Police community support officer

PCSO 7155 was due to begin his shift at 7 am on 9 September 2002; however, owing to a vehicle needing to go to a garage for repair, Barry and a sergeant left Belgravia early between 6:30 and 6:45.

Day-to-day duties usually include high visibility patrolling, tackling anti-social behaviour, dealing with minor offences, crowd control and directing traffic at public events, helping direct traffic at roadblocks or scenes of accidents, gathering criminal intelligence, and supporting front-line policing.

[21][22][23][24][25][26][27] PCSOs are trained in a variety of tasks, including: radio procedure; report writing; dealing with evidence; going to court; gathering intelligence; managing a crime scene; usage of PCSO powers under the Police Reform Act 2002 and any person powers; use of force; human rights; race and diversity; traffic direction and cordon manning; general health and safety; self-defence (including restraint techniques and the use of handcuffs or leg restraints if used by their force); and first aid.

The uniform of a PCSO is similar to that of a police constable, but has a variety of uniquely distinguishing features depending on the wearer's respective force.

The Metropolitan Police Authority noted in 2004 that the hats worn by male PCSOs were not rigid and 'may therefore not offer adequate protection'.

The badge was formerly a black cloth patch bearing the words ‘Merseyside Police Community Support & Traffic Officer’.

One of the few examples was during the funeral of PCSO Mark Marshall of Devon and Cornwall Police who was killed in Afghanistan whilst serving in the Territorial Army.

[citation needed] In 2012, PCSOs who had been in service since Monday 6 February 2012 and had completed five full calendar years in the role were awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Originally, these were ironed, smart and formal, but in recent years are being replaced in most forces with cargo pocketed designs to allow the PCSO to carry more items.

Unlike constables, owing to the non-confrontational nature of their role, PCSOs are not normally issued with batons, incapacitant spray, handcuffs or leg restraints.

Most police forces allow some PCSOs to use laser and radar guns to help enforce speed limits.

As a result, a PCSO may any person arrest someone he or she has reasonable grounds to suspect is attempting to escape from lawful custody when subject to a detention requirement (under Schedule 4, Part 1, Paragraph 2(3) of the Police Reform Act 2002).

PCSOs are also lawfully authorised to carry CS spray and a baton when on duty, although none have yet been provided by any Chief Officer of any Police Force.

[68] The South Yorkshire epaulettes have a 'bar' above the wording "Police Community Support Officer Supervisor - Traffic" with the shoulder number beneath.

Avon and Somerset Police currently utilise a PCSO Support role, which is an administration position allowing PCSOs to continue to meet the criteria; primarily subsection three of The Policing Pledge of 2009; to conduct high visibility patrols and spend at least eighty per cent of their tour of duty on patrol within the community.

PCSOs are a civilianised non-uniform role, who deal mainly with the administration side of the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT).

[citation needed] Since 2007, PCSOs and police constables have had to take a training course before being allowed to use bicycles whilst on duty, after a trainee PCSO died after being hit by a truck in Wigan.

It has been reported by the Daily Telegraph that under the Conservatives, police chiefs will no longer be given a fixed amount of money to spend only on PCSOs.

Before the 2010 General Election the then Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling was understood to be doubtful of the effectiveness of PCSOs and was concerned that a disproportionate number of them were disciplined in 2009.

[94] Chris Grayling, who was possibly considering reducing or disbanding PCSOs, was not made Home Secretary after the 2010 general election.

[63] During the England and Wales Police and Crime Commissioner elections, 2012 the UK Independence Party (UKIP) Candidate for the post of police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Norfolk Constabulary Matthew Smith stated he was doubtful of the effectiveness of PCSOs and wanted to reduce their numbers claiming during a debate on BBC Radio Norfolk in the run up to the election that the public in his opinion were not happy with PCSOs seeing them as "Plastic Policemen" During his campaign to be the PCC he stated he would prioritise recruitment to have more Police Constables and Special Constables rather than PCSOs.

At a federal level, the Australian Protective Service operated from 1984 until 2004, when it was re-integrated into the AFP and currently serves a primary role in policing Parliament House in Canberra, major airports, and certain diplomatic and defence installations.

All PSOs carry a firearm, ballistic body armour and all other personal equipment issued to police officers throughout Victoria.

Other duties include managing and handling drugs and firearms, processing property and exhibits and a range of station support tasks.

[110] The Royal Canadian Mounted Police launched a Community Safety Officer (CSO) (French: Agent de Sécurité Communautaire, (ASC)) programme based on the model in England and Wales.

[116][117] In Germany, several agencies provide similar services like the PCSO: In India the federal states determine the individual policing roles that can be handed over to volunteers.

The Government of Sri Lanka has proposed the formation of a Community Police Service (CPS) of 28,000 members to be deployed alongside Grama Niladhari (village officers) to resolve minor disputes and youth offenders.

[133] Depending on the police department they work for they may be equipped with handcuffs, batons, pepper spray and tasers as possession of these items in the US is usually not considered being 'armed'.

Paul Abbott's long-running drama series Shameless occasionally features police community support officers.

Hollyoaks the long-running British television soap opera, on Channel 4 featured for many years Carmel McQueen played by Gemma Merna who was portrayed as being a PCSO between 2009 and 2010.