Police Community Support Officers.

[Bry Nylon]

Its been 8 years since PCSOs were introduced.

Are you reassured by their presence?
Do you think they provide a valuable service?
Or are they essentially a waste of time and resources?

Personally, I'd prefer to see the money channelled into providing more proper police officers; but I'd be interested to hear if others believe PCSOs have a useful role to play...

 

[Marc1901]

PCSOs are useless. They can't arrest people and only wander the streets having a go at people if they feel they have to. I would rather see a proper copper on the streets than them.

 

[BensGrandad]

Or are they essentially a waste of time and resources?

Personally, I'd prefer to see the money channelled into providing more proper police officers; ...

In the words of one of my sons friends in the Met ' they are a complete waste of time and money and have virtually no power whatsoever'

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I reckon I could be alone these days in seeing an offical uniform, not thinking whether they are PCSOs or not, and having a little respect.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I haven't come into contact with any and don't generally notice them.

However, I am guilty of ill feelings towards them (quite unfairly) due to this story.

Kid drowned

I'm a bad and judgemental man.

 

[hitony]

Its been 8 years since PCSOs were introduced.

Are you reassured by their presence?
Do you think they provide a valuable service?
Or are they essentially a waste of time and resources?

Personally, I'd prefer to see the money channelled into providing more proper police officers; but I'd be interested to hear if others believe PCSOs have a useful role to play...

No
No
Yes
I agree.

 

[pasty]

I reckon I could be alone these days in seeing an offical uniform, not thinking whether they are PCSOs or not, and having a little respect.

No you are not alone TD, I feel the same. Unfortunately though, not enough people do.

 

[Gully]

Oh well, I suppose it is up to me to counter the arguments so far and say that my contacts with PCSO's have been positive. Of course we would like to have more Bobbies on the beat, in an ideal World, but they are expensive and the policing budget can only go so far.

A few months ago there was a spate of vandalism in our street, mainly cars being scratched and the odd windscreen wiper bent out of shape...but nothing more than that. It was PCSO's who did the door to door enquiries, asking if people had witnessed anything strange, those who called at my house were polite and seemed to display a genuine concern that the perpetrator(s) would be apprehended. If you look at their job title then this is what I understood to be supporting our community.

Mind you...it was three uniformed cops who turned up early one morning in a van to remove the person, who many had suspected as being the vandal, and take him off to a place where he could receive the appropriate medical care.

 

[BensGrandad]

Perhaps they would command more respect if thery did not have the logo PCSO on their shoulder badges and just a anumber that was identifiable to the authorities but not to the general public. Perhaps a 4 figure number like PC 1234 or PC 123A as opposed to a normal serving PC having 3 eg PC123 this would not be so obvious especially from a distance.

 

[Gully]

You might have a point there BG, especially as Specials have a uniform the same as regular cops...you can only tell who they are when you see the badge on their epaulettes.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

PCSOs are useless. They can't arrest people and only wander the streets having a go at people if they feel they have to. I would rather see a proper copper on the streets than them.

Not true - they have some powers of arrest but it was down to each force's Chief Constable to determine if they used it or not, I believe Sussex's Chief Constable decided against it because of the risks to PCSO's welbeing

PCSOs are not attested constables, and therefore do not have the same powers of arrest under section 24 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. They can, however, utilise the 'any person' powers of arrest under section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (commonly known as a citizens arrest). This means they are able to arrest anyone without warrant providing there are reasonable grounds to suspect they are committing, or have committed or are suspected to be guilty of an indictable or 'either-way' offence. This covers offences such as arson, criminal damage, theft, assault, possession of a controlled drug and burglary. All PCSOs can also make common law arrests such as to prevent a breach of the peace.

Legislation exists that states that PCSOs are entitled to use reasonable force in order to effect an arrest as described above (under section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967), or to forcibly detain (using their powers from the Police Reform Act 2002) There is also a 'reasonable code of conduct' which is a legitimate & tested defence to a (technical) common assault of which the courts have accepted and has now been written into case law[citation needed] (e.g. leading two disputing parties away from each other to prevent a fight - technically an assault as neither party has been arrested/detained at this point, but still considered otherwise lawful).

PCSOs may carry handcuffs, which are not controlled by law, and may use them for detaining or arresting a person using reasonable force under the powers listed above.

The majority of PCSOs' powers stem from the Police Reform Act 2002, as amended. PCSOs do not have a duty to act, unlike Police Constables; it is up to their discretion whether they should exercise a power in each situation. Each PCSO is assigned powers in additional to the standard powers assigned by the Chief Constable of each respective force. Unlike a police constable, a PCSO only has powers when on duty and in full uniform, and within the area policed by their respective force

The powers that all PCSOs have at present are:[16]

Issue fixed penalty notices for traffic offences, littering, breach of dog control orders and cycling on a footpath
Require name and address where they have reason to believe a person has committed a road traffic offence, a 'relevant offence', a licencing offence, an act of anti-social behaviour or is in possession of a controlled drug
Confiscate alcohol from persons in designated places and from under 18s, or anyone considered involved in supplying under 18s with alcohol
Seize and dispose of tobacco from under 16s
Seize (controlled) drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Enter and search premises to save life or prevent serious damage to property
Seize vehicles used to cause alarm, distress or annoyance (s.59 Police Reform Act 2002)
Remove abandoned vehicles
Stop bicycles
Control traffic
Carry out road checks
Place traffic signs
Enforce cordoned areas under the Terrorism Act 2000
Photograph people away from a police station
Stop and search in an authorised area under the Terrorism Act 2000 if authorised and supervised by a police officer

A PCSO on duty at Newport railway stationAdditional powers which may be assigned to PCSOs by the Chief Constable (or Commissioner in London), but which vary from force to force, are:[16]

Detain a person suspected to have committed an offence or an act of anti-social behaviour.
Detain a person who does not provide their name and address when required[17]
Detain a person who fails to provide details or complies with orders of a CSO.
Use reasonable force in relation to a detained person or to prevent a detained person making off. This may involve the use of handcuffs if the PCSO has been issued with and authorised to use them.
Issue fixed penalty notices for disorder, truancy, excluded pupils found in public places, dog fouling, graffiti and flyposting
Enforce bylaws
Deal with begging
Enforce certain licensing offences
Search detained people for dangerous items
Disperse groups and remove under 16s to their place of residence
Remove children contravening bans imposed by a curfew notice to their place of residence.
Remove truants to designated premises
Search for alcohol and tobacco
Enforce park trading offences
Enter licensed premises (limited)
Stop vehicles for testing
Direct traffic for the purposes of escorting abnormal loads

Would you prefer a copper to be used for minor items listed above that could have been dealt with by a cheaper alternative, meaning they can put more people into addressing these local issues, or would it be preferrable to have these problems completely ignored because they are considered too trivial for a copper to deal with.

I believe Sussex are keeping their PCSO's despite the recent cuts needed

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

maybe they just like dressing up !

 

[cannedheat]

AKA Blunkett's follies.

 

[The Fifth Column]

Chimps.

Can't Help In Most Police Situations. Most of them are either divs called Nigel or Colin who believe they are marginally more important than traffic wardens, or brassy fat birds called Maggie or Doreen who shit themselves at the sight of anyone remotely youthlike in appearance. A complete waste of oxygen and money.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Perhaps they would command more respect if thery did not have the logo PCSO on their shoulder badges and just a anumber that was identifiable to the authorities but not to the general public. Perhaps a 4 figure number like PC 1234 or PC 123A as opposed to a normal serving PC having 3 eg PC123 this would not be so obvious especially from a distance.

They do have different style numbers to police officers

 

[Working class pride]

The police are another section of the public sector whose employees rely on a very militant trade union. The reality is that it takes few qualifications to join the police force and the financial rewards and pension are vast when compared to most with the same few qualifications. The police also retire early, leave their county/metropolitan force and then often join another force this allowing the policeman to get paid a generous pension and a full time salary when still in their 50's. Totally wrong and we are paying for it. PSO's are mainly ears and eyes.The cheaper us taxpayers can get this labour that requires few qualifications the better. The police, like the fire service, and the tube drives need to be overhauled. Fishermen, dockers, agricultural and construction workers who have as the statistics show, the most dangerous jobs should not have to pay for the inflated salaries for those that cannot in the market place, command such salaries.

 

[Beach Hut]

They are very good at giving out train times at Victoria Station.

 

[Jimbo.GRFC]

Oh well, I suppose it is up to me to counter the arguments so far and say that my contacts with PCSO's have been positive. Of course we would like to have more Bobbies on the beat, in an ideal World, but they are expensive and the policing budget can only go so far.

A few months ago there was a spate of vandalism in our street, mainly cars being scratched and the odd windscreen wiper bent out of shape...but nothing more than that. It was PCSO's who did the door to door enquiries, asking if people had witnessed anything strange, those who called at my house were polite and seemed to display a genuine concern that the perpetrator(s) would be apprehended. If you look at their job title then this is what I understood to be supporting our community.

Mind you...it was three uniformed cops who turned up early one morning in a van to remove the person, who many had suspected as being the vandal, and take him off to a place where he could receive the appropriate medical care.

Of course we would like to have more Bobbies on the beat, in an ideal World, but they are expensive and the policing budget can only go so far.

TRY TELLING THAT TO THE STUDENDS....HAVEN'T SEEN MANY POLICE PROTESTING

 

[Rookie]

Glorified traffic wardens. Pointless waste of money. Get rid of the lot of them and actually employ some more proper police with the money saved.

 

[Working class pride]

Glorified traffic wardens. Pointless waste of money. Get rid of the lot of them and actually employ some more proper police with the money saved.

what more proper policemen with few qualifications and who retire when 50 to join another force and get a generous pension and a full time salary? The days of paying a vast salary to walk the beat are over, we can get people to do that for a cheaper salary. No thanks lets reform the public sector instead making pay match their market worth, whether police, tube drivers or firemen. As for the police, they should try and attract a higher quality employee in the ranks above the average bobby by paying higher wages to the level above the Bobby on the beat / PSO and reducing the wage of the average bobby. That is why employing more PSO's is the way to do it. The force needs more brains and less brawn. A change the canteen "lad" culture of the force is long overdue, criminals are very often brighter than the police and as for white collar crime, then they simply dont have a clue. Intelligence is what the police lack and intelligence costs in terms of salary. The average copper is just not worth the vast salary and pension they receive when that salary is judged against the entry requirements to become a policeman (hence like firemen they have so many people that want to do it).