By VANESSA VALENZUELA
A MAN who was bashed at Sunshine Railway Station last year has called on the State Government to get Protective Service Officers (PSOs) to Brimbank now.
Davinder Cheema was followed by a man as he left Sunshine station at around 8pm on 22 June 2011.
He tried to get into a taxi, but was attacked by the man who repeatedly bashed him to the head and face.
The man had four associates with him who stood and watched the attack occur.
“When they had hit me, no one helped me and no one wants to help because they don’t want to get in trouble,” Mr Cheema said.
“There should have been police officers at the stations at night time because it’s very dangerous to travel.
“There should be permanent police officers at the stations so they can back up people, especially on weekends when stupid people are hanging around in the night.”
In October, Acting Inspector Chris Gilbert told Star the first Brimbank PSOs would arrive at Watergardens station by 5 November, but the roll-out was delayed.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said PSOs were now expected to arrive at Watergardens stations early next year.
“The next phase will include deploying PSOs to stations such as St Albans on the Sydenham line in the coming weeks,” the spokesperson said.
“PSOs are expected to be deployed to other stations on the Sydenham line, including Sunshine and Watergardens, in early 2013.”
Victoria Police statistics obtained by Star reveal 481 offences were committed in a train, near a train station or railway car park in Brimbank in the last financial year.
The statistics also show 47 assaults occurred at train stations along the Sydenham line in the last financial year, with 32 attacks taking place at Sunshine and Albion stations.
Sunshine and Albion stations recorded the highest number of crimes with 240 offences between June 2011 and July 2012, including 19 weapons and explosive-related charges, 21 accounts of property damage and 16 robbery charges.
A total of 143 crimes took place at St Albans, Keilor Plains and Ginifer stations, with 98 crimes recorded at Watergardens station.
More than 190 PSOs have been deployed across 24 stations including Footscray, Werribee, Hoppers Crossing and Newport railway stations.
Brimbank Insp Michael Grainger said he was looking forward to the roll-out of PSOs in the municipality over the next few months.
“I am very supportive and the experience in other local government areas is that the PSOs have had a significant impact on the feelings of safety,” he said.
Insp Grainger said the Brimbank Transit Team was working hard to improve the perception of safety around the railway stations.
“We are doing the best we can, and we are certainly concentrating our efforts very much on the railway line,” he said.
“It would be fair to say that offenders travel to and within Brimbank to commit crimes of a variety of types.”
The PSO roll-out is part of a State Government plan to have 940 PSOs patrolling railway stations by November 2014.
