Starting in April, 75 of the 680 Dutch Railways (NS) security officers, known as boa's, will begin carrying batons as part of a one-year trial. These officers, based in Den Haag, Rotterdam, Zwolle, and Den Bosch, will undergo six days of training to learn when and how to use the batons, requiring them to obtain a certificate. While already authorized to use force, the batons will provide an additional tool. The trial, approved by the cabinet for two years but initiated by NS for one, aims to gather sufficient data to decide on broader implementation, with a control group of boa's not carrying batons being monitored for comparison.