Today at 6:03 PM • Updated today at 6:31 PM
From next week, NS security personnel in Den Bosch will have a baton in their pocket. This is a trial that lasts one year. Den Bosch is one of the cities where the trial is being held.
According to the NS, ‘rail boas’ are increasingly confronted with aggression and violence. A baton must contribute to safety. 75 of the approximately 700 NS railway boas will receive a baton.
In addition to Den Bosch, they work in The Hague, Zwolle and Rotterdam. In the latter place the trial started last week. “Especially during arrests, you can keep a safe distance from bystanders who will interfere and put you in unsafe situations,” said the NS boa who is participating in the trial in Rotterdam. NOS.
The personnel who will carry a baton have been trained since the beginning of this year. The baton is just one of the measures being taken to ensure that NS personnel work more safely. Conductors will receive a bodycam later this year.
What do railway boas do?
NS officers always work in pairs and are allowed to arrest people, if necessary by force. Now they are equipped with handcuffs and a walkie-talkie. They take action on the train and at the station after requests for help and conduct safety checks in places where NS expects a lot of inconvenience.
NS employees reported aggression 1,132 times last year, compared to 1,095 the year before. In addition, NS boas were involved 11 percent more often in incidents involving physical and verbal aggression in 2025.
The NS points out that boas are deployed in situations that have often already escalated, writes the NOS.
