By DANNY BUTTLER
FOUR new Protective Services Officers have been assigned to Cardinia Road railway station to help increase passenger safety.
The PSOs, who will work seven days a week from 6pm to the last train, will patrol the platforms, carparks and the immediate vicinity of the station.
Bass MP Ken Smith represented Police and Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells in introducing the PSOs at the station on Monday.
“PSOs are targeting crime, anti-social behaviour, property damage, violence and alcohol and improving community safety on our rail network,” Mr Smith said.
Gembrook MP Brad Battin said train travellers would notice a difference in the levels of safety at the station.
“They will feel safer with the increased protection,” he said.
“To have PSOs in the station from 6pm to the last train will add to the safety of the community – and that feeling of safety.”
“Especially post footy on the weekends or if there is a female by herself on a weeknight, it’s an opportunity for someone to walk them out to the car and improve their safety.”
Mr Battin said police worked with the PSOs helping to increase passenger safety and ease the workload on police officers.
“One of the things the police have already said to us is that it reduces crime,” he said.
“We’ve seen that at Pakenham, the young offenders who were in the area are no longer hanging around or they understand that if they do something they will probably get caught.”
Cardinia police Sergeant Ray de Reus said having PSOs at other stations had proved successful and had allowed police to use their resources more widely in the community.
“Our history tells us that PSOs at Pakenham railway station have decreased assaults to almost zero,” he said.
“It gives us more time away from the railway stations because they are being well looked after.”
A new PSO “pod” was also unveiled at the station.
The pod will allow the officers to have meal breaks as well as provide a place to detain offenders while waiting for police officers to arrive.
