| Police Community Support Officers, or PCSOs as | | | | social behaviour is one of the main responsibilities |
| they are more commonly known, came into | | | | of the Police Community Support Officers serving |
| force in 2007. They are part of a drive towards a | | | | in our communities. Their presence is enough to |
| more community based style of policing. The | | | | prevent some people attempting such a crime |
| standard powers of PCSOs aren't quite as wide | | | | and they have the power to put a stop to any |
| and significant as those of a police officer but | | | | such behaviour very quickly. If not then they also |
| they are still enough to make a big difference to | | | | have the connections to make sure the issue is |
| the community in which they serve. | | | | resolved by another proper police officer. |
| By the end of 2007, there were 16,000 Police | | | | Police Community Support Officers are able to |
| Community Support Officers on our streets. The | | | | seize and confiscate many different items that |
| standard powers for PCSOs are all defined and | | | | may be causing a disturbance to a community. |
| well set out. Their main role is to provide a strong | | | | This could include alcohol or tobacco if consumed |
| police presence on the streets and to ensure that | | | | by a minor or in an inappropriate place. This one |
| members of the community feel safe and | | | | of the standard powers for PCSOs can even |
| protected. The police wish to achieve a greater | | | | extend to vehicles that are used to cause a |
| level of integration in our communities. This all | | | | disturbance. |
| helps prevent crime and keep vulnerable residents | | | | There are many other standard powers for |
| safe from crime that affects them. | | | | PCSOs and many traffic implications such as |
| Standard powers for PCSOs include the ability to | | | | helping to direct traffic. These are generally very |
| issue a fixed penalty notice for a variety of minor | | | | useful to the community and the role of a police |
| offences. These include littering, cycling on a | | | | community support officer makes a community a |
| footpath or for any dog related offence such as | | | | safer and better place to live, work and play. |
| allowing it to foul on a footpath. Even though this | | | | The standard powers for PCSOs are there to |
| may not seem like much, it frees up the time of | | | | help the community. They make it easier for a |
| other police officers, and prevents the small | | | | community to function and keep crime to a |
| crimes that really get on the nerves of local | | | | minimum. These tend to be the volume crimes |
| communities. | | | | that really can be incredibly irritating and ruin the |
| As well as issuing penalty notices, Police | | | | lives of residents. Police Community Support |
| Community Support Officers are able to request | | | | Officers are part of the community policing future |
| the name and address of somebody committing | | | | and their powers make this possible. They are |
| many offences, particularly those that could be | | | | here to stay and their work is holding our |
| described as anti social behaviour. Solving anti | | | | communities together. |