Overview
- The Justice and Security Ministry published the authorization on Friday, clearing a two-year trial for NS’s Veiligheid en Service team.
- NS says the test will measure whether a short baton deters incidents, helps de‑escalate confrontations and supports arrests without striking.
- Training is required before issuance, with routes, stations and participating employees to be chosen in the coming months.
- NS employs about 680 boa’s and logged more than 1,000 aggression incidents in 2024, including roughly 350 cases involving serious violence.
- Internal reluctance within NS remains, as officials stress the baton is one of several safety measures under review, referencing municipal short‑baton pilots such as in Amsterdam.