officers are often referred to as a "state trooper".  Historically, a troop was a small [[cavalry]] unit. Many state police forces originated as mounted paramilitary forces who were stationed in [[barracks]] like soldiers, hence the term "trooper." Some agencies, particularly on the East Coast, refer to their state police offices as "barracks", although troopers generally do not reside there. Other state police forces, particularly highway patrols as in California, have always modeled themselves after police officers who simply commute to work like ordinary civilians. Like police officers, they use the title "officer."  Other states use the term "Patrolmen" in reference to members of the State Police or Highway Patrol.

Many states and their Departments of Transportation have organized government-run [[freeway service patrol]]s, Highway Assistance Patrols, or Highway Safety Patrols, to assist with highway emergencies as needed. While not law enforcement personnel, these persons provide free service to motorists in distress, and secure lanes of traffic, provide emergency medical assistance, request tow trucks for vehicles in inconvenient or dangerous locations, remove debris from the roadway after a crash, and resolve minor disabled vehicle problems, such as flat tires, jumpstarts, or pushing a disabled vehicle out of travel lanes. Many of these patrols work directly with the State Police and Highway Operations departments of their state, and respond to assistance when a citizen calls 911 for minor [[roadside assistance]] duties.{{Citation needed|date=September 2017}}

==See also==
* [[Traffic police]]
* [[Traffic warden]]
* [[State police]]
* [[Police]]
* [[Chief of police]]
* [[Constable]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{SPHPbystate}}
{{Traffic law}}
{{Types of law enforcement agencies}}

[[Category:Highways]]
[[Category:Law enforcement units]]
[[Category:State government agencies in the United States]]
[[Category:Transportation government agencies of the United States]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]

[[fr:Histoire de la police#Polices autoroutières]]