Role

Behind the scenes of European railway transport, dozens of organisations keep careful guard on public security and operational order in railway transport as well as on travellers’ and railway companies’ property and belongings. And, as rail transport attracts certain types of delinquency, railway security organisations have developed their own methods and techniques to fight them.

The common task of the railway companies and of the railway police forces is to provide protection for persons, assets and property as well as for operational order in the railway environment against disruptive or criminal acts. With the increasing integration of Europe, additional action going beyond the national interests of the organisations is required. Close collaboration between the railway police forces and railway companies in Europe is necessary for this purpose. In 1981, some railway companies and railway police forces founded a European organisation with the name COLPOFER (French: Collaboration des services de police ferroviaire et de sécurité). This collaborative body is associated as a special group to the International Union of Railways (UIC). Since its foundation and following the enlargement of the European Union, further European railway companies and railway police forces have joined the COLPOFER Association.
The functions of the Association

• exchange of experience and information on methods for preventing and combating crime on railway premises;
• common approach to combat crime on railway premises;
• exchange of information on the operational security situation of international significance and concerning railway operations;
• provision of recommendations to railway companies and railway police forces to improve security and the subjective feeling of security of railway customers and staff;
• provision of recommendations to other bodies involved in or responsible for railway transport security.