Protective Service Officers will patrol Melbourne city and suburban train services from September 2, 2018
PROTECTIVE services officers will patrol Melbourne trains for the first time after last-minute negotiations between the police, government and rail workers union.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
PROTECTIVE services officers will patrol Melbourne trains for the first time from today after last-minute negotiations between the police, government and rail workers union.
The Rail Tram and Bus Union had threatened to stop the move over concerns about how it would affect ticket inspector jobs.
UTE RAM RAIDED INTO FRANKSTON SHOPS
COPS CHARGED OVER ‘EXCESSIVE FORCE’ ON PENSIONER
MELBOURNE JIHADI KILLED IN MIDDLE EAST
But the Sunday Herald Sun can reveal that after a series of meetings late last week, an agreement was reached and PSOs will now carry out patrols on trains across the city and suburbs.
About 800 people are typically assaulted on trains and at train stations each year.
One of the first priorities for the new PSOs will be to ensure the safety of footy fans making their way to and from the AFL finals.
The PSOs will be deployed on metro trains throughout the day and night. Currently, the officers are only stationed on train platforms and around train stations.
Transit and Public Safety Assistant Commissioner Chris O’Neill told the Sunday Herald Sun the model would boost public safety on trains.
“The mobile PSO deployments will allow Victoria Police to proactively target crime and anti-social behaviour across the entire train network,” Mr O’Neill said.
“An additional 100 transit PSOs are being employed over four years to staff additional deployments, with 25 of these PSOs already in place.
“Victoria Police will commence with small deployments and expand the presence of PSOs on trains as we continue to recruit the extra officers.”
Mobile PSO teams will also be deployed under existing powers and in addition to the current PSO presence at train stations.
The Victoria Police plan to deploy PSOs on to trains came under threat following concerns raised by the Rail Tram and Bus Union.
The union secretary, Luba Grigorovitch, was satisfied after the negotiations.
“This change has come about thanks to the job security provided via negotiations that took place over the past weeks,” she said.
“Thanks to these negotiations we also have a commitment from Victoria Police that PSOs will be instructed to more actively assist all rail workers with any issues or incidents that may occur on the network, rather than referring them to 000.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville said the government had not only funded extra PSOs but given them expanded powers, which include the ability to arrest people who breach parole.
“Victorians told us that PSOs make them feel safer when travelling on trains at night,’’ she said.
“That’s why we worked closely with Victoria Police and Public Transport Victoria to make that happen.”
PSO TRAIN PLAN UNDER THREAT OVER TICKET INSPECTOR JOBS