British Transport Police is joining forces with a national company to increase the flow of intelligence across the North West’s rail network.
For some time officers from North West Area have been building links with First Rail Support (FRS) – now the two organisations will be working together under the banner of FirstWatch.
The scheme will see FRS Co-ordinators, who oversee the rail replacement buses at stations across the region, acting as the eyes and ears of BTP and reporting any instances of suspicious behaviour or criminal activity to the police.
Chief Superintendent Peter Holden, Area Commander for BTP in the North West, said: “I am delighted that the FirstWatch scheme will enable us to strengthen links with an important regional partner.
“With such a wide geographical area to cover it is vital that BTP work closely with key stakeholders and schemes such as FirstWatch are key to maintaining and developing those relationships.
“The value of good quality community intelligence cannot be overestimated and, adding the eyes and ears of the First Rail co-ordinators to those of our sector police will be beneficial in ensuring that we maintain an accurate overview of what is happening across the region’s rail network.
“As well as providing intelligence to the police the co-ordinators will be ideally placed to assist police in other ways such as keeping a lookout for missing people believed to be on the railways.
Chief Supt Holden added: “This arrangement formalises what already happens on a daily basis by making it easier for FRS co-ordinators to pass this kind of information to BTP and the official launch of the scheme will hopefully prompt an increase in calls.”
Through FirstWatch, FRS co-ordinators will be in contact with the BTP to alert officers of any issues as they arise. They will also be able to feed intelligence to the police via the FRS Control Room Manager.
Maurice Duckworth, Managing Director of FRS said, “We are delighted to be working in close partnership with BTP and to support them in community policing with the aim of helping to reduce crime and disorder on the railway.”
