Victoria Police’s Protective Services Officers (PSO) have returned to train stations across Melbourne this week as their deployment to assist with the State’s COVID-19 response wraps up.
Acting Superintendent, Transit Safety Division, Craig Thompson said PSOs were back at work to detect and deter crime at all 216 metropolitan train stations.
“With more people returning to the office and enjoying nights out in the city now is the time to have PSOs back at all stations,” Acting Superintendent Thompson said.
“They will be doing what they do best – detecting and deterring crime to make sure people can travel with confidence,” he said.
“We know a PSO presence makes people feel safe and that is our top priority.”
A/Supt Thompson said that during the first two years of the pandemic, some PSOs were deployed to COVID-19 related duties, including hotel quarantine, helping manage Victoria’s borders, and patrols to boost the safety of businesses in commercial retail precincts.
He said PSOs had retained a presence at major train stations during this time and conducted roving patrols between all others.
“PSOs patrol platforms from 6pm until the last train seven days a week and across the weekend as part of the Night Network,” he said.
“They are also based at four regional stations – Geelong, Ballarat, Traralgon and Bendigo.”
A/Supt Thompson said the Officers’ work to help commuters get home safely was demonstrated last month when PSO’s at South Yarra Railway Station reunited a stranded five-year-old girl with her mum.
“The little girl had been left on the platform when the train doors shut before her mum could get off,” he said.
