PSO Overhaul Starts Sunday at Victorian Train Stations

Protective Services Officers (PSOs) across Victoria are set for a major shake-up from Sunday 19 April, with a new intelligence-led deployment model expanding their presence at metropolitan and regional train stations.

Under the overhaul, PSOs will be deployed to stations based on police data and intelligence, will start shifts as early as 9am at key stations, and will no longer be confined to the platform.

“PSOs will be located where they’re needed, when they’re needed, based on real police intelligence,” Minister for Police Anthony Carbines said.

From Sunday 19 April, PSOs patrol 32 metropolitan stations from 9am until last service. Another 73 metro stations and four regional stations have PSOs on deck from 5pm until last service, while 119 metro stations receive constant mobile patrols from 5pm until the last train of the night.

Mr Carbines said the change is about broader coverage, not reduced resourcing.

“No station is losing PSOs – what’s changing is how they work, with constant mobile patrols to cover more places, more often,” he said.

The government has committed $44 million in this year’s Budget to fund 50 additional PSOs, strengthening the frontline rollout.

“Police designed this intelligence-led model to help them detect and deter more crime – we backed them and now we’re giving them 50 extra PSOs to boost their resources further,” Mr Carbines said.

Crime patterns have shifted since PSOs were first introduced 14 years ago, with police advising that officers now need to be positioned where crime is more likely to occur, based on current intelligence.

Under the new model, no station and no train will be left unpatrolled while PSOs are on shift, with officers moving constantly around the network to detect and deter crime.

Victoria has the largest police force in the country, with frontline resources growing further under the 50 additional PSOs.