Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) today said it is to implement a “cross-jurisdictional train protection” program and stricter law enforcement to safeguard employees, following three separate attacks on TRC trains yesterday.
One conductor was beaten on a platform at Sanyi (三義) Station in Miaoli County by a drunk passenger, while another was slapped in the face by a passenger on a train traveling through Hualien County.
Later yesterday evening, a passenger boarded a TRC train at Shulin (樹林) Station in New Taipei City with a box cutter before being apprehended by police.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Railway Corp
The TRC condemned the attacks, while TRC president Feng Hui-sheng (馮輝昇) yesterday personally checked in on the affected employees, instructing the company’s occupational safety department to continue follow-up care and support.
Feng today convened a news conference titled “Zero Tolerance for Violence,” where he announced that the railway company would cover all legal costs for affected employees.
Following a detailed investigation, both of the injured conductors have been discharged from hospital and are recovering at home, he said.
The TRC would work with the National Police Agency’s Railway Police Bureau and local police to increase police patrols and visibility on trains, while engaging local police forces to ensure rapid response in case of future incidents, Feng said.
The company would also be stricter in enforcing the law, he said, as yesterday’s incident in Hualien saw police relocate the disruptive passenger once he had calmed down without taking further legal action, which later led to the attack on the conductor.
The TRC is also discussing equipping staff with body cameras, which would be rolled out once a consensus is reached on usage regulations, he added.
The Railway Police Bureau has also recommended the use of personal defense sprays, such as pepper spray, he said.
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