Amulet helping to keep public transport passengers in Essex safe

Churchill Group’s specialist security division, Amulet, is partnering with several boroughs within Essex on a 15-month pilot project that will see six Transport Safety Officers (TSOs) coordinate with c2c, Greater Anglia and Ensign Buses to enhance safety on public transport. They will also collaborate with the British Transport Police and Essex Police.

TSOs are specially trained staff who deal with low-level nuisance and disorder, champion strategies that tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and target hotspot routes and locations on public transport.

As part of the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, the Department for Transport has committed £2.5 million nationally over two years to pilot an expansion of the TSO model. The councils were awarded £490,000 in a bid to reduce antisocial behaviour.

Six newly recruited officers began operating at specific locations on railway links across Essex and certain bus stations in February 2024. They will undergo training and vetting to effectively handle low level nuisance and disorder incidents. Their duties will involve patrolling designated routes and locations, complementing the efforts of other safety personnel.

While the primary focus of the TSOs will be on engagement and education, they will also possess enforcement powers, including the authority to issue fixed penalty notices for specific anti-social behaviours.

Amulet is one of a select group of companies that has been endorsed by the Police Crime Prevention Agency to deliver Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) and Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme (RSAS) training. Security officers with CSAS and RSAS accreditation receive certain powers focused on safety and security, including policing activities such as traffic control, confiscation of alcohol and the requirement for a person’s name and address. Amulet trains its own officers as required, as well as those from other security companies.

Kieran Mackie, MD at Amulet, said: “We’re thrilled to be part of an innovative new pilot that extends the roles of TSOs at certain bus stations. We take great pride in the training our officers, and this is a setting where they can flourish. We look forward to working with all stakeholders on this pilot and hope that its success will lead to a nationwide rollout.”