More PSOs, For More Hours, In More Places

From tomorrow, you’ll see more PSOs, for more hours, in more places – with intelligence-led deployment in force.

It’s all part of Victoria Police’s overhaul to step up the fight against crime and put Protective Services Officers (PSOs) where they’re needed, when they’re needed, based on real police intelligence.

And we’re boosting PSO resources even further, with $44 million in this year’s Budget to deliver 50 additional PSOs.

As part of Victoria Police’s intelligence-led deployment model, strengthened by 50 extra PSOs:

• PSOs will be deployed to stations based directly on police data and intelligence
• PSOs will start clocking in at key stations from as early as 9am, not 6pm
• PSOs won’t be confined to the platform – they’ll now patrol trains and around stations to keep people safe
• No station and no train will be unpatrolled while PSOs are on shift, with officers constantly moving around the network to detect and deter crime

Starting from tomorrow:

• PSOs will patrol 32 metro stations from 9:00am until last service
• PSOs will patrol 73 metro stations and four regional stations from 5:00pm until the last service
• PSOs will be on constant mobile patrol across 119 metro stations from 5:00pm until the last service

Victoria Police designed this model to detect and deter more crime, be more visible, and keep more people safe.

We back it – and we’ve made it even stronger with 50 extra PSOs to boost their frontline presence.

Crime patterns have changed since PSOs were first introduced 14 years ago.

Today, police tell us we need more PSOs at stations where crime is more likely, based directly on their intelligence.

We also need PSOs on trains and patrolling the area around the station, instead of being stuck on the platform.

We also need PSOs starting earlier in the day to deter more crime – now they will.

Victoria has the largest police force in the country, and frontline resources are growing with 50 additional PSOs.

The Labor Government will always take the advice of Victoria Police to keep Victorians safe.

To see PSO deployment times and locations on the network, visit police.vic.gov.au/public-transport-safety.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Police Anthony Carbines

“PSOs will be located where they’re needed, when they’re needed, based on real police intelligence.”

“No station is losing PSOs – what’s changing is how they work, with constant mobile patrols to cover more places, more often.”

“Police designed this intelligence-led model to help them detect and deter more crime – we backed them and now we’re giving them 50 extra PSOs to boost their resources further.”