Criminals use public transport as ‘escape routes’, police and rail analysts identify crime trends on network

Dramatic vision has captured the moment a man dashed across a busy inner-Brisbane railway line as he tried to escape police in a wild chase, as new details confirm criminals are using Queensland public transport as “escape routes”. SEE THE VIDEO

Police analysts are working with Queensland Rail to identify crime trends on and off the network as criminals use public transport as “escape routes”.

The Sunday Mail was given inside access to the eyes and ears of the state’s rail network, Brisbane’s rail management centre – a control centre pinpointing criminal behaviour, medical episodes, anti-social or criminal behaviour in real-time.

And footage provided exclusively to the paper showcases the wide array of crimes rail staff have to contend with, including one piece of CCTV that shows the shocking moment a man jumped onto tracks as he attempted to evade police, before he was intercepted by the Railway Squad and Queensland Rail security officers and found to have drug paraphernalia in his possession.

A man is seen fleeing police who wanted to talk to him at Fortitude Valley station.

Security shift supervisor Neil Freeman said it was not uncommon for high-risk situations to be “mitigated” near unsuspecting commuters.

After having worked for Queensland rail for several years, Mr Freeman said he was able to “read” the body language of “bad people” on the network.

A still image from video capturing a police chase after a man tried to evade officers at Fortitude Valley station.

“You can pick people out and pick what they are doing … that just comes over time. You can certainly read people,” he said.

“When bad people use our network, we assist police in trying to get them apprehended. We get the information live, we assist them with descriptions and where they are travelling to, where that train stops, when they get off … we get them intercepted.”

The man climbs onto the platform after crossing over the tracks at Fortitude Valley station.

Queensland Rail senior manager security and emergency preparedness Drew Brock said although every incident was managed on merit, high-risk situations would be isolated wherever possible.

Mr Brock said that included passengers being moved to different carriages or perimeters formed around stations and that incidents on the rail network were often a “reflection” of crimes in the community.

Officers swoop as he tried to board a departing train.

“We actually have a joint intelligence team, QPS intelligence analysts sitting with my (Queensland Rail) team of analysts,” he said. “We collect and analyse all the information coming in and then that forms the basis of our deployments around the network.”

The man was arrested a short time later.

Mr Brock said crime trends were examined daily, including whether the network was being used as an “escape route” for criminals. He said police outposts were also located at “key railway stations” on the network including Roma St, Redbank, Ipswich, Robina, Beenleigh, Manly, Northgate and Petrie.

Mr Brock said Guardian Trains operated on select night-time services during the week and most services after 7pm on Friday and Saturday.

Queensland Police Service Railway Squad Officer in Charge Snr Sgt Simon Arnold. Picture: Liam Kidston

Queensland Rail Senior Manager Security and Emergency Preparedness Drew Brock. Picture: Liam Kidston

“We have a number of assets in the field that are co-ordinated centrally here from the rail management centre and obviously the police liaison officer function works with our team to determine what resource is most appropriate to deploy in relation to an incident,” Mr Brock said.

He encouraged commuters to use emergency systems on trains “if there is a crime in progress, or they feel that their safety is being compromised or could be compromised”.

Queensland Rail Security Shift Supervisor Neil Freeman at the Queensland Rail Management Centre, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

Queensland Police Service Railway Squad Officer in Charge Senior Sergeant Simon Arnold said CCTV “seamlessly” downloaded in about 30 minutes had improved investigations and authorities were now able to “rewind” the movements of a person of interest.