Police community support officer
Encyclopedia
A police community support officer (PCSO) , or community support officer (CSO) is a uniformed non-warranted officer employed by a territorial police force or the British Transport Police
in England and Wales
. Police community support officers were introduced in September 2002 by the Police Reform Act 2002
that was given Royal Assent by The Queen on 24 July 2002. Proposals for PCSOs in Northern Ireland
were prevented by a budget shortfall in the Police Service of Northern Ireland
. Scotland does not have police community support officers but PCSOs do exist in the form of Police Custody and Security Officer
who have a much different role to their English and Welsh counterparts.
At the end of April 2007 the Home Office
reported there were approximately 16,000 PCSOs in England and Wales. A more detailed breakdown of PCSOs employed by each Basic Command Unit published in October 2007 revealed that there were actually approximately 13,500 PCSOs including 3,700 employed by the Metropolitan Police
.
Most PCSOs work within a Safer Neighbourhood (SNT) or Neighbourhood Policing team (NPT) which contains PCSOs, special constables and beat managers (police constables) all headed by a Neighbourhood Sergeant and Inspector. Day to day duties usually include high visibility patrolling, tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB), dealing with minor offences, gathering criminal intelligence and supporting front-line policing. The Home Office have specifically limited the powers designated to PCSOs to maintain the distinction between them and police officers. Some PCSOs are attached to Road Policing Unit
s, and British Transport Police
PCSOs are deployed as part of station teams. As with many aspects of PCSOs, the specifics of each job description is down to the relevant force.
The PCSO uniform is similar to that of a police officer
, but has a variety of uniquely distinguishing features depending on the area.
A PCSO's headgear is normally a peaked cap
for men and a fatgio for women, like constables. Headgear may or may not display the force crest, some have a shield, usually blue, stating "community support officer" followed below with the name of the wearers respective force in smaller letters. The band on the hat may also be different with some sporting a reflective band on top or under a thicker or thinner blue or red band (as in the City of London Police PCSOs); most commonly they sport the plain blue band and some having a blue/black and white chequered band.
Like their male police constable counterparts male PCSOs wear a flat cap (with a different band and sometimes a different badge) but do not wear the traditional custodian helmet
even when on foot patrol. This has become an issue as it has potentially left male PCSOs with no head protection.
A stab vest
is usually issued to police officers. Wearing one is often left to the discretion of the individual, although in some forces the practice is compulsory. Vests are also usually very similar to those issued to UK police constables, but often with different labelling, epaulettes and sometimes colouring. Staffordshire Police
was the last Police Force to issue Stab vests to PCSOs with them only being rolled out in April 2011.
Shirts for the PCSOs are most commonly white, although some variations in colour such as grey and blue exist in some forces. Most PCSOs tend to have the blue epaulettes, with the words "Police Community Support Officer" followed by their identification/area number. Some forces use black epaulettes, like those of a constable. Neckwear if worn is a tie for men or a cravat for women, like their constable counterparts. Neckwear is normally light blue, but is sometimes black like a constable's.
Hi-visibility clothing is provided and recommended for traffic direction, but not mandatory for patrol. This tends to either be a jacket or a cover for body armour. This normally has special badging identifying the wearer as a PCSO.
Special uniforms exist in most forces for cycling for both PCSOs and constables. This typically consists of a cycling helmet, breathable cycling shirt, cargo cycling trousers and sometimes cycling shoes. Hi-visibility jackets or vests are normally compulsory for cycling. All items tend to be specially marked to identify the wearer.
In 2007, UNISON
, the union that represents most PCSOs in England and Wales (there are no PCSOs in Scotland), called for a standard uniform for PCSOs that would be similar to a constable with the exception of blue and white chequered hat band, blue tie and epaulettes but all other uniform and stab vest police constable standard issue. Unison claimed this would be to give PCSOs the authority they needed, and to stop them being confused with traffic wardens, parking attendants and other non-police uniformed workers. The Home Office reacted by saying that PCSO uniforms were an issue for individual police forces. Jan Berry, at that time chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales
, opposed the idea, stating that it would make PCSOs look too much like constables and put them in situations they could not deal with.
On Thursday 25 March 2010 the Minister for Policing, Crime and Counter-Terrorism Mr. David Hanson indicated in a debate on PCSOs in Westminster Hall that there were possible plans to introduce a national standard PCSO uniform.
s, 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
arrest
s 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 (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, subject to permission from their force, 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.(-has changed for some forces?
The powers that all PCSOs have at present are:
Additional powers which may be assigned to PCSOs by the chief constable
(or commissioner
in London
), but which vary from force to force, are:
or detain a suspected offender. As citizens of the UK, all PCSOs have the power to use reasonable force. PCSOs in theory can all use handcuffs to detain using their own detention powers or arrest using 'any person' powers when on duty. At present only 2 forces permit this and issue handcuffs.
The use of reasonable force is provided by s3 Criminal Law Act 1967
, common law and the Human Rights Act 1998
It is also an offence for a PCSO to imply that they have a power that they are not designated by their Chief Constable or Commissioner.
This list is not exhaustive.
This list comes from definitions provided under paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 5 of the Police Reform Act 2002.
However, South Yorkshire
and Kent Police
employ PCSO supervisors.
The South Yorkshire epaulettes have a 'Bar' above the wording "Police Community Support Officer Supervisor - Traffic" with the shoulder number beneath.
PCSO supervisors only supervise PCSOs and normally work under a police sergeant
Avon and Somerset Police currently utilise a PCSO Support role, this is an administration position allowing PCSO's 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 percent 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).
, which is responsible for law enforcement
in Greater London
, several different types of PCSO exist
. Stab resistant vests are issued, however, 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 resuscitation mask to allow them to give mouth to mouth CPR without contact with actual lips, 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. Some neighbourhood police teams also monitor local shop/pub watch radios. Some PCSOs have been known to use head cameras and hand held digital cameras to film or take pictures. PCSOs who do this normally receive special training.
PCSOs also regularly use mountain bikes, or other bicycles. 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. In 2007, Segway
s were reported to be used by Metropolitan Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) in Sutton
. These teams consist mostly of PCSOs.
Jacqui Smith
made the decision that from December 2007, all PCSOs must be 18 before they can be appointed. PCSOs under 18 years who were already appointed, or had applied prior to this ruling are to be allowed to hold their positions.
A few police forces including West Midlands Police and Cumbria Constabulary are accepting applications from candidates below 18 years due to the lengthy recruitment process. Candidates will therefore be able to begin training upon reaching the required age.
, the staff association to which, by statute, all regular police officers from the rank of constable
to that of chief inspector
belong. Police officers cannot, by law, join any trade union
, but as unsworn non-police officers, PCSOs can - usually, this is UNISON
and PCS - Public and Commercial Services Union for PCSOs in the Metropolitan Police. Unlike other civilians employed by the police, PCSOs cannot be special constable
s, as this may conflict with their role as community officers, since specials have the same powers as regular constables.
, the representative body of all police officers other than those in Scotland (who have their own Federation), has a mixed stance on PCSOs, recognising the useful support they give the regular police but concerned about the exact role they play in policing.
has launched a community safety officer (CSO) Program based on the model in England and Wales. The first seventeen special constable CSOs were sworn in on 16 June 2008. This is a pilot programme, with each CSO giving an 18 month commitment. After the 18 months, the pilot will be evaluated and a decision will be made as to whether it will continue.
Although they do not carry pistol
s like fully powered officers in the RCMP, they do carry pepper spray
s and batons
to protect themselves. CSOs are given the title "Special Constable".
s (PCSO) who are unsworn uniformed civilians who provide support in crime prevention, investigation, and response where full police powers are unnecessary and assists sworn police officers in upholding law and order. Like British PCSO’s their powers are limited.
Additionally, US police forces may also have reserve police officers, who may or may not be armed but are sworn police officers.
in Canada.
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
. Police community support officers were introduced in September 2002 by the Police Reform Act 2002
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.Amongst the provisions of the Act are the creation of the role of Police Community Support Officer, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn in' constables, and the ability for Chief Constables to confer a more...
that was given Royal Assent by The Queen on 24 July 2002. Proposals for PCSOs in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
were prevented by a budget shortfall in the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
. Scotland does not have police community support officers but PCSOs do exist in the form of Police Custody and Security Officer
Police Custody and Security Officer
A Police Custody and Security Officer is a uniformed non-warranted officer of a Scottish police force. Pay ranges from £15,912– £19,002 per year.-Powers:They have powers to:...
who have a much different role to their English and Welsh counterparts.
At the end of April 2007 the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
reported there were approximately 16,000 PCSOs in England and Wales. A more detailed breakdown of PCSOs employed by each Basic Command Unit published in October 2007 revealed that there were actually approximately 13,500 PCSOs including 3,700 employed by the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
.
Role
Most PCSOs work within a Safer Neighbourhood (SNT) or Neighbourhood Policing team (NPT) which contains PCSOs, special constables and beat managers (police constables) all headed by a Neighbourhood Sergeant and Inspector. Day to day duties usually include high visibility patrolling, tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB), dealing with minor offences, gathering criminal intelligence and supporting front-line policing. The Home Office have specifically limited the powers designated to PCSOs to maintain the distinction between them and police officers. Some PCSOs are attached to Road Policing Unit
Road Policing Unit
The Road Policing Unit is the term for the Highway patrol within the majority of British police forces.-Responsibilities:RPUs work with the National Roads Policing Strategy, which has five strands:* Casualty reduction.* Counter-terrorism....
s, and British Transport Police
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
PCSOs are deployed as part of station teams. As with many aspects of PCSOs, the specifics of each job description is down to the relevant force.
Uniform
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, but has a variety of uniquely distinguishing features depending on the area.
A PCSO's headgear is normally a peaked cap
Peaked cap
A peaked cap, forage cap, barracks cover, or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the armed forces of many nations and also by many uniformed civilian organizations such as law enforcement agencies...
for men and a fatgio for women, like constables. Headgear may or may not display the force crest, some have a shield, usually blue, stating "community support officer" followed below with the name of the wearers respective force in smaller letters. The band on the hat may also be different with some sporting a reflective band on top or under a thicker or thinner blue or red band (as in the City of London Police PCSOs); most commonly they sport the plain blue band and some having a blue/black and white chequered band.
Like their male police constable counterparts male PCSOs wear a flat cap (with a different band and sometimes a different badge) but do not wear the traditional custodian helmet
Custodian helmet
Custodian helmet or centurion helmet, technically known as a 'Home Office pattern helmet', is a helmet worn by many policemen in England and Wales.-History:...
even when on foot patrol. This has become an issue as it has potentially left male PCSOs with no head protection.
A stab vest
Stab vest
A stab vest, or stab proof vest is a reinforced piece of body armor, worn under or over other items of clothing, which is designed to resist knife attacks to the chest, back and sides...
is usually issued to police officers. Wearing one is often left to the discretion of the individual, although in some forces the practice is compulsory. Vests are also usually very similar to those issued to UK police constables, but often with different labelling, epaulettes and sometimes colouring. Staffordshire Police
Staffordshire Police
Staffordshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the West Midlands of England...
was the last Police Force to issue Stab vests to PCSOs with them only being rolled out in April 2011.
Shirts for the PCSOs are most commonly white, although some variations in colour such as grey and blue exist in some forces. Most PCSOs tend to have the blue epaulettes, with the words "Police Community Support Officer" followed by their identification/area number. Some forces use black epaulettes, like those of a constable. Neckwear if worn is a tie for men or a cravat for women, like their constable counterparts. Neckwear is normally light blue, but is sometimes black like a constable's.
Hi-visibility clothing is provided and recommended for traffic direction, but not mandatory for patrol. This tends to either be a jacket or a cover for body armour. This normally has special badging identifying the wearer as a PCSO.
Special uniforms exist in most forces for cycling for both PCSOs and constables. This typically consists of a cycling helmet, breathable cycling shirt, cargo cycling trousers and sometimes cycling shoes. Hi-visibility jackets or vests are normally compulsory for cycling. All items tend to be specially marked to identify the wearer.
In 2007, UNISON
UNISON
UNISON is the largest trade union in the United Kingdom with over 1.3 million members.The union was formed in 1993 when three public sector trade unions, the National and Local Government Officers Association , the National Union of Public Employees and the Confederation of Health Service...
, the union that represents most PCSOs in England and Wales (there are no PCSOs in Scotland), called for a standard uniform for PCSOs that would be similar to a constable with the exception of blue and white chequered hat band, blue tie and epaulettes but all other uniform and stab vest police constable standard issue. Unison claimed this would be to give PCSOs the authority they needed, and to stop them being confused with traffic wardens, parking attendants and other non-police uniformed workers. The Home Office reacted by saying that PCSO uniforms were an issue for individual police forces. Jan Berry, at that time chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales
Police Federation of England and Wales
The Police Federation of England and Wales is the representative body to which all police officers in England and Wales up to and including the rank of Chief Inspector belong. There are 141,000 members as of July 2009...
, opposed the idea, stating that it would make PCSOs look too much like constables and put them in situations they could not deal with.
On Thursday 25 March 2010 the Minister for Policing, Crime and Counter-Terrorism Mr. David Hanson indicated in a debate on PCSOs in Westminster Hall that there were possible plans to introduce a national standard PCSO uniform.
Powers
PCSOs are not attested constableConstable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
s, and therefore do not have the same powers of arrest under section 24 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 is an Act of Parliament which instituted a legislative framework for the powers of police officers in England and Wales to combat crime, as well as providing codes of practice for the exercise of those powers. Part VI of PACE required the Home Secretary...
. 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
Citizens Arrest
Citizens Arrest is a New York-based band that existed from 1989 to 1991 and reformed in 2010. The group often blended hardcore punk, Grindcore and Powerviolence styles. Their main inspiration in the early days of the band were from Boston area hardcore from the 1980s like DYS and SSD...
). 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'
Hybrid offence
A hybrid offence, dual offence, Crown option offence, dual procedure offence, or wobbler are the special class offences in the common law jurisdictions where the case may be prosecuted either summarily or as indictment...
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
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
s such as to prevent a breach of the peace
Breach of the peace
Breach of the peace is a legal term used in constitutional law in English-speaking countries, and in a wider public order sense in Britain.-Constitutional law:...
.
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
Criminal Law Act 1967
The Criminal Law Act 1967 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. However, with some minor exceptions, it generally applies to only England and Wales. It made some major changes to English criminal law...
), or to forcibly detain (using their powers from the Police Reform Act 2002
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.Amongst the provisions of the Act are the creation of the role of Police Community Support Officer, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn in' constables, and the ability for Chief Constables to confer a more...
) 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 (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, subject to permission from their force, carry handcuffs
Handcuffs
Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists close together. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each half has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that prevents it from being opened once closed around a person's wrist...
(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
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.Amongst the provisions of the Act are the creation of the role of Police Community Support Officer, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn in' constables, and the ability for Chief Constables to confer a more...
, 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.(-has changed for some forces?
The powers that all PCSOs have at present are:
- Issue fixed penalty noticeFixed Penalty NoticeFixed penalty notices were introduced in Britain in the 1950s to deal with minor parking offences. Originally used by police and traffic wardens, their use has extended to other public officials and authorities, as has the range of offences for which they can be used.In recent years, this has...
s for 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 1971Misuse of Drugs Act 1971The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is an Act of Parliament which represents UK action in line with treaty commitments under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic...
- 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 2002Police Reform Act 2002The Police Reform Act 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.Amongst the provisions of the Act are the creation of the role of Police Community Support Officer, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn in' constables, and the ability for Chief Constables to confer a more...
) - Remove abandoned vehicles
- Stop bicycles
- Control traffic
- Carry out road checks
- Place traffic signs
- Enforce cordoned areas under the Terrorism Act 2000Terrorism Act 2000The Terrorism Act 2000 is the first of a number of general Terrorism Acts passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It superseded and repealed the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1989 and the Northern Ireland Act 1996...
- 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
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
(or commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
), but which vary from force to force, are:
- 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
- Detain a person who fails to provide details or complies with orders of a PCSO.
- 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
Use of force
A PCSO can use reasonable force to arrestArrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
or detain a suspected offender. As citizens of the UK, all PCSOs have the power to use reasonable force. PCSOs in theory can all use handcuffs to detain using their own detention powers or arrest using 'any person' powers when on duty. At present only 2 forces permit this and issue handcuffs.
The use of reasonable force is provided by s3 Criminal Law Act 1967
Criminal Law Act 1967
The Criminal Law Act 1967 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. However, with some minor exceptions, it generally applies to only England and Wales. It made some major changes to English criminal law...
, common law and the Human Rights Act 1998
Human Rights Act 1998
The Human Rights Act 1998 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which received Royal Assent on 9 November 1998, and mostly came into force on 2 October 2000. Its aim is to "give further effect" in UK law to the rights contained in the European Convention on Human Rights...
Relevant offences
The following are criminal offences in relation to PCSOs under the Police Reform Act 2002 for which a PCSO can detain, or a police constable can arrest for:- assaulting a PCSO during the course of his/her duty
- assaulting an individual assisting a PCSO during the course of his/her duty
- wilful obstruction or resist a PCSO during the course of his/her duty
- failing to provide personal details upon request to a PCSO
- 'makes off' failing to provide correct personal details upon request to a PCSO
- 'makes off' having provided false personal details upon request to a PCSO
- acting in an anti-social manner - failure to give name/address to PCSO
- acting in an anti-social manner - 'makes off' whilst detained
- acting in an anti-social manner - 'makes off' whilst detained & fails to provide name/address to a PCSO
- acting in an anti-social manner - 'makes off' whilst accompanying CSO to a police station
- contravening a PCSO's requirement to hand over alcohol
- contravening a PCSO's requirement to surrender tobacco
- fail to stop vehicle as directed by a PCSO
- impersonating a PCSO
It is also an offence for a PCSO to imply that they have a power that they are not designated by their Chief Constable or Commissioner.
This list is not exhaustive.
This list comes from definitions provided under paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 5 of the Police Reform Act 2002.
PCSO rank structure
PCSOs do not have a lawfully-defined rank system: their epaulettes normally simply bear the words POLICE COMMUNITY SUPPORT OFFICER or "PCSO" and their collar number, or in the Metropolitan Police, a borough identification code and shoulder number.However, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing South Yorkshire in England.The police force covers an area of approximately 1,554 square kilometres which is made up of the county's three boroughs , along with the City of Sheffield. The resident population is 1.2...
and Kent Police
Kent Police
Kent Police is the territorial police force for Kent in England, including the unitary authority of Medway.-Area and organisation:The force covers an area of with an approximate population of 1,660,588 . The Chief Constable is currently Ian Learmonth, who was appointed in 2010 and is the former...
employ PCSO supervisors.
The South Yorkshire epaulettes have a 'Bar' above the wording "Police Community Support Officer Supervisor - Traffic" with the shoulder number beneath.
PCSO supervisors only supervise PCSOs and normally work under a police sergeant
Avon and Somerset Police currently utilise a PCSO Support role, this is an administration position allowing PCSO's to continue to meet the criteria; primarily subsection three of The Policing Pledge
The Policing Pledge
The Policing Pledge was a United Kingdom - Home Office initiative to restore public faith back within the territorial police forces of the UK. The pledge was a set of ten promises from the police about the services that they provide. All 43 police forces within England and Wales have agreed to keep...
of 2009; to conduct high visibility patrols and spend at least eighty percent 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).
PCSO roles in the Metropolitan Police Service
Within the Metropolitan PoliceMetropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
, which is responsible for law enforcement
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
in Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, several different types of PCSO exist
- Safer Neighbourhoods PCSO - Provides a uniformed presence in Safer Neighbourhood Teams, which police London's boroughs and other areas within the MPS districtMetropolitan Police DistrictThe Metropolitan Police District is the police area which is policed by London's Metropolitan Police Service. It currently consists of Greater London, excluding the City of London.-History:...
. - Safer Transport PCSO - Provides a uniformed presence on buses (policing on the railways and London UndergroundLondon UndergroundThe London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
being provided by the British Transport PoliceBritish Transport PoliceThe British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
.) - Traffic PCSO - Provides a uniformed presence by assisting the Traffic OCUTraffic Operational Command UnitThe Traffic Operational Command Unit is a Central Operations branch of the London Metropolitan Police Service. The unit is responsible for policing of the roads, such as the London road network. It has been in existence since 1930, when motor traffic patrols were set up at police stations...
in roads policing, along with issuing penalty notices. - Counter Terrorism PCSO (Formerly until 2010 Security PCSO) - Provides a uniformed presence in well known areas in London, safeguarding against terrorism.
- Royal Parks PCSO - Provides a uniformed presence within the Royal Parks in the MPS District.
- Aviation Security PCSO - Provides a uniformed presence, assisting the Aviation Security OCUAviation Security Operational Command UnitThe Aviation Security Operational Command Unit is a Specialist Operations unit of London's Metropolitan Police Service. The unit is responsible for providing law enforcement and security for both Heathrow and London City airports...
in policing of London airports. - Station PCSO - Acts as front counter liaison with members of the public.
- Victim PCSO - Responsible for updating victims of crime about police investigations.
- Safer Schools PCSO - Provides a visible familiar police presence in local schools, tackling local school and student issues.
Equipment
PCSOs are not normally issued with any personal protective equipment (PPE) in the sense that they are not authorised to carry; extendable or fixed batons or CS incapacitant sprayCS gas
2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile is the defining component of a "tear gas" commonly referred to as CS gas, which is used as a riot control agent...
. Stab resistant vests are issued, however, the compulsory nature of wearing on duty is left to each respective force. The British Transport Police
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
PCSOs as well as those in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
(and others) are given handcuffs. PCSOs carry a torch
Flashlight
A flashlight is a hand-held electric-powered light source. Usually the light source is a small incandescent lightbulb or light-emitting diode...
and a limited first aid kit containing rubber gloves, a bag to put bloodied clothing in, a resuscitation mask to allow them to give mouth to mouth CPR without contact with actual lips, 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. Some neighbourhood police teams also monitor local shop/pub watch radios. Some PCSOs have been known to use head cameras and hand held digital cameras to film or take pictures. PCSOs who do this normally receive special training.
Vehicles
Some forces allow their PCSOs, commonly those assigned to duties managing traffic, to drive marked police vehicles but most do not. Some forces have issued PCSO vehicles of their own, including mopeds. Some forces maintain a small fleet of special PCSO vehicles for purely transportation of the personnel. PCSOs may only use blue lights when stationary to indicate a hazard or an Incident Rendezvous Point.PCSOs also regularly use mountain bikes, or other bicycles. 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. In 2007, Segway
Segway PT
The Segway PT is a two-wheeled, self-balancing transportation machine invented by Dean Kamen. It is produced by Segway Inc. of New Hampshire, USA. The name "Segway" is a homophone of "segue" while "PT" denotes personal transporter....
s were reported to be used by Metropolitan Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) in Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
. These teams consist mostly of PCSOs.
Young PCSOs
In 2007 it was revealed that several forces recruited a small number of PCSOs under the usual recruitment age for police constables, which is 18 years and 6 months. 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. One such officer of the Thames Valley Police Force, 17 year-old PCSO Nadia Naeem made news. The decision to appoint her and other 16 and 17 year-olds has been the subject of much debate. On 26 November 2007 Home SecretaryHome Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
Jacqui Smith
Jacqui Smith
Jacqueline Jill "Jacqui" Smith is a member of the British Labour Party. She served as the Member of Parliament for Redditch from 1997 until 2010 and was the first ever female Home Secretary, thus making her the third woman to hold one of the Great Offices of State — after Margaret Thatcher and...
made the decision that from December 2007, all PCSOs must be 18 before they can be appointed. PCSOs under 18 years who were already appointed, or had applied prior to this ruling are to be allowed to hold their positions.
A few police forces including West Midlands Police and Cumbria Constabulary are accepting applications from candidates below 18 years due to the lengthy recruitment process. Candidates will therefore be able to begin training upon reaching the required age.
Other differences from police officers
PCSOs cannot by law be members of the Police FederationPolice Federation of England and Wales
The Police Federation of England and Wales is the representative body to which all police officers in England and Wales up to and including the rank of Chief Inspector belong. There are 141,000 members as of July 2009...
, the staff association to which, by statute, all regular police officers from the rank of constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
to that of chief inspector
Chief inspector
Chief inspector is a rank used in police forces which follow the British model. In countries outside Britain, it is sometimes referred to as chief inspector of police .-Australia:...
belong. Police officers cannot, by law, join any trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
, but as unsworn non-police officers, PCSOs can - usually, this is UNISON
UNISON
UNISON is the largest trade union in the United Kingdom with over 1.3 million members.The union was formed in 1993 when three public sector trade unions, the National and Local Government Officers Association , the National Union of Public Employees and the Confederation of Health Service...
and PCS - Public and Commercial Services Union for PCSOs in the Metropolitan Police. Unlike other civilians employed by the police, PCSOs cannot be special constable
Special constable
A Special Constable is a law enforcement officer who is not a regular member of a police force. Some like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police carry the same law enforcement powers as regular members, but are employed in specific roles, such as explosive disposal technicians, court security, campus...
s, as this may conflict with their role as community officers, since specials have the same powers as regular constables.
Police Federation stance
The Police Federation of England and WalesPolice Federation of England and Wales
The Police Federation of England and Wales is the representative body to which all police officers in England and Wales up to and including the rank of Chief Inspector belong. There are 141,000 members as of July 2009...
, the representative body of all police officers other than those in Scotland (who have their own Federation), has a mixed stance on PCSOs, recognising the useful support they give the regular police but concerned about the exact role they play in policing.
Future
The Conservative Party could remove PCSOs under new plans expected to be announced in early 2010. 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. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling is understood to be doubtful of the effectiveness of PCSOs and is concerned that a disproportionate number of them were disciplined in 2009. He stated he will leave it up to individual chief constables to decide whether their particular police force needs PCSOs. However, when interviewed by the Yorkshire Post in May 2009 he suggested that the Conservative Party may well scrap them altogether.Canada
The Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRoyal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
has launched a community safety officer (CSO) Program based on the model in England and Wales. The first seventeen special constable CSOs were sworn in on 16 June 2008. This is a pilot programme, with each CSO giving an 18 month commitment. After the 18 months, the pilot will be evaluated and a decision will be made as to whether it will continue.
Although they do not carry pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
s like fully powered officers in the RCMP, they do carry pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
s and batons
Baton (law enforcement)
A truncheon or baton is essentially a club of less than arm's length made of wood, plastic, or metal...
to protect themselves. CSOs are given the title "Special Constable".
USA
In the USA since the 1970s several police departments have community service officerCommunity Service Officer
A Community Service Officer , provides support in crime prevention, investigation, and response where full police powers are unnecessary and assists police officers in upholding law and order.-History:...
s (PCSO) who are unsworn uniformed civilians who provide support in crime prevention, investigation, and response where full police powers are unnecessary and assists sworn police officers in upholding law and order. Like British PCSO’s their powers are limited.
Additionally, US police forces may also have reserve police officers, who may or may not be armed but are sworn police officers.
France
French municipalities utilise officers called ASVP (roughly translates as "public roads control officer"), they are not armed but carry handcuffs and utilise any person powers of arrest (http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http://franckdenion.over-blog.com/article-19134122.html&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&twu=1&usg=ALkJrhiBydrSHe3TUBDNBblUUGpuSt6NIg).The Netherlands
In The Netherlands several municipalities created a Stadwacht (roughly translates as "city guard") program in the mid eighties to provide unemployed people with work financed by the national government, these were nothing more than civilian security patrols by municipal employed workers, these guards did not have any powers other than making a citizen arrest, their main duty was `To be the eyes and ears for the police` however during the late nineties the jobs were transferred into professorial law enforcement jobs and the Stadwacht was changed into Handhaving (translates as "Enforcement") most of the officers these days have limited police powers and several larger municipalities issue their officers handcuffs and a police baton, some municipalities have issued their enforcement officers with pepper spray, however none are permitted to carry firearms. External provided enforcement officers employed by security companies are not allowed to carry any kind of protective device or handcuffs, a person must be a 100% employed by a local municipality, a province or the national government to carry any kind of protective device. The duties of a "Handhaving" Officer in the Netherlands are akin to that of a Municipal bylaw enforcement officerBylaw enforcement officer
A bylaw enforcement officer is a law enforcement employee of a municipality, county or regional district, charged with the enforcement of non-criminal bylaws, rules, laws, codes or regulations enacted by local governments....
in Canada.