Northern "Rail Response Unit"

[thenorthern]

In the past few months I have noticed some Northern staff in uniform similar to police officers marked "Rail Response Unit".

Does anyone know what these officers are and what their purpose is?

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Security staff

 

[thenorthern]

Its strange as in this country security guards can't have Firearms, CS Spray, Handcuffs, Batons or anything that could be considered a weapon so they are rather lame.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Its strange as in this country security guards can't have Firearms, CS Spray, Handcuffs, Batons or anything that could be considered a weapon so they are rather lame.

If they did, Fare Evasion would drop to zero overnight

 

[AnonymousUser1]

Its strange as in this country security guards can't have Firearms, CS Spray, Handcuffs, Batons or anything that could be considered a weapon so they are rather lame.

CS spray is an S.5 firearm

Handcuffs are un restricted and can be carried iirc, it;s one of the optional modules in the SIA framework

Batons are actually suprisingly high on the conflict management levels of escalation ( higher than taser in some version) ...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If they did, Fare Evasion would drop to zero overnight

really ? so why then does fare evasion still continue at barried stations with fairly heavy and visible BTP presence ?

 

[thenorthern]

CS spray is an S.5 firearm

Handcuffs are un restricted and can be carried iirc, it;s one of the optional modules in the SIA framework

Batons are actually suprisingly high on the conflict management levels of escalation ( higher than taser in some version) ...

I was in Spain last year and like the United Kingdom Spain has very strict gun laws.

It was quite strange though that all the shopping centre security guards in Spain have large noticeable wooden batons chained to their uniform and the Cash-in-transit officers all carried visible firearms. Both of which are illegal for non-Home Office security firms in this country.

 

[Agent_c]

Law and order: Rail Response Unit

In the Northern Rail network area there is an elite squad set up for issuing penalty fares... These are there stories.

*doink doink*

"Hey sarge, over here we have a 17 year old trying to use a railcard ticket without a railcard"
"My god, do these criminal scum know no boundaries?"
"It gets worse, it's an off peak ticket, and it's still peak time for 3 more minutes"
"It's days like this I don't know why we bother. can he give us an address for the £60 bill"
"He says he has no fixed abode..."

 

[eman_resu]

Law and order: Rail Response Unit

In the Northern Rail network area there is an elite squad set up for issuing penalty fares... These are there stories.

*doink doink*

"Hey sarge, over here we have a 17 year old trying to use a railcard ticket without a railcard"
"My god, do these criminal scum know no boundaries?"
"It gets worse, it's an off peak ticket, and it's still peak time for 3 more minutes"
"It's days like this I don't know why we bother. can he give us an address for the £60 bill"
"He says he has no fixed abode..."

Very funny - It will be lost in translation with my office colleagues here in Aus.....

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's never been the same since they stopped deportation...

 

[Bigfoot]

In the past few months I have noticed some Northern staff in uniform similar to police officers marked "Rail Response Unit".

Does anyone know what these officers are and what their purpose is?

Is it not similar to the EIUs that have been created in the south?

 

[tsr]

Is it not similar to the EIUs that have been created in the south?

Sounds more like the Rail Neighbourhood/Enforcement Officers (depending on your choice of Govia TOC/branded operation).

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

It's never been the same since they stopped deportation...

Depends on which part of Australia you are referring to....

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Depends on which part of Australia you are referring to....

I had the west coast of Northern Queensland in mind.

 

[headshot119]

CS spray is an S.5 firearm

Handcuffs are un restricted and can be carried iirc, it;s one of the optional modules in the SIA framework

Batons are actually suprisingly high on the conflict management levels of escalation ( higher than taser in some version) ...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


really ? so why then does fare evasion still continue at barried stations with fairly heavy and visible BTP presence ?

There is no law which prevents a person from carrying handcuffs in the UK (Though only police officers or similar should use the fixed bar type). The grey area starts when you try to use them on someone, there's a lot of potential for charges being brought for unlawful detainment, assault etc. The SIA have very specific guidance on who, and where handcuffs can be deployed. (I also don't know many people who have done the module for it, and I know less that actually carry them)

 

[noddingdonkey]

The Response Unit staff are often seen at Slaithwaite and Marsden on summer Saturday afternoons trying to keep the worst excesses of the Ale Trail in check.

 

[Mojo]

I saw someone in similar uniform at Hull station on Monday evening, I'm not sure of the job title as his tactical vest had the words "Keeping Transpennine Safe and Secure" (or something along those lines) where normally the job title would be.

 

[thenorthern]

I must admit that the first time I saw the rail response unit I thought their uniform was deliberately chosen to look similar to the police uniform.

I never understand though why private security firms are allowed to chose uniforms that are designed deliberately to look like police uniforms.

 

[185]

Northern's (Carlyle) Rail Response do a vital job in scrapping with belligerent pensioners / Saga louts on platforms:


credit: Metro

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I saw someone in similar uniform at Hull station on Monday evening, I'm not sure of the job title as his tactical vest had the words "Keeping Transpennine Safe and Secure" (or something along those lines) where normally the job title would be.

Private security for the railway station on behalf on TPE...

They have been known to try and place their authority on the next door bus station, but they've been told not to do this anymore as one was taken to court for assault

 

[MrPIC]

The Land Sheriffs operate frequently on the GA network, they look pretty frightening at times with their bullet proof vests etc. Thoroughly nice lads though if you chat to them

 

[Stigy]

I must admit that the first time I saw the rail response unit I thought their uniform was deliberately chosen to look similar to the police uniform.

I never understand though why private security firms are allowed to chose uniforms that are designed deliberately to look like police uniforms.

Most of the time uniforms are intended to look like police as a deterrent, and as long as it doesn't say 'POLICE' anywhere on it, it's legal. If these officers are accredited under the Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme (RSAS) such as the RCOs for SWT or REOs at SET and Southern, they MUST be immediately distinguishable as not police uniforms, and its much stricter. In reality it doesn't matter how un-police like they are, the minute you dress staff in a hi-vis tac-vest and hat, members of the public (and sometimes even staff!) think they're police officers for some reason...