Officers make Vic trains feel safer: audit

People feel safer catching trains in Melbourne at night thanks to Protective Services Officers (PSOs) but it's unclear if their presence has reduced crime rates.

Community perceptions of safety have increased since PSOs were introduced in February 2012, according to a review released on Wednesday.

An increase in the amount of people feeling safe, however, does not determine if safety has actually improved, or if crime rates have changed, acting auditor-general Peter Frost says.

"While there is evidence that PSOs have increased perceptions of safety ... it is not possible, on the available data, to determine if their presence has had an impact on crime," he said.

Before PSOs were deployed in June 2012, 61 per cent of night-time train users felt safe.

This increased to 69 per cent a year later.

Dr Frost says feeling safe is important for the roll-out of the Night Network 12-month trial, which offers 24-hour transport on Fridays and Saturdays on metropolitan trains, and selected tram and bus routes.

"If people feel that their trains are safe, then they are more likely to use them," he said.

The report found recorded crime at train stations had increased after the first year of operation, partly due to increased reporting and detection, but has started falling.

The auditor-general made four recommendations, and wants the Department of Justice and Victoria Police to prioritise evaluating the PSO program once it has been fully implemented, which won't happen until June.

They should improve the way data from the program is collected so its effectiveness on crime can be measured.

PSOs were introduced by the previous Liberal government under a $212 million four-year plan to recruit and deploy 940 officers at 216 urban train stations and four regional stations.

They are on duty every night from 6pm until the last train.