British Transport Police record 83,000 crimes through public safety campaign
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The British Transport Police recorded almost 83,000 crimes over the last decade as a result of the See it. Say it. Sorted. public safety campaign in Britain.
The campaign began in 2016 to encourage railway passengers to report suspicious behavior or crimes by texting the number 61016. This initiative has prompted more than 1.5 million texts over the last 10 years. These messages led to over 175,000 police deployments across the rail network.
Last year, the number of texts sent to the police using this service increased nearly tenfold compared to the launch year. The campaign covers every train operator and station in England, Scotland, and Wales. While it started as a counter-terrorism initiative, it now serves as a way for people to report a wide range of issues, including sexual harassment and other safety concerns.
For example, a passenger used the service in March 2025 to report a man viewing graphic child abuse material on a train to London Euston, resulting in his arrest and a prison sentence of over 2 years. The UK government is providing the British Transport Police with a £63 million funding boost over 3 years to hire 200 additional officers. This includes 36 officers for a new team to reduce violence against women and girls.
The government is also spending £17 million to improve CCTV at stations and will begin assessing rail operators on their efforts to tackle violence against women and girls.
