Articles and discussion: Transit officers get new powers to detain

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Transit officers get new powers to detain

Transit officers get new powers to detain
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Patrick Lion

May 01, 2008 10:22am

TROUBLEMAKERS will be banned from public transport under new laws giving transit officers greater powers to boot or detain problem passengers.

Premier Anna Bligh has told State Parliament today the overhaul would extend powers transit officer powers, allowing them to use reasonable force to remove people from from bus, train and ferry services or public transport infrastructure for unacceptable behaviour.

She said officers would be able to detain people committing assault or vandalism until they can be dealt with by police.

Officers would be trained to use handcuffs and diffuse tense situations.

Queensland Police Union president Cameron Pope said the proposal should be scrapped.

"We believe that this is ill-conceived and the complaints that would be received in relation to this ... potential use of excessive force would be unacceptable to members of the public," Mr Pope said.

"This is a highly trained role and position. You can't do it part-time and on the cheap."

He said the new transit officers could be exposed to legal action and the group of 30 trained police officers currently involved in patrolling rail services should be expanded instead.

Mr Pope has sought an urgent meeting with Police Minister Judy Spence to discuss the issue.

Ms Bligh told Parliament the courts would also have the power to ban or place conditions on offenders using public transport.

"Bad behaviour scares people off our trains, buses and ferries,'' Ms Bligh said.

"Idiots beware ? we will catch you."

The new law could be in place as soon as July.

Ms Bligh said more people would use public transport if they felt safer.

"More people on trains, ferries and buses means more cars off the road,'' Ms Bligh said.

"More cars off the road means less pollution and less congestion."

- with AAP

[ozbob]

Within limits this is a reasonable move.  But police must be called to take over the situation as soon as possible IMHO. Also possible consequences for people at stations if trouble makers are pushed off trains without supervision on the station. A consequence of reducing staffing and hours at stations over the network.  Many stations have no staff.

[ozbob]

From Queensland Times click here!

Tougher security bid to tackle train 'thugs'

Tougher security bid to tackle train 'thugs'
May 02, 2008
By Anna Caldwell

IDIOTS and thugs on public transport, look out the Premier has you in her sights.

In parliament yesterday, Premier Anna Bligh proposed Translink officers could remove people from their trains, buses and ferries for "unacceptable and dangerous behaviour".

They would be able to use force and handcuffs to detain unruly passengers until police arrived.

She said the TransLink officers - who work 5am to 10pm shifts - would be trained in the use of force and require six-month refresher courses.

Rail Back on Track action group spokesman Robert Dow said at face value, the plan looked good for commuters on the Ipswich line.

"In theory TransLink transit officers having increased powers with idiots on the trains will improve behaviour," Mr Dow said.

"But ultimately we need more security on stations.

"We see staff reduction as a problem on the Ipswich line.

"We don't want to see people turfed off trains and on to stations and cause more trouble."

But yesterday afternoon police and civil libertarians slammed the move.

Queensland Council of Civil Liberties spokesman Terry O'Gorman said the new laws could create more danger on public transport for commuters.

"Giving petty officials police-type powers is likely to lead to an escalation rather than a de-escalation," Mr O'Gorman said.

Queensland Police Union president Cameron Pope said the proposal should be scrapped.

"We believe that this is ill-conceived and the complaints that would be received in relation to this ... potential use of excessive force would be unacceptable to members of the public," Mr Pope said.

[mufreight]

Perhaps the railway police should be boosted in numbers rather than give additional powers to people untrained and unqualified to exercise them.
The ticket inspectors themselves are not trained nor qualified for tasks of that nature and some of them (fortunately a relative few) already suffer from meglomania and are more than overzealous to the point where they actualy deter people from travelling by train with their rude arrogant and stand over type attitude, many are physically unfit for such a role and would themselves be at risk.
The railway police are generally reasonable, polite and efficient, more of them and a flying squad would be more effective than giving additional powers to untrained staff that will simply create animosity and fear in the traveling public rather than resolve it'
Think again Captain Bligh, even Hitler was not this stupid.

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Transit officers reject arrest powers, worry about job security

Transit officers reject arrest powers, worry about job security
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Leanne Edmistone

May 02, 2008 11:33am

TRANSIT officers do not want increased powers and were worried about the future of their jobs if they refuse to take part in unarmed combat training, according to union officials.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Owen Doogan said while the union wanted to improve security, the government had gone off "half-cocked" without consulting the transit officers.

"We're disappointed. We do think we need to deal with security, we want to be in the debate, we want to talk to government about it," Mr Doogan said.

"It's a big issue for us but you just can't make this quick decision to say we're going to give power to these employees and everything's all right," he said.

The Government yesterday announced the 110-strong transit officer force would be given training in unarmed combat, given handcuffs and be able to use "reasonable force" to throw commuters from trains, buses and ferries as well as stations and stops.

Mr Doogan said the majority of transit officers were uncomfortable with the prospect of potentially arresting, searching and handcuffing people, and were worried they would lose their jobs if they refused.

"I don't think the government thought it through that there would be 130 people suddenly wondering what their future was and where they were going," he said.

"There's a small minority of transit officers who have indicated they would like the powers, but that certainly shouldn't be a factor because a minority of a group of employees think it's a good idea."

Deputy Premier Paul Lucas has acknowledged some people could be uncomfortable with the new responsibilities but said no transit officer would lose their job if they declined to undertake additional training.

"He does have a valid point when he says some people have signed up not to have these powers, and there is no suggestion, whatsoever, that those people don't have a continuing future at Translink," Mr Lucas said.

He said the expanded powers had been on the discussion table for some time, and was an election promise of the Beattie Government.

"The fundamental thing is that we operate a public transport network and we want it to be safe not only for our patrons, but for our staff, and this is about doing that," Mr Lucas said.

Mr Doogan said he would be meeting Transport Minister John Mickel next week.

[stephenk]

I totally agree with mufreight here. Whilst behavior on public transport needs to be kept in order, we need more police, not cut-price transit officers pretending to be police.

Given the recent story concerning the ABC radio DJ threatened with a non-existent anti-terrorism fine, I think that giving extra powers to transit officers could be very dangerous for both parties. I can see potential cases of people being handcuffed and thrown off platforms for taking innocent photos, or being without tickets due to broken ticket machines. This could result in the transit officers being accused of assault or wrongful arrest.

Whilst on this subject, I have never seen a single transit officer on a train during late evening, the time at which we probably need "policing" on the trains the most. Instead we have security guards, who on one occasion was worst behaved than any passengers on the train (the security officer confiscated a soft drink off a passenger, and then dropped it onto the track at the next station causing littering)!

[ozbob]

I think balance is the key.  At the moment the TTO's have no more powers than you or I as citizens in terms of citizen arrests.

We are simply not going to get police on every train.  I think some increase in powers for the TTOs is reasonable providing that there is the training so forth required.  Limited arrest powers when obvious serious offences.

Some folk just ignore TTOs because they are well aware of the legalities.

There are wider issues as quoted in the QT about security not only on the trains but at stations/car parks as well.

I think that the timing of this by Government is very interesting.  Is it because they are under some pressure with the failings of transport?  The opposition has maintained some pressure this week in parliament.

The go card meltdown on the buses/ferries?  The denial cap is still firmly in place?

Once the government meets with the unions next week it will all die down is my bet. 

[Mozz]

And it may well have been a good idea had it been socialised through the normal process of consultation with key stakeholders. From what I see in the media we have the civil libertarians siding with the Police Union (can't remember the last time that happened) in calling for a review of this direction. We have representatives from the responsible union saying the first they heard was a media report that it was happening and indeed espousing that their membership was unaware of this direction and that many staff would not actually want to be put in this new "enhanced" transit officer role.

If only new tracks, trains, drivers, resources were able to provided as quickly as this particular process seems to have occured, we would have significantly less issues than we have now.

[ozbob]

Yes indeed Mozz. 

Also this point has escaped many in the press so far:

The present Translink Transit Officers are actually part of QR.  The proposed 'super' TransLink Transit Officers are to be a separate group under the new TTA.  I think this would have some impacts on efficiency with respect to fare evasion and other matters too on rail.

I don't think QR would be happy about this at all.  Doubt if there has been any consultation with key stakeholders, other than goverment ministers and their own staff. Such is the disconnect between our now out of touch government ministers and even unions, let alone us mere mortals.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes has picked up the point I made above.

Click here!

Jobs secure but future unsure: Union

Jobs secure but future unsure: Union
Scott Casey | May 3, 2008

The State Government has promised ongoing employment for the 130 employees of Queensland Rail's soon-to-be-disbanded Transit Officers Unit - but just what their roles will be is still up in the air.

After revealing on Thursday that ticket inspectors would be given new powers to physically restrain unruly passengers, the State Government said it would disband QR's Transit Officers Unit.

Employees who do not wish to take on the new powers will be redeployed into other as-yet unconfirmed areas of QR passenger services.

"They [translink officers] will continue to carry out essential duties across the network such as revenue protection," a QR spoksperson said.

However, the decision to implement new security powers has angered civil libertarians, police and the Rail Bus and Train Union (RBTU), who have argued it is nothing more than a cost-cutting measure that shouldn't be forced upon employees.

"These people were employed to issue fines to people if they didn't have tickets they never envisaged that they would be required to arrest people, to search people or hand cuff people," RTBU secretary Owen Doogan said.

"Checking tickets and issuing fines is entirely different to dealing with those quasi police duties which will be a requirement of the new positions."

Mr Doogan said he was shocked the new legislation had been announced in Parliament without any consultation with the unions or workers.

"Can you imagine those people yesterday? 130 of them finding out the jobs they are doing now are going to be wiped out because the Premier makes a statement in parliament," he said.

"This decision is another example of the Queensland Government making ill-considered, cost-cutting decisions at the expense of the Queensland public.

"The Government thinks that unarmed security officers will be cheaper to employ than increasing the number of police officers working on QR trains."

The RBTU has been in close contact with the Queensland Police Union (QPU) and both unions are uncomfortable with security officers taking on roles formerly staffed by police.

"We're also deeply concerned about the danger this poses to the new security officers put into situations that were formerly for police to handle," Mr Doogan said.

"The Translink-employed security unit which will replace QR transit officers will have the power to detain passengers, carry handcuffs and perform searches.

"Despite the skills of the security officers and the training they will receive, nothing can compare to the years of experience and protection that police officers carry."

The RTBU and the QPU have written a joint letter to the Minister of Transport and the Police Minister requesting urgent discussions on the issue.

[ozbob]

Even the unions appear to have lost faith in the Bligh Labor Government.

It as apparent that the failure to act in a pro-active manner for some time now is hitting hard.  The public is caught in the congestion meltdown.  There are solutions, but will they listen?

We wish the RTBU and the QPU well with their discussions.

[ozbob]

From ABC News click here!

Talks continue over new powers for public transport staff

Talks continue over new powers for public transport staff

The Queensland Services Union has suggested that some public transport staff who will be given powers of arrest might deserve more pay.

The State Government will introduce laws into Parliament later this year, allowing transit officers to use "reasonable force" to detain disruptive passengers.

The Police, Rail and Bus Unions have angrily rejected the idea, but the Queensland Services Union says it is worth discussing.

Spokesman David Prior says the first talks with government were held yesterday, and negotiations will continue.

"There's a sub-committee being set up. The issues they would need to consider would be such things as remuneration, training, the impact on their employment conditions and ultimately who their employer is," he said.

[ozbob]

From Northern Times click here!

More powers for transit officers in wake of attacks

More powers for transit officers in wake of attacks

PINE RIVERS, May 16:

Pine Rivers commuters have welcomed new powers for transit officers but the mother of a man viciously bashed at Bald Hills train station fears they will have no effect.

Under new laws proposed by the State Government transit officers will be able to use "reasonable force" to eject commuters from trains and train stations, and will be able to handcuff offenders.

The laws follow a spate of serious assaults at Pine Rivers train stations earlier this year.

In February and March there were four separate assaults in and around train stations in the Pine Rivers area.

The victim of the most severe bashing, at Bald Hills train station in February, suffered a broken nose and arm and bleeding on the brain.

He has now recovered but his mother said increasing power for transit officers was a waste of time.

"I don't think it's going to make a difference," she said.

The mother said: "They already have the power to detain people and there are some of them that might abuse extra powers."

However, lobby group Rail Back on Track welcomed the move.

Spokesman Robert Dow said:

"We think at the moment they (transit officers) don't have enough powers. I think they need to have the ability to detain and subdue."

However transport workers' unions are divided on the issue.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Owen Doogan said the majority of transit officers felt uncomfortable about the new laws.

"There's a small minority of transit officers who have indicated they would like the powers, but that certainly shouldn't be a factor because a minority of a group of employees think it's a good idea," Mr Doogan said.

Australian Services Union secretary David Smith said increasing transit officers' powers was worth discussing.

"Something has to be done to help transit officers better do their jobs," Mr Smith said.

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Train staff assaults on rise

Train staff assaults on rise
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Steve Wardill

May 22, 2008 09:50am

NEW figures show the number of violent assaults on Queensland Rail's Citytrain staff is increasing - with around one in three transit officers attacked each year.

New figures have revealed assaults against transit officers - who will soon get police powers to detain and arrest suspects - have increased over recent years.

Ninety assaults against the officers have been reported since mid-2005 with 37 in 2006/07 compared to 21 in 2005/06.

The figures show the number of reported assaults so far in 2007/08 is 32.

Over the same period the number of officers has increased from 69 in 2006 to 101 currently under State Government efforts to boost commuter safety.

Transport Minister John Mickel said the officers were being adequately trained to face the public with 24 hours of "applied situational techniques" during their 12 week training course.

'In addition, Translink Transit Officers are provided with eight hour refresher training annually," he said.

The new powers to be given to transit officers later this year were first flagged by the Government during the 2006 election.

Officers will be given authority to arrest suspects and use "reasonable force" to eject commuters from trains, buses and ferries as well as from stations and stops.

They will also receive handcuffs.

Civil libertarians and the police union have both criticised the move, insisting there was an unacceptable danger to handing out police powers.

However, Mr Mickel said when legislation passed, it was expected the powers would be used only as a "last resort".

"The amendments will enable transit officers to detain offenders for serious offences such as assault, grievous bodily harm, unlawful wounding and wilful damage," he said.

The Government is yet to reveal previous criminal offences that will rule out candidates from being transit officers.

Opposition transport spokesman Tim Nicholls said he was concerned about the level of training on offer.

"I would think that there is a fair bit more training to be done if transit officers are going to be detaining people for serious offences," he said.

Mr Nicholls said there was obviously not enough officers to properly monitor the trains.

"They really have a very small chance of being in the right place and the right time," he said.