By VANESSA VALENZUELA
BRIMBANK commuters should feel safer taking the train at night after Protective Service Officers (PSOs) were deployed to Watergardens railway station last week.
New recruits arrived at the station last Tuesday and will patrol the platforms from 6pm until the last train each night.
Premier Ted Baillieu said there are now 259 PSOs working at 32 stations across Victoria and expects 940 PSOs to be deployed across the network by November next year.
“The Victorian Coalition Government is delivering on its election commitment to tackle crime, violence and anti-social behaviour on and around train stations,” Mr Baillieu said.
“There is an overwhelmingly positive response from the communities that have already benefitted from having PSOs at their stations.”
Watergardens station is the third railway station in Brimbank to receive extra security after the State Government approved PSOs for Sunshine and St Albans railway stations last year.
PSOs are currently patrolling eight stations in Melbourne’s West including Werribee, Laverton, Yarraville, Hoppers Crossing, Newport and Footscray.
Victoria Police recently launched a major advertisement campaign to encourage residents to consider a career as a PSO.
The campaign will run across metropolitan and regional TV, print, radio and online until the end of March.
Assistant Commissioner Transit and Public Safety Chris O’Neill said Victoria Police is looking for applicants who are interested in making a difference on the rail network by protecting and serving the people who use it each day
“If you have good communication skills, good character, enjoy flexibility in your working hours, are physically and mentally fit and are ready to embark on a community-focused career that is rewarding and challenging, then we want to hear from you,” Mr O’Neill said.
For more information on becoming as PSO visit www.policecareer.vic.gov.au/pso.
