Crime and psos (railway)

[Roderick Smith]

If all routes used three-car Siemens into the evening, they could sit at one end and fire bullets.

Crime at railway stations skyrocket as calls grow to expand Protective Services Officer program.
Herald Sun October 29, 2016.
CRIME at railway stations is skyrocketing, with offences more than doubling at almost 30 stations compared with last year as calls have been made to expand the Protective Services Officer program.
New Crime Statistics Agency figures obtained by the Sunday Herald Sun reveal the top five stations for crime are Flinders St, Southern Cross, Dandenong, Sunshine and Footscray.
Between April and June this year 1629 crimes were committed at metropolitan railway stations compared with 1301 for the same period the previous year.
Almost half those crimes were committed outside PSO patrol hours. PSOs patrol the rail network from 6pm daily until the last scheduled service.
Former senior Victorian policeman and retired South Australia commissioner Mal Hyde recently completed a PSO program review.
It is understood a number of changes have been recommended, including a plan to move PSOs from quieter stations to busier ones.
“If the current crime rate continues to spiral out of control, including at railway stations, then a (Matthew) Guy Government will make any changes necessary to strengthen and expand the PSO program,” Opposition police spokesman Edward O’Donohue said.
“The Liberal Nationals Coalition would be very concerned with any attempts to weaken and wind back the current highly popular and successful PSO program.”
The PSO program is estimated to cost Victorian taxpayers $80 million­ ­a year.
With the Hyde Review completed, Victoria Police will soon advise the government on its recommendations.
Almost half the 1629 crimes were committed outside PSO patrol hours. Picture: Supplied
Victoria Police said the crime increase was due to thefts from vehicles and drug and weapon offences.
“The increase can be attributed to offences such as theft from motor vehicles in railway station carparks,” spokeswoman Sara-Jane Delaney said.
“This is an opportunistic crime, and as always, police urge people to always ensure their vehicle is locked and valuables are out of sight.
“There have also been increases in offences related to drugs and weapons. These increases are due to the presence of Protective Services Officers and police from the Transit Safety Division proactively detecting crime and protecting community safety.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville said PSOs were performing a “critical” role in keeping railway stations safe and making commuters feel safer.
“The evidence shows commuters feel safer knowing PSOs are patrolling the platforms,” Ms Neville said.
“They have been responsible for issuing over 61,000 infringements and are also working closely with local police on warrants and linking in on other operations and responses to incidents.”
Ms Neville said statistics showed an increase in crime because PSOs were proactive.
PSOs also provide 24-hour support on Friday and Saturday nights as part of the Night Network. The government has funded an extra 109 PSOs and 62 transit police to support the 24-hour public transport trial.
“The program is working and we will continue to use intelligence to ensure the most appropriate coverage­ across the network,” Ms Neville said.
There are 211 PSOs at metropolitan stations from 6pm until the last train each night.
More than 1300 PSOs work across Victoria.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victor ... fc4e8a5bac

Protective Service Officers should patrol trains, says Public Transport Users Association.
Moorabbin Glen Eira Leader October 30, 2016.
PROTECTIVE Service Officers should ride the trains and not just patrol station platforms to help combat crime, the Public Transport Users Association has said.
Spokesman Daniel Bowen said the current PSO operations could be improved if “PSOs could patrol the trains as well as the stations”.
“There are a lot of PSOs and they should be patrolling where they are needed to best fight crime,” Mr Bowen said.
He spoke out after a female commuter told a community crime forum increased crime in Melbourne’s southeast had made night time train users feel more unsafe than ever before.
Sue Coburn, who has travelled on the Frankston and Sandringham lines for more than 30 years, said she had never been more terrified on public transport.
Ms Coburn said while PSOs provided safety on platforms, there was no one to help on the trains.
PSOs are driven to their stations each evening rather than taking the trains there.
“It’s good having the PSOs there but there’s no way they can help you on the train when it’s moving,” Ms Coburn said.
“You see people who look angry, could be on drugs or acting irrationally and you’re worried they are going to hurt you so you either get off and catch a cab or you risk it.”
Ms Coburn spoke at a community crime forum in Bentleigh held by Southern Metropolitan state Liberal MP Georgie Crozier.
Ms Crozier said Ms Coburn’s concerns were reflective of a community that was feeling increasingly unsafe.
“There is a concern from the community for people’s safety and the safety of their children; not little kids but young adults — mothers are worried about their children getting home at night,” Ms Crozier said.
Police Association secretary Ron Iddles said Victoria Police’s Transit Safety Division deployed police officers on trains and trams but there were police shortages all over the state and this division was no exception.
Minister for Police Lisa Neville said there were currently PSOs on 211 metropolitan stations from 6pm to last train each night.
She said Victoria Police would “continue to use intelligence to ensure our transit police and PSOs are deployed in the best way across the public transport system”.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inne ... b03738025b

[Roderick Smith]

No support for PSOs on trains from Rail, Tram and Bus Union.
Moorabbin Glen Eira Leader November 8, 2016.
Rail Trams and Bus Union has said no to Protective Service Officers travelling on trains, claiming ticket inspectors could police carriages.
Last week Moorabbin Leader reported calls from a concerned commuter and the Public Transport Users Association for PSOs to ride on Melbourne’s trains rather than just patrol station platforms.
But RTBU Victorian secretary Luba Grigorovitch said there was no place for armed cops on trains and argued more “authorised officers” was the way to increasing commuter safety.
“I don’t believe anybody should be on a train with a gun,” Ms Grigorovitch said.
“I don’t understand why anyone would support the notion of putting PSOs on trains, authorised officers are fully equipped and have been doing their job for a long time.
“(When required) an authorised officer will restrain somebody and they will call police (to) tell them to meet them at a station and the police will take the person away.”
Opposition leader Matthew Guy said the Labor government’s fear of upsetting the union meant PSOs would not board trains while the Andrews government was in power.
“They won’t upset the RTBU (Rail, Tran and Bus Union),” Mr Guy said.
“It would be seen as a demarcation dispute — which is crazy because ticket inspectors have one job and PSOs have something completely different.”
Mr Guy said PSOs aboard trains could be the next step in increasing public transport safety and
He would consider something similar to Sydney’s “nightrider” service as a “policy idea”.
He said the Sydney service, running since the 1980s, had one carriage on each train after 8pm with police on-board.
“There is a blue light on the side which shows where police are on that train,” Mr Guy said.
“I think that the next extension of the PSO policy is something along those lines. It’s something we are looking at now as a policy idea.”
However, police minister Lisa Neville said a balance had to be found between having “appropriate coverage of train station platforms and using PSOs and transit police where appropriate”.
She said any decision to expand PSOs’ role and coverage would be done in consultation with the Chief Commissioner.
ke to see PSOs riding on
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inne ... b763a6ce1a

[Heihachi_73]

Welcome to 1997, when only one carriage was used after dark and "Travel Safe" staff were on board. Or was it Connex that brought that in? I distinctly remember the old Comeng sets though, complete with Train Ads in place of the PIDs. Maybe they really should let the Siemens trains run system-wide already for extra safety (there are no doors between 3 car sets, so the PSOs etc. can walk through and react faster to any trouble), even if it is only at night.

[krustyklo]

Or was it Connex that brought that in?

Travel Safe was a PTC initiative. It must have been very early PTC as the brochure I have has the original Met logo. It also refers to projects implemented during 1991. I'm pretty sure the safety officers riding trains was introduced as part of Travel Safe during Hillside Trains, or at worst the very early days of Connex - they were initially tied to particular lines until they were all retrained as Authorised Officers. A contact I have was one of the earliest employed and rode the Epping line all evening. Initially I'm guessing it was a trial as he was employed through a private security agency for a while (he knew someone who was involved in the private company so knew the job was available and applied) before being transferred across to being directly employed by the railways.

[Roderick Smith]

Running de facto one-car trains failed even then: the others had to be opened by Museum.
Running three car Siemens everywhere at night has great merit but the useless DoI/Dot (now the useless PTV) authorised buying incompatible sets, and now the useless PTV is authorising more. Public transport in Melbourne can't win when the useless department promotes futile projects to a gullible government which can't think past the next election. One party does nothing useful; the other undertakes projects which are harmful for decades into the future.
Roderick

[Roderick Smith]

Roderick.

Train crime crisis: Daytime station crime on the rise.
Herald Sun April 22, 2017.
PUBLIC transport users are demanding around-the-clock Protective Services Officer patrols after a rise in daytime crime.
More than 40 per cent of Victoria’s railway stations have more crime in the day than the night, a Sunday Herald Sun analysis using Crime Statistics Agency figures shows.
Frankston and Ringwood head the list of suburban stations with more problems in daylight hours.
Laverton station — where a 15-year-old boy was stabbed in the middle of the afternoon only last week — is among other hot spots.
Protective Services Officers at Flinders Street Station.
Overall railway station crime increased 20 per cent in the past year.
Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said PSO patrols, which begin at 6pm, should be extended to daytime hours.
“Some railway stations are known as crime hot spots, and they probably need PSOs, not just at night after 6pm but also during the daytime as well,” Mr Bowen said.
“There are some stations which are notorious for those sorts of offences occurring right through the day, not just in the evening.
“You’d hope the authorities are looking into it to identify what the patterns are and how to reduce it.”
The state government has announced a PSO “flying squad” to respond to incidents and deter crime day and night, but stopped short of promising permanent daytime patrols.
The analysis shows that 114 of Victoria’s 277 railway stations — 41 per cent — last year had more offences between 6am and 6.59pm than outside these times.
Almost 60 per cent of regional stations had more crime in the day.
Southern Cross station had the most day crime overall.
Frankston, Ringwood, Croydon, Pakenham, Parliament, South Morang, Eltham and Cranbourne were among other metropolitan daytime problem stations.
Ballarat, Tarneit, Bendigo, North Geelong, Traralgon, Lara and Castlemaine topped country stations attracting daylight crooks.
Reported offences at VIC train stations 2016.
Number of offences recorded at Victorian train stations by time from when offence committed, offence division and train station - January to December 2016. Day 6am to 6.59pm. Night 7pm to 5.59am. Source: Crime Statistics Agency RMIT criminology professor Michael Benes said the huge volumes of passengers passing through stations in the day was a magnet for crooks.
“A genesis of crime is opportunity and a significant amount of human traffic that actually goes to railway stations happens during the day,’’ Prof Benes said.
“To decrease some of the offending — in a real sense — would be a visible presence of police officers at the railway stations.”
The Crime Statistics Agency figures showed there were a total of 7518 offences at railway stations last year, up from 6170 in the previous 12 months.
Crimes against the person — one of the most serious crime categories, which takes in assault and robbery — were most common during the day at many stations.
Wheelchair-bound Margaret Stevens is still traumatised after being assaulted at Ringwood station.
Ms Stevens said the attack occurred after she asked a cyclist to move her bike to allow her wheelchair to fit on the train, which made the cyclist verbally aggressive.
She said she tried to take a photograph of the bike to report it to staff, but it further agitated the cyclist, who then assaulted her.
“Since then, I’ve become extremely wary about going out on public transport on my own,” Ms Stevens said.
An extra 100 PSOs were hired last year but the state government was not considering permanent daytime PSO patrols.
But a strike squad will be formed to target crime hot spots during the day and night, and they will get new powers to work within public transport precincts rather than just at railway stations.
“PSOs are there when people need them and increase safety for passengers,’’ Police Minister Lisa Neville said.
“We’re delivering more PSOs, increasing their powers and expanding where they can go to better target crime hot spots across the public transport network.”
Victoria Police spokeswoman Hannah McDonald said PSOs had been deployed at 212 metropolitan and four regional railway stations, patrolling from 6pm to the last train during the week and all night on Fridays and Saturdays.
“Every person has the right to use the public transport system and feel safe,’’ Ms McDonald said.
“Victoria Police’s Transit Safety Division and local police work together and use intelligence-led policing to ensure their members are where they need to be, when they need to be, to address crime issues across the network.”
Metro spokeswoman Sammie Black said the train operator had 6000 CCTV cameras at stations and dedicated authorised officers and security staff keeping commuters safe.
All platforms and waiting rooms had lighting, and additional lights, cameras and emergency buttons were installed at designated safety zones.
Elderly disability advocate Margaret Stevens was on her way home when she was assaulted by a cyclist on a train at Ringwood station. Picture: Alex Coppel HOW SAFE IS YOUR STOP?
AROUND-the-clock Protective Services Officer patrols at problem train stations will halt surging crime on Melbourne’s rail network, public transport advocates say.
Almost 25 offences were recorded at metropolitan train stations and aboard trains each day last year, totalling more than 8560 offences including assaults, robberies and drug crimes.
It was up by more than 1200 offences from the previous year.
The State Government has announced a PSO “flying squad” to respond to incidents and deter crime day and night but stopped short of promising permanent daytime patrols.
Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen was shocked by the surge in rail crime.
“Some of the numbers have jumped because of the PSOs being on duty and more offences being detected. But all the PSOs have been deployed now, so it’s surprising to see it still rising,” Mr Bowen said.
“Some railway stations are known as crime hot spots, and they probably need PSOs, not just at night after 6pm but also during the day time as well.
“There are some stations which are notorious for those sorts of offences occurring right through the day, not just in the evening.
“You’d hope the authorities are looking into it to identify what the patterns are and how to reduce it.”
Almost 900 people reported being assaulted on trains and at train stations last year, 790 were assaulted in 2015, and 881 people reported assaults in 2014.
Wheelchair-bound Margaret Stevens is still traumatised after being assaulted at Ringwood station.
Ms Stevens said the attack occurred after she asked a cyclist to move her bike to allow her wheelchair to fit during the commute, which made the cyclist verbally aggressive.
She said she tried to take a photograph of the bike to report it to staff, but it agitated the cyclist further who then assaulted her.
“I was hanging on to my bag, and she was trying to pull it away from me, and in the end she managed to take my phone,” Ms Stevens said.
“She then threw the phone at me, and then she left.”
“Since then, I’ve become extremely wary about going out on public transport on my own.”
An extra 100 PSOs were last year hired with the same number to added in future.
The State Government is not considering permanent daytime PSO patrols.
But a strike squad will be formed to target crime hot spots at day and night and they will get new powers to work within public transport precincts rather than just at train stations.
“PSOs are there when people need them and increase safety for passengers,’’ Police Minister Lisa Neville said.
“We’re delivering more PSOs, increasing their powers and expanding where they can go to better target crime hot spots across the public transport network.”
Victoria Police spokeswoman Hannah McDonald said the spike in assaults on public transport reflected a wider increase.
Metro Trains spokeswoman Sammie Black said authorised officers, security and surveillance staff worked across the network to keep passengers safe.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/train- ... 2198533308
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