Three months ago, Brimbank police brought in 12 transit police to monitor trains and stations from Watergardens to Footscray.

Sunshine's Inspector Mick Grainger said the trial program had already had an impact on crime. He's in the process of extending the initiative for another three months and has plans to make its Brimbank base permanent.

While unable to provide figures, Inspector Grainger told the Advocate that reports of crime along the rail system had reduced significantly, with the presence of officers on trains and around stations also resulting in the arrest of many offenders.

"Traders and the local community in Hampshire Road are pleased with the visible policing presence in the area for the past three months," Inspector Grainger said. "We've had an increase in the number of police walking the streets of Sunshine CBD, starting at the station in Sunshine where they walk to the transport hub and catch trains."

Transit safety division's Sergeant Kelly Duhig said two more members would soon join the team to help make the western suburbs safer.

Sergeant Duhig said a transit unit was formerly based in Werribee, but it had proved to be too distant.

The officers, who travel the system in plain clothes and in uniform, are rotated across a seven-day roster

and have been targeting drug offenders, thieves and damage to cars parked at stations.

Sergeant Duhig said police had made many arrests of people handling stolen property. "A lot of drug addicts tend to travel to purchase their drugs and often at times we'll find them on the train with stolen property. A lot of these people will go to jail for driving while disqualified, so they won't use cars but they do see trains as a weak spot."

Sergeant Duhig said a side-effect of the operations was that drug activity had been pushed to other areas.

"Initially, we pushed people a bit further down the line in either direction, but we're also adjusting ourselves to meet that requirement.

"We can't be entirely Sunshine-focused; we have to be aware of what

we do in relation to Footscray or

Maribyrnong and down to Keilor Downs and Watergardens, we make sure we're everywhere."