Copyright irishmirror
Three security teams now patrol Dublin Bus services on a daily and nightly basis after anti-social behaviour skyrocketed. The Irish Mirror joined two security guards on Wednesday night during the busy rush hour period as commuters began to pack onto busy buses to get home. We watched as Dainius Borusevicius and Ciaran Hempenstall hopped on and off buses in the city centre throughout the course of the evening. Mr. Hempenstall said guards are split between the north side and south side of the capital, while another team operates exclusively in the city centre. During the rush hour period, Dublin Bus revealed that between 850 and 900 buses are on the road. Some of the main anti-social behavior incidents faced by Dublin Bus include thugs smashing bus windows with bricks, along with fights and passengers boozing or taking drugs on board. Passengers vaping and pickpockets are also an issue on the network. Mr Hempenstall stressed the security guards' role is to de-escalate situations and said their presence alone on the bus reassures passengers and drivers. Dublin Bus revealed they decided to take action following a noticeable spike in anti-social behaviour between 2019 and 2023. The security guards were first introduced on a pilot basis last year as part of the “Safer Journeys Team” initiative. It was a success, and now they can be seen on services day and night all over the capital. Areas or services which have a higher level of anti-social behaviour will see security guards more often as a heat map of incidents dicates the patrol route. It comes as Dublin Bus has urged the Government to fast-track plans for dedicated transport cops and stressed their security guards “are not a substitute for the police”. In July, Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien said recruitment for a dedicated public transport police force could begin by the end of next year. David Boyd, Director of Risk Management at Dublin Bus, stated that the presence of security guards "mitigates" a lot of situations but they are limited in what they can actually do when a situation does arise. He told The Irish Mirror: “They provide a reassuring presence on our services, they are able to de-escalate situations which may arise, and they give a bit more comfort to drivers as well that if something is brewing (that) there is a presence there to assist them.” When asked why they decided to employ guards, Mr Boyd explained: “We brought it out in response to the change in the reported incidents of anti-social behaviour on our services - there’s been quite a marked increase from 2019 to 2023 in particular, and at that point we decided we needed to act.” In 2019, there were nearly 500 anti-social behaviour incidents; this number doubled to more than 1,000 by 2024. Figures for this year look on track to break the 1,000 mark again Mr. Boyd said the introduction of security guards has helped but reiterated the need for a dedicated transport police force. He explained: “They’re not guards, they have no powers of arrest, they have no power of detention, they’re like a security guard in any other environment. “Really, their primary purpose is de-escalation of a situation; they’re trained security professionals. “They’re good at de-escalating situations, and that leads to why we want a transport security force. “We need a force with the power of arrest and the power of detention, and that’s why we’re really pushing for a transport security force over a more traditional security guard, which have very limited powers.” He also said it was “absolutely essential” to have a dedicated police force for transport. Mr Boyd added: “It’s important to note that services are not unsafe. Incidents of anti-social behaviour, given the size of the network, are still quite small in comparison to the proportion of overall journeys. “But one incident is too many, and where we see a rise we have to be prepared to act.” Meanwhile, Dublin Bus driver Ciara Pender said the introduction of security guards has been great. Ms Pender said: “I’ve had eggs thrown at me” before adding “thank god we have security screens.” Detailing some other incidents, Ms Pender added: “I’ve had windows broken, I had a group of youths smash the window when they were actually on the bus with the emergency hammer.” She also revealed she has been subjected to vile verbal abuse in the past. Asked about the introduction of security guards, she said: “It definitely makes me feel an awful lot happier, a lot safer, it means I can do my job and that I’m not worried about people carrying on on the bus.” The Irish Mirror was also shown the Central Control Room in the Broadstone Depot. Area Operations Manager Bernard Fox revealed that a single controller can handle up to 500 calls during a shift. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
