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Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) are uniformed personnel working with the police in England and Wales. The "Police" prefix is optional, with Community Support Officer (CSO) also being common. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...
This article is about the country. ...
This role is not to be confused with the Scottish PCSO role which stands for Police custody and security officers
Police Community Support Officers were introduced by the Police Reform Act 2002[1].
Uniform Their uniforms are similar to those of the regular police, but have a variety of distinguishing features depending on the area. The differences range from:
Stab vest - Are usually issued to officers, but wearing when on duty is left to the discretion of either the force or officer. Vests are also usually identical to UK police constables, but often with different labelling and colouring. 3 forces in the UK currently don't issue stab vests to their PCSOs, namely the West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police and Surrey Police.
For the painter see John Constable. ...
Headgear - The hat may or may not display the force crest, some just have a shield, usually blue, stating "Police Community Support Officer".
- The band on the hat may also be different with some sporting a reflective band, some having a plain blue band and some having a blue/black and white chequered band.
Hi-visibility clothing - This may or may not have to be worn at all times, however it is mandatory for traffic direction. This tends to either be a jacket or a cover for the body armour.
Shirts - These may be blue, white or grey.
Epaulettes - Most forces tend to be blue, with the words "Police Community Support Officer" followed by their shoulder number. Some forces are however black, like that of a police constable.
For the painter see John Constable. ...
Powers All PCSOs' powers stem from the Police Reform Act of 2002 (which has been since amended), describing a large set of powers that PCSOs can have. The Chief Constable of each service throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland (the Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police) can decide which of the powers available in law their PCSOs are to be designated with. Each service will have policies about how PCSOs should act and what powers they should use how, where and when. 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 their powers and must carry a card which lists precisely all the powers they have. Unlike a police constable, a PCSO only has powers when on duty and in uniform, and within the region policed by their respective force. Chief Constable is the title given to the commanding officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except the two responsible for Greater London. ...
A consultation process in January 2006 announced intentions to expand some of the powers available to PCSOs.[2]
The powers a PCSO can be assigned at present are:
- Detain a person for up to 30 minutes to establish their identity if they have committed a relevant offence. This may be until the arrival of a Police Constable otherwise the person may elect to accompany the PCSO to the Police Station instead of waiting
- Issue Fixed Penalty Notices for various traffic offences, dog fouling, littering, and cycling on footpaths.
- Issue penalty notices for disorder for various offences including public order, criminal damage and theft.
- Deal with begging by demanding them to stop.
- Seize alcohol and tobacco from people under the legal age to be consuming those products.
- Request a person to stop drinking alcohol in designated public areas, and seize the containers, whether open or closed or any container that the PCSO believes may be used for the consumption of alcohol.
- Enter property to save life, prevent injury, or prevent serious damage to property.
- Seize vehicles used to cause alarm and distress.
- Remove abandoned vehicles, or require them to be removed.
- Stop vehicles for the purpose of a road check or for exhaust emissions testing.
- Regulate traffic for the purpose of escorting abnormal loads.
- Establish, maintain and enforce a cordoned area established under section 33 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
- Stop and search pedestrians, vehicles and items carried by driver and passengers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
- Stop and search persons under the respective legal ages for alcohol and tobacco.
- Search any person who they have detained for articles that could be used to escape or for objects that may be used to harm the person or the PCSO.
- Seize and retain any prohibited articles ie drugs or weapons they find during the course of any of the above searches.
As with any person, they also have full [[Citizen's arrest#England and Wales|powers of arrest] and can arrest anyone without warrant if they know or believe they have committed an indictable offence. Individual force guidelines, however, may instruct them not to use this power. For the painter see John Constable. ...
Fixed Penalty Notices were introduced to give police in England, Scotland and Wales a realistic weapon against antisocial behaviour. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Shredded tobacco leaf for pipe smoking Tobacco can also be pressed into plugs and sliced into flakes Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. ...
The pull-tab opening mechanism characteristic of post-1970s drinking cans. ...
This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
Vehicles are non-living means of transport. ...
Vehicle emissions inspection station Automobile emissions control covers all the technologies that are employed to reduce the air pollution-causing emissions produced by automobiles. ...
The Terrorism Act 2000 is a current United Kingdom Act of Parliament - An Act to make provision about terrorism; and to make temporary provision for Northern Ireland about the prosecution and punishment of certain offences, the preservation of peace and the maintenance of order. ...
The Terrorism Act 2000 is a current United Kingdom Act of Parliament - An Act to make provision about terrorism; and to make temporary provision for Northern Ireland about the prosecution and punishment of certain offences, the preservation of peace and the maintenance of order. ...
Equipment PCSOs are not normally issued with any PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as Batons or CS Gas. Stab resistant vests are issued but the compulsory nature of wearing on duty is left to each respective force. The British Transport Police PCSOs as well as those in North Wales (and others) are given handcuffs. PCSOs carry a torch and a limited first aid kit containing rubber gloves, a bag to put bloodied clothing in, a mask to allow them to give mouth to mouth without contact and alcohol wipes. PCSOs also carry a radio identical to the police, which they use to communicate with other PCSOs, police officers and the control room on the same channel.
Vehicles Some forces allow their PCSOs, in particular traffic officers, to drive marked police vehicles but most do not. PCSOs can only use blue lights when stationary to indicate a hazard or an incident Rendezvous Point.
Underage PCSOs It has recently been revealed that several forces have recruited PCSOs under the usual recruitment age of 18. The criterion seems to be that such recruits must be at least 16 and their appointment must be authorised by the Chief Constable of the force being applied to.[3] One such officer of the Thames Valley Police Force, 17-year-old PCSO Nadia Naeem made news.[4] The decision to appoint her and other 16- and 17-year-olds has been the subject of much debate.
Incidents On 31 January 2006 45-year-old PCSO Adrian Martin of the Metropolitan Police collapsed and died of heart failure when cycling on a road exercise while undertaking a police cycle training course at Hendon. He is the first PCSO to die on duty.[5] is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
On December 4, 2006, PCSO Gary Etchells was stabbed in the neck whilst assisting a local housing trust to carry out an eviction in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester. He has since made a full recovery and is back to work. A 63-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder in connection with this case. Etchells is believed to be the first PCSO to be seriously injured whilst on duty. [6] is the 338th day of the year (339th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Statistics Population: 22,568 (2001 Census) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SJ963985 Administration District: Tameside Metropolitan county: Greater Manchester Region: North West England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Greater Manchester Historic county: Cheshire / Lancashire Services Police force: Greater Manchester Fire and rescue: {{{Fire}}} Ambulance: North...
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England which has a population of 2. ...
Although full details of this incident have never been released, it has been suggested that Etchells was acting "outside of his duty" as PCSOs are not expected, nor are they informed that they will be issued a response officer due to the potential conflict situations they are faced with. Forces recommend that PCSOs hold back, gather information and await an armed police response in these situations.
On 3 May 2007 in a controversial high profile incident, two Greater Manchester Police PCSOs, had been called to a large flooded quarry where 10 year old Jordon Lyon had disappeared under the water after his sister had fallen in. They did not attempt an underwater rescue where the boy's location was unknown. On 20 September the Greater Manchester Police defended their actions.[7] is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...
is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
On July 3, 2007, a Metropolitan Police PCSO was slashed whilst driving a marked police van in Victoria, London. A man was chased and arrested for the offence. The PCSO was later released from hospital, his injuries had been minor.[8] is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...
Metropolitan Police redirects here. ...
On 10 September 2007 21-year-old PCSO Christopher Donald Maclure of the Greater Manchester Police was killed in a road traffic accident while on bicycle patrol. He sustained fatal head injuries in a collision with a lorry at a road junction in Hindley Green. The lorry driver who hit him had to be treated for shock.[9] As a result of this incident Greater Manchester Police have stopped their officers from using bicycles.[10] is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...
References - ^ Text of Act from Statute Law Database
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ Tameside Advertiser
- ^ [5]
- ^ BBC News
- ^ [6]
- ^ [7]
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