A decade of staying on track

Editorial: Danielle Ford

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

They are now a well-known fixture across Victoria’s public transport network, but 10 years ago Victoria Police’s first squad of Transit protective services officers (PSOs) started patrols at just two stations – Flinders Street and Southern Cross.

Starting as a squad of just 18, the first ever Transit PSOs hit the stations on 22 February 2012 as a new resource to help Victoria Police improve community safety at the two busy stations.

Of the initial 18 members, 15 are still with the organisation – nine serving as police members and six still in the PSO role, while one works as a police officer in another state.

PSO Sergeant Joe Bianchi is one of those still working in the role, joining the first squad after looking for a career change.

“I was a marketing and communications manager, having worked in government and the private sector over several years, and I was growing tired of the everyday grind,” PSO Sgt Bianchi said.

“I wanted to do something more exciting that was based in community service and Victoria Police had just started recruiting for this new Transit PSO role and it sounded like exactly what I was looking for.”

Today, a lot has changed in the role.

From just 18, there are now more than 1250 Transit PSOs across 216 metropolitan train stations and four regional rail hubs in Bendigo, Traralgon, Ballarat and Geelong, working from 6pm until the last train each night.

In addition to the growth in PSOs and stations covered, the shifts worked has also expanded, with the introduction of Integrated Transport Security Model (ITSM) shifts in 2018.

ITSM enabled PSOs to undertake flexible, intelligence-led patrols across the public transport network at any time, allowing them to be in areas where police intelligence shows there is a need for a safety boost.

In 2019, the ITSM capability was expanded allowing PSOs to patrol tram stops and bus interchanges and board moving trams, in addition to their existing capabilities at train stations and onboard moving trains.

Transit and Public Safety Command Assistant Commissioner Dean McWhirter said the biggest change to the role came about in the past two years as part of Victoria Police’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“The role and function of our PSOs during the COVID-19 response has been amazing in terms of the support they were able to provide to police,” AC McWhirter said.

“We were able to deploy them to several operations including hotel quarantine, regional and state border checkpoints and patrolling shopping centres and major precincts around metropolitan Melbourne during the lockdown periods.

“Their capacity to work on these operations enhanced Victoria Police’s ability to help ensure community safety during the pandemic.”

Working in the role for the past 10 years, PSO Sgt Bianchi has had a front-row seat to all these changes but said the main mission of the role has stayed the same.

“While we are now able to be used as a resource further across the state, not just at train stations like we initially were, the basis of our role has stayed the same – to provide an outstanding service to the Victorian community and to enhance community safety,” PSO Bianchi said.

This mission of service and community safety is something PSO Pat Dowling said was evident before he joined.

PSO Dowling said he has always had an interest in a policing career, having an uncle who is a sergeant with Victoria Police and was drawn to the PSO role due to the community engagement element.

“I wanted a job where I can be involved and really engage with the community every day,” PSO Dowling said.

“Since I graduated from the Academy in October, I’ve enjoyed getting to be out there talking with the public and helping people feel safer while travelling around.”

With more and more Victorians returning to public transport following the removal of most COVID-19 restrictions, AC McWhirter said the 10-year milestone was an opportune time to highlight the role Transit PSOs play in helping to keep the Victorian community safe.

“We are looking forward to our PSOs fully returning to their regular function on the public transport network as it gets busier and we move out of COVID-19 life,” AC McWhirter said.

“I thank every PSO who served in the past 10 years and I look forward to seeing how we can continue to develop the role in the future to ensure we are continuing to meet the needs of the growing Victorian community.”