Victoria Police to Redeploy PSOs from Railway Stations in Major Security Overhaul

Beginning April 19, 2026, Victoria Police will restructure Protective Services Officer (PSO) patrols across the metropolitan rail network, removing permanent platform-based patrols from 119 smaller stations while expanding daytime coverage at 32 "high-risk" hubs.

The policy change coincides with new crime statistics showing Victoria's overall offending has fallen for the first time in four years—though specific crime categories and regional figures tell a more complex story.

PSO Deployment: What's Changing

The new model will be phased in over six months starting April 19, 2026.

Patrols Removed: Permanent platform-based patrols will be withdrawn from 119 smaller, less busy railway stations.

Expanded Daytime Patrols: 32 "high-risk" stations—including major CBD hubs (Southern Cross, Flinders Street) and suburban stops (Dandenong, Sunshine, Footscray, Frankston, Ringwood)—will have PSOs on platforms from 9:00 a.m. until the last train service. This is an expansion from the previous start time of 6:00 p.m.

Nightly Patrols Maintained: 73 metropolitan stations and 4 regional stations will continue to have PSOs on platforms from 6:00 p.m. daily.

Mobile Patrol Model: For remaining stations, PSOs will operate in mobile teams, covering up to six stations by riding trains between them or responding as needed.

"Having PSOs at smaller, less busy stations was inefficient. The new model allows for more intelligence-led patrols where crime is known to occur."
— Assistant Commissioner Mick Hermans

A Victorian government spokesperson said the changes reflect evolving crime patterns and patronage levels since PSOs were introduced in 2012. Transport official Jeroen Weimar stated internal data indicated commuters were traveling safely, while acknowledging the need for continued vigilance.

However, the Police Association Victoria and some public transport researchers have expressed concerns that removing static PSOs from smaller stations could affect commuter safety. "A visible, static police presence deters crime," said Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt.

Railway Crime on the Rise

According to Crime Statistics Agency data, violent crimes on the Victorian rail network increased by 33% between 2022 and 2025. In 2025, a total of 1,561 "crimes against the person" (including assaults, sexual crimes, and threats) were recorded across the network.

Station Crime Data (2025)

A tragic case at Mernda station highlights timing concerns. PSOs were scheduled to begin patrols at 6:00 p.m. In early 2026, 22-year-old Aidan Becker was killed at the station after intervening in an armed robbery—an incident police said occurred 10 minutes before the scheduled patrol start time.

Passenger numbers on metro and V/Line services rose by 22%, from approximately 162 million in 2022-23 to 198 million in 2024-25.

Statewide Crime Trends (12 Months to March 2026)

The Crime Statistics Agency reported that Victoria's overall crime rate fell for the first time since 2022.

Key Figures

• Total Offences: 625,426—a decrease of 0.2% (1,524 offences) from the previous 12 months
• Crime Rate: Decreased by 1.9% on a population-adjusted basis
• Youth Offending: 22,654 alleged offences involving young people—down 6% from the previous year. First-time youth offenders reached the lowest rate in over a decade
• Adult Crime: Increased by 10%, driven by breaches of bail, retail theft, and breaches of family violence orders
• Theft: Total thefts increased by 6.3% to over 44,000 alleged incidents; retail theft rose by 11.7%
• Car Theft: 31,851 vehicles stolen—the highest number since 2001-02, more than double the level of four years ago
• Armed Robberies, Carjackings, and Burglaries: Decreased overall

Youth offenders accounted for 60% of robberies, 55% of carjackings, 49% of home invasions, and 48% of aggravated burglaries.

"Victoria's crime wave appears to have peaked."
— CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley

Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill offered a more cautious assessment: overall crime remains "far higher than both police and the community would like." He indicated the 2.4% increase in the overall criminal incident rate (to 8,885.5 offences per 100,000 people—the highest since 2016) may signal stabilization, but that a major reduction is not anticipated soon due to cost-of-living pressures, recidivism, and technology factors.

Government and Opposition React

• Police Minister Anthony Carbines described crime as "unacceptably high" but credited government policies including tougher bail laws and "adult time for violent crime" sentencing.
• Shadow Police Minister Brad Battin criticized the government, stating crime is up and police shortages are worsening.
• Opposition Leader Jess Wilson pledged to recruit 3,000 new police officers and an additional 200 PSOs if elected.

Proposed Reforms and Police Resourcing

Chief Commissioner Mike Bush has advocated for several reforms, including:

• Graduated mandatory minimum sentences for serious offenses (providing "certainty for victims, offenders, and the community")
• Streamlining court processes to process young offenders before they reoffend on bail
• Reforming complex disclosure laws
• Expanding the ankle bracelet program for prolific youth offenders
• Recruiting 200 ex-police reservists for non-operational duties
• Recruiting an extra 1,550 police by late 2028
• Introducing a mobile app for police to charge and bail offenders at the point of arrest

Court of Appeal judges Chris Maxwell and Terry Forrest have previously called mandatory minimums "wrong in principle."

Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt stated crime would continue to increase unless more police are recruited, highlighting 1,500 current vacancies. Deputy Commissioner Hill countered that these vacancies are not responsible for the crime increase, citing internal police reorganization.

Specific Crime Categories and Regional Data

Aggravated Burglary in Affluent Suburbs

Data shows council areas of Boroondara, Bayside, and Stonnington recorded a 10-year high in residential aggravated burglary rates (burglary committed while a person is home) in 2025.

RMIT criminologist Dr. Brianna Chesser linked the rates in prestige suburbs to organized groups targeting areas with high-value items. Victoria Police cited Operation Trinity, which targeted home burglaries and led to over 600 arrests in 2024.

Car Theft

Police data indicates 30-40% of stolen cars are taken using electronic key-cloning devices. Operation Alliance is actively patrolling Melbourne's western suburbs, which have high rates of youth gang crime, home invasions, and aggravated burglaries.

The Insurance Council of Australia reported a 59% rise in motor vehicle theft insurance claims in Victoria for the 2024-25 financial year, totaling over 12,000 claims and $223 million.