New scheme allows rail passengers to report crime via text

Date: 6/3/2013

The (BTP) British Transport Police has unveiled a new text messaging service that enables rail passengers to report incidents which are not classed as emergencies.

Designed to help the BTP clamp down on minor crimes and anti-social behaviour on trains, the hope is that the public will feel empowered to highlight issues that would otherwise go unreported.

What's more, the idea is that the initiative will also give officers a stronger understanding of the nature, number, time and location of incidents.

Paul Crowther, Deputy Chief Constable for the BTP, said: "BTP aims to be as open and responsive as possible and this is the next logical step for us.

"Text messaging is a quick and everyday way to communicate and we know passengers want to be able to contact us this way.

"By encouraging passengers to also report incidents via text, we hope we'll get a more complete picture of the sort of low-level but all too common incidents that affect people's journeys across the network."

The 61016 text number will be monitored 24/7, and although it is not for emergencies there will be the potential to send a police response if necessary.

Inspired by the 101 number that is used to alert local police forces to low-level crime, Mr Crowther added that the aim is to tackle anti-social behaviour that is "undoubtedly under-reported."

Indeed, the Deputy Chief Constable explained that passengers often ignore minor incidents, so giving them an easy means of highlighting criminal behaviour will be an effective means of improving the BTP's ability to address the problem.

And Passenger Focus Director David Sidebottom welcomed the new service, praising it as a way to improve the extent to which passengers feel secure when travelling by train.

"Passengers tell us that they generally feel safe on the railway, however, they will welcome this initiative as it will provide them with an easy way to highlight the problems they come across," he commented.

Posted by Sarah Bailey

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