VIC:Metro assesses safety of armed officers

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2011
VIC:Metro assesses safety of armed officers

MELBOURNE, April 11 AAP - Melbourne passenger train operator Metro is reportedly conducting
a safety assessment of the state government's plan to have armed protective services officers
at train stations.

The Baillieu government's promise to have two armed officers at every metropolitan
station and major regional stations from 6pm until the last train was one of its key promises
before it won office last year.

Metro is undertaking a risk assessment of the prospect of having 940 promised armed
guards at train stations, The Age newspaper reports on Monday.

Last August, Metro chief executive Andrew Lezala said he did not want anyone with guns
on the rail network, except Victoria Police officers.

"The London shooting was very traumatic for all of us in the London Underground at
the time," he told reporters in August.

Mr Lezala was referring to the police shooting of an innocent young Brazilian man on
an Underground train in the aftermath of the London bombings in July 2005.

"I guess I've just got an aversion to having a lot of people with guns on the railway," he said.

AAP mj/goc/rs

KEYWORD: ARMED

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