The Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme (RSAS) allows organisations and employees involved in railway safety and security to be accredited by the police. Safety accreditation schemes were introduced after the Police Reform Act 2002 as part of the extended policing family which also includes police community support officers and special constables.

In 2005 the chief constable of British Transport Police (BTP) launched the RSAS which enabled BTP to implement an accreditation scheme for the railway environment.

The focus of the scheme

• To provide a visible presence in the railway community to help reduce crime and the fear of crime
• To improve the relationship between BTP and train operating/ private sector companies with better coordination of resources
• To support neighbourhood policing in the community

Accredited people support the police by their presence and activities - they are able to address certain issues on the spot without involving the police. By promoting liaison between police and accredited organisations, accredited rail staff help bring together a wider policing family and improve the sharing of information. This helps BTP address and prioritise issues affecting local railway communities.

Want to find out more?

Please contact the Complementary Policing team on 0207 954 3896
or email: complementarypolicing@btp.pnn.police.uk