A WA parliamentary question seeks details about the replacement of special constables on the urban rail system with transit guards, including their training, powers, equipment, deployment, and numbers, indicating scrutiny of the transition and its implications for rail security.

AnsweredQoN 1088Legislative Assembly
Asked
16 October 2001
Portfolio
Planning and Infrastructure

QuestionView source ↗

(1) Will the current special constables employed on the urban rail system be replaced by transit guards?
(2) If so, will the new transit guards be trained police officers?
(3) Will there be any differences between the powers afforded to special constables who are currently employed on the rail system and their transit guard replacements?
(4) If yes to (3), what will those differences be?
(5) Will transit guards be permitted to carry batons and handcuffs?
(6) Will transit guards operate in mobile units?
(7) How many transit guards will be on duty on the urban rail system at any one time?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
19 February 2002
Responded by
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
126 days
2) All Transit Guards will have powers of arrest, and approximately 70 will have powers equivalent to State Police Officers. 3) Yes 4) Those Transit Guards with powers the same as Police will be authorised to address offences under the Government Railways Act, Police Act, Criminal Code and other legislation. The majority of Transit Guards will have powers of arrest in relation to all offences specified under the Government Railways Act. 5) All Transit Guards with powers the same as Police will be authorised to carry batons and handcuffs. 6) Transit Guards will staff stations or trains. A limited number of Stations will be provided with vehicles to be used in an emergency when authorised to do so. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit. 7) The current security force will be increased from approxiamately 180 to approxiamately 240 Transit Guards. There will be approxiamately 95 Transit Guards on duty during the day. This includes one Transit Guard per train plus Transit Guards on duty at train stations. There will be approxiamately 40 Transit Guards on duty at night. This includes two Transit Guards per train plus Transit Guards on duty at stations. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit.
3) Yes 4) Those Transit Guards with powers the same as Police will be authorised to address offences under the Government Railways Act, Police Act, Criminal Code and other legislation. The majority of Transit Guards will have powers of arrest in relation to all offences specified under the Government Railways Act. 5) All Transit Guards with powers the same as Police will be authorised to carry batons and handcuffs. 6) Transit Guards will staff stations or trains. A limited number of Stations will be provided with vehicles to be used in an emergency when authorised to do so. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit. 7) The current security force will be increased from approxiamately 180 to approxiamately 240 Transit Guards. There will be approxiamately 95 Transit Guards on duty during the day. This includes one Transit Guard per train plus Transit Guards on duty at train stations. There will be approxiamately 40 Transit Guards on duty at night. This includes two Transit Guards per train plus Transit Guards on duty at stations. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit.
4) Those Transit Guards with powers the same as Police will be authorised to address offences under the Government Railways Act, Police Act, Criminal Code and other legislation. The majority of Transit Guards will have powers of arrest in relation to all offences specified under the Government Railways Act. 5) All Transit Guards with powers the same as Police will be authorised to carry batons and handcuffs. 6) Transit Guards will staff stations or trains. A limited number of Stations will be provided with vehicles to be used in an emergency when authorised to do so. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit. 7) The current security force will be increased from approxiamately 180 to approxiamately 240 Transit Guards. There will be approxiamately 95 Transit Guards on duty during the day. This includes one Transit Guard per train plus Transit Guards on duty at train stations. There will be approxiamately 40 Transit Guards on duty at night. This includes two Transit Guards per train plus Transit Guards on duty at stations. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit.
5) All Transit Guards with powers the same as Police will be authorised to carry batons and handcuffs. 6) Transit Guards will staff stations or trains. A limited number of Stations will be provided with vehicles to be used in an emergency when authorised to do so. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit. 7) The current security force will be increased from approxiamately 180 to approxiamately 240 Transit Guards. There will be approxiamately 95 Transit Guards on duty during the day. This includes one Transit Guard per train plus Transit Guards on duty at train stations. There will be approxiamately 40 Transit Guards on duty at night. This includes two Transit Guards per train plus Transit Guards on duty at stations. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit.
6) Transit Guards will staff stations or trains. A limited number of Stations will be provided with vehicles to be used in an emergency when authorised to do so. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit. 7) The current security force will be increased from approxiamately 180 to approxiamately 240 Transit Guards. There will be approxiamately 95 Transit Guards on duty during the day. This includes one Transit Guard per train plus Transit Guards on duty at train stations. There will be approxiamately 40 Transit Guards on duty at night. This includes two Transit Guards per train plus Transit Guards on duty at stations. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit.
7) The current security force will be increased from approxiamately 180 to approxiamately 240 Transit Guards. There will be approxiamately 95 Transit Guards on duty during the day. This includes one Transit Guard per train plus Transit Guards on duty at train stations. There will be approxiamately 40 Transit Guards on duty at night. This includes two Transit Guards per train plus Transit Guards on duty at stations. The Transit Guards will be supported by a 50 strong WA Police Mobile Unit.

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