Since October 2024, Polish Police and Border Guards have been taking part in the European Commission’s Detection Trial to test explosive trace detection equipment in the rail environment. Detection devices have been rented by the Commission and provided to the Polish railways and the law enforcement authorities to try out advanced security technologies for protection of public spaces and critical infrastructures as part of EU’s Counter-Terrorism Agenda implementation.
The European Commission’s department in charge of migration and home affairs held a workshop on 17 and 18 December to review the use of the device. The workshop brought together the Polish Border Guard and Polish Police Railway Warsaw Unit, Polish State Railways and the Internal Security Agency with members of the manufacturing company of the device (Smiths Detection). The European Commission (including its Joint Research Center), Europol, High-Risk Security Network and the Belgian police participated as well and shared their experience with similar equipment. The workshop covered achievements and positive findings from the trial and focused on areas for further improvement. It allowed also collection of good practices which will be instrumental in setting up further detection trials.
The IONSCAN600 is a mobile device that can be moved around and between train stations as needed. For example, it can quickly scan unattended luggage for explosives and help avoiding huge evacuations. During the trial, the device was used to scan selected areas of railway stations such as lockers, passenger and cargo trains and railway tracks.
At different border crossing points between Poland, Ukraine and Belarus, the device was used to scan passengers and trains. At one of the crossing points, the device was used 2225 times and allowed detection of traces of explosives on a number of individuals. Police and border guards found the device easy and intuitive to use, allowing quick and detailed results. The scanner helped the Police to uncover an organised crime group operating at the Warsaw Railway Station.
Tomasz Lachowicz, Director of the PKP Representation in Brussels, which faciliated the launch of this trial from the rail sector side, underlined that the current joint project, concerning the Commission providing advanced detection equipment to PKP and Polish security and border services, has brought tangible benefits to the safety of passengers.
Early detection, thanks to the loaned equipment, directly enhanced public safety and potentially saved lives. The equipment – used in different parts of the country – enhances security at the Polish railways, which is particularly important in a situation when the next attempts of sabotage at the railways cannot be excluded. The results from this Polish trial and the workshop’s findings will feed the work on the EU Voluntary Detection Standards.
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Protection – Migration and Home Affairs – European Commission
