The authority of Public Transport Victoria's protective services officers (PSOs) is in tatters amid revelations thousands of arrests made by officers in the last eight years have been unlawful.

Authorities are scrambling for a quick-fix after it was discovered the train station officers can't actually arrest people on outstanding warrants for failing to front court.

Watch the video above: PSO power stripped in major bungle

It means a staggering 13,000 people targeted by PSOs could now contest their criminal convictions.

In extreme circumstances, they may also sue for compensation.

The issue emerged after it was revealed only police have the power to arrest anybody on a warrant.

PSOs do not.

Protective services officers during a training exercise. Questions have been raised about their ability to arrest people on warrants for failing to attend court. Credit: Getty

Since 2011, four state governments and police command have failed to pick up on the oversight.

Transit police to babysit PSOs

Transit police are expected to be deployed to effectively babysit PSOs at train stations, who have been told their arrest powers have been severely curbed.

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In some instances, if they spot an offender they will need to call for police to make the arrest.

It's understood Victoria Police has approached the state government to urgently change the law but there is no time frame for that to happen.

Victoria Police tonight issued a response conceding that PSOs "in some circumstances" may be acting without legislative authority when arresting people for failing to appear at court.

It confirmed police officers would now be deployed to support PSO teams at stations across the city to ensure people wanted by the courts can still be arrested.Acting Deputy Commissioner regional operations Bob Hill said the issues identified related to a "very small percentage of the total arrests made by PSOs".

Working on a fix

“We are working on a fix with the state government to ensure our PSOs continue to have the powers they need,” he said.“In the interim, we have additional transit police deployed supporting their PSO colleagues on the transport system. Let me be very clear on this point: if you are wanted on warrant and engaged by our PSOs and police, you will be arrested and bought to justice.“It’s important to appreciate, the majority of the 500 arrest warrants executed last year involved persons being lawfully arrested by PSOs who witnessed the commission of other criminal offending.

"Execution of the fail to appear warrants was subsequent to the arrest.“The issue we are dealing with is limited to the rare occasions when PSOs are making arrests solely because they have identified a person as being wanted on a warrant, and some of those warrants are currently addressed to exclude PSOs.”The interim measures are expected to remain in place for a number of weeks while legislative changes are developed to fix the loophole.