Article: QR reviews safety after staff attack

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

QR reviews safety after staff attack

QR reviews safety after staff attack
Marissa Calligeros | June 30, 2008 - 7:18PM

Queensland Rail will review safety protocols, following a violent attack on two transit officers at Indooroopilly Railway Station last night.

A transit officer was allegedly bitten on the thigh during an altercation with three people on the station's main platform.

Queensland Rail executive director Paul Scurrah today pledged to oversee a thorough audit of safety procedures.

"The safety of QR's passengers and staff remains my number one priority...I will take every available course of action to ensure they remain safe," Mr Scurrah said.

"TransLink Transit Authority (and) Queensland Rail will continue to look at new measures and precautions to ensure that our commitment to safety to customers and staff is not compromised."

Mr Scurrah also expressed his outrage at the unprecedented attack, in which two officers were pushed, jumped on and kicked.

"I will not tolerate the safety of either our passengers or staff being compromised as the result of the actions of the minority within our community," he said.

"Transit officers are on board trains, ferries and buses to provide customer service while contributing to an overall sense of safety network wide.

"They are not there to be abused, threatened or physically assaulted."

Two men, aged 41 and 61, and a 33-year-old woman have each been charged with serious assault.

Police were called to the station around 5pm when the alleged attackers were seen arguing and disturbing commuters on CCTV footage. One of the men was also smoking in a non-smoking area.

The group violently turned on transit officers after they were asked to keep the noise down, police said.

A scuffle broke out after the woman allegedly pushed the transit officers to the ground and the two men jumped on the officers' backs. It is further alleged that the woman bit one transit officer on the thigh.

A third transit officer who came to assist his colleagues also received minor injuries.

Both men and the woman will appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on July 15.

[Derwan]

It is further alleged that the woman bit one transit officer on the thigh.

What is she some kind of animal?  Sounds like it.

[Mozz]

Unfortunately there are individuals in this world who behave like this and more unfortunately by the time it comes to court there will most probably be a fine and a warning not to do it again unless the individuals involved have significant history for assault type offences. Whereas most reasonable adults would, on the face of the report, suggest a period of incarceration would be warranted.

While generally not a fan of the New York style "Zero Tolerance" mode of policing (for many reasons including that it pushes the problems into those areas outside of the "target zones"), I am fully supportive of zero tolerance with respect to offences which occur in and around areas of public transport.

The perception (and in some cases rightly so) of the relative safety of public transport commuters is a real reason preventing a significant number of potential commuters from using public transport. This needs to be addressed and in a significant and integrated, sustainable manner, which cannot just be resolved with the provision of powers of detention to the current transit officers.

I caught a train into the city last week and got onto a carriage into which there were 10 or so wanna be gangsters probably 16-19 years in age, talking loud, playing amplified music from mobile phone speakers, talking trash about bashing and fighting people, lying all over seats etc etc (this was 8.40 in the AM) There were two transit officers on the train, they did a walk through, but nothing said, when they returned they did stop and ask a couple of questions, a few of the "wanna be boys in the hood" were apparently actually school kids trying to travel on school passes, but not going to school but to some place else (verbal warning to buy tickets when they got off the train) and the transit officers went about checking tickets. They didn't take their names, didn't do the usual checking of their names via mobile phone etc etc, nor issue any written warnings. More needs to be done.