Little Things You Hate

Pastavore

Pastavore

Eats Squid
Shredden said:
PSOs.

Last night, walking back from a night taking pics around southbank/CBD me and a mate walked into North Melbourne station to get on the 12 o'clock train to Geelong. A bunch of PSOs block us from getting on the escalator and ask us where we are going (back to geelong) what we have been doing (dinner then taking scenery pics of melbourne) and if we have, quote "had anything to do with law enforcement before, or have run away from home, or are in any trouble with the law" (nope, just two skinny white private school kids who like riding bikes).

We weren't drunk or stoned, not being loud or breaking any rules. Just walking down to the train.

"Okay boys, we are gonna need to search your bags". Cue 10 minutes of getting our bags pulled apart. Didnt find anything illegal.

"Thanks for that boys, we are going to need some ID. Names and addresses please."

This is bullshit. Would have more freedom in East Germany.
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Absolutely Theo, that is bullshit. I would suggest you make a complaint.

Just be thankful you don't live in QLD, I think Herr Newman is considering making being a youth illegal......
 
BT180

BT180

Max Pfaff
LTIH - Driving the car, early in the morning with the windows down, go around a corner and cop all the dew from the night before inside the window. :mmph:
 
PINT of Stella. mate!

PINT of Stella. mate!

Many, many Scotches
wombat said:
What is a PSO?
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Pretendy Police Officer that's normally found patrolling the train stations at night

They get to wear a uniform that almost looks like the real deal but they only have to go through about 5 minutes training. I'm not one for generalising but they do seem to be mostly washouts who've failed the entry test for normal cops.

Arming them is probably not one of the state's better ideas.
 
Dozer

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
Shredden said:
This is bullshit. Would have more freedom in East Germany.
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You'd be more than happy for their presence if shit got real and they stopped some gassed up meth head from kicking your junk in. Actually, you should count yourself lucky that you got home safely, that the whole point of their existence isn't it?
I'm not surprised they bailed you up actually, you're a seedy looking chap. ;)
 
wombat

wombat

Lives in a hole
So what sort of powers do PSOs have? Like real cop powers or rent a cop powers? Cause I'd be fucked if I'd ever let a rent a cop search any of my shit.
 
moorey

moorey

call me Mia
Gotta say, that in theory, I'm for them. Its more than 5 minutes training, and I'd be happy to see them hanging around seedy spots like train stations. Some will be fuckwit dropouts, for sure, and some will abuse their power, but as a very infrequent rail user, the times I have caught a city train, its been the dodgiest of places, and a PSO is going to be more use than an absent cop.
 
S

Shredden

Knows his goats
wombat said:
So what sort of powers do PSOs have? Like real cop powers or rent a cop powers? Cause I'd be fucked if I'd ever let a rent a cop search any of my shit.
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Lays it out here.

http://www.smartjustice.org.au/cb_pages/files/SJFYP_Protective_Services_Officers.pdf

I have been catching public transport by myself and with friends at least once a week, if not more, since I was 13 - with a majority of that being on lines that head right through the ghetto (craigieburn and sunbury lines specifically). I have never had an encounter of any significance with a violent person, or been robbed, despite often travelling with my DH bike and BMX. Crazy/loud/drunk people, sure, but its not like they only exist within the railway system (where police/PSOs seem to be FAR more concentrated in relative to pubs, parks, and even other forms of public transport etc). Grandparents also have been catching trains on the craigieburn line multiple times a week for at least 15 years and view the PSOs as unnecessary and a waste.

Its seems like a crazy waste of money, coming into the city at night they are at most stations, always just standing there talking to each other on a deserted station that is falling to pieces, poorly lit etc.

I might be different to you guys, I mean I definitely come from a family that, has an opposition to things like this. But regardless, I would rather be free and at a small risk of getting rolled for my sleeping bag and gopro than have to live in a society where you get searched and questioned by not-even-police walking home from the city at night.
 
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Spike-X

Spike-X

Grumpy Old Sarah
Dozer said:
You'd be more than happy for their presence if shit got real and they stopped some gassed up meth head from kicking your junk in. Actually, you should count yourself lucky that you got home safely, that the whole point of their existence isn't it?
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Yes, that is the point of their existence. Not to harass and intimidate people who've done nothing wrong, just so they can be seen to be doing something.
 
X

Xavo.au

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Spike-X said:
Yes, that is the point of their existence. Not to harass and intimidate people who've done nothing wrong, just so they can be seen to be doing something.
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They have some decent power:

"A PSO does not need a warrant and, in some cases, does
not need reasonable grounds for suspicion to be able to
search you."

What the fuck - Does not need reasonable grounds for suspicion to be able to search?
 
S.

S.

ex offender
Xavo.au said:
They have some decent power:

"A PSO does not need a warrant and, in some cases, does
not need reasonable grounds for suspicion to be able to
search you."

What the fuck - Does not need reasonable grounds for suspicion to be able to search?
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WTF! Fuck that, I'm never coming back to Aus.

Melbourne does not have serious problems with violent crime, it is generally an extremely safe place. It does, however, have serious problems with being an overpoliced nanny state.
 
wombat

wombat

Lives in a hole
Xavo.au said:
They have some decent power:

"A PSO does not need a warrant and, in some cases, does
not need reasonable grounds for suspicion to be able to
search you."

What the fuck - Does not need reasonable grounds for suspicion to be able to search?
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Yeap, fuck you Victoria, had no idea provisions like this existed. Probably good that I do know, as I may have been inclined to politely tell a pretend-cop to fuck right off if they'd asked to search me.
 
Elbo

Elbo

pesky scooter kids git off ma lawn
Plan for 6 months to see Anchorman 2 with mates from my home town. I'm about to drive down for Christmas tomorrow and tonight I see on facebook that my so called 'mates' are at the cinema watching Anchorman 2 without me… bastards!
 
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