The British Transport Police, which is responsible for policing the UK’s rail network, is looking for volunteers to sit on a new advisory panel.
The group of volunteers will feedback to the BTP about how it does its job.
The force is looking for people who have a general interest in railways and the railway community, particularly those who have strong links with their local communities.
Inspector Stuart Middlemas is responsible for setting up the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) for BTP’s Wales and Western Area, which covers all of Wales, the South West of England and the West Midlands.
He said: “We want members of the public to become more involved in advising us in our policing of the railways.
“BTP already has a National Independent Advisory Group (NIAG) whose members are from a wide cross section of backgrounds, communities and diverse groups who constructively evaluate BTP’s policies and procedures based on their own independent views, experiences and special knowledge of their own communities.
“We now want to develop an area-based group who can represent the Wales and Western Area railway community we serve, and allow members of the public and rail staff to have a say on how we police the railways at a local level.
“We want members of the panel to have links to the diverse communities we police so we can help form a bridge between these groups and BTP.
“The aim is for members of the public and rail staff to become involved and be a voice for the community. We want them to provide feedback to us and to challenge us when they don’t think we are getting things right.
“We want them to be critical and challenge existing processes to continue to build trust and confidence in us, which will have real tangible effects on our policing and our policies.”
Meetings will be held quarterly across the area, and will allow people to have a voice in the policing of the railway.
Panel members will not be paid to perform the role, but will be entitled to the reimbursement of associated costs such as travel expenses.
Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer to sit on the panel can visit the British Transport Police website.
Alternatively, contact Barry Boffy via email at ww-diversity-action-group@btp.pnn.police.uk, or call 0121 654 2072.