The Victorian government has launched an investigation into allegations of an assault involving authorised officers at a Melbourne train station.
According to ABC News, a passenger claims she was detained and assaulted by the officers on January 14 at Middle Footscray Station, later requiring hospital treatment. The allegations surfaced through social media, prompting the government to initiate a review into the incident.
Authorised officers, employed by public transport operators, are responsible for ticket inspections, passenger safety, and assisting during disruptions. These officers undergo regular training and operate under a code of conduct established by the Victorian government.
Government minister Steve Dimopoulos defended the training program for authorised officers while acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations.
“[Authorised officers] are well-trained; they go through a rigorous training process and have a code of conduct,” Mr. Dimopoulos said. “There’s always two sides to a story, so we just need to wait for the investigation.”
Daniel Bowen, spokesperson for the Public Transport Users Association, welcomed the government review and emphasized the importance of CCTV footage in determining the facts.
“It’s good that they’re going to investigate, and hopefully CCTV on the train and station will clarify what happened,” Mr. Bowen said.
“If the claims are correct, it’s clearly unacceptable. Procedures, training—whatever it takes—must change to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
The review’s findings will guide potential changes to policies or training to prevent future incidents.