A police community support officer (PCSO; cy, swyddog cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu, SCCH), or as written in legislation community support officer (CSO; cy, swyddog cymorth cymunedol, SCC) is a uniformed member of police staff in England and Wales, a role created by Section 38(2) of the
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
, which was given
Royal Assent
Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
by Queen
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
on 24 July 2002. They are
non-warranted but provided with a variety of
police powers and the power of a
constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
in various instances by the forty-three
territorial police force A territorial police force is a police service that is responsible for an area defined by sub-national boundaries, distinguished from other police services which deal with the entire country or a type of crime. In countries organized as federations, ...
s in
England and Wales
England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Eng ...
and the
British Transport Police
, nativename =
, abbreviation = BTP
, patch =
, patchcaption =
, logo = British Transport Police Logo.svg
, logocaption = Logo of the British Transport Police
, badge =
, badgecaption =
, f ...
(which is the only specialist police service to employ PCSOs).
PCSOs were introduced in September 2002 and first recruited by the
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
.
Proposals for PCSOs in
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
were prevented by a budget shortfall in the
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; ga, Seirbhís Póilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ')
is the police, police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabu ...
, as well as fears that the introduction of uniformed and unarmed PCSOs in Northern Ireland (PSNI constables all carry firearms) would mean they would potentially then become a "legitimate target" in the eyes of the
IRA
Ira or IRA may refer to:
*Ira (name), a Hebrew, Sanskrit, Russian or Finnish language personal name
*Ira (surname), a rare Estonian and some other language family name
*Iran, UNDP code IRA
Law
*Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, US, on status of ...
who have attacked other civilians working for the police in Northern Ireland in the past. The
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
does not apply to
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, which consequently does not have Police Community Support Officers (the acronym PCSO in Police Scotland refers to a Police Custody and Security Officer, known as a detention officer in other parts of the UK.)
, there were 15,820 PCSOs in England and Wales. PCSO numbers had, like those of police constables, been falling in previous years due to
austerity
Austerity is a set of political-economic policies that aim to reduce government budget deficits through spending cuts, tax increases, or a combination of both. There are three primary types of austerity measures: higher taxes to fund spend ...
. At their prior peak in 2009, 16,814 PCSOs were employed. PCSOs represent 6.8% of total police employees in England and Wales. The
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
has the highest contingent of PCSOs, accounting for a quarter of PCSOs in England and Wales. The service with the second largest contingent was
Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England.
, Greater Manchester Police employed 6,866 police officers, 3,524 memb ...
(GMP) with 837 PCSOs, which was 5% of the total.
, pay for PCSOs varied from force to force from between around £16,000 to around £27,000 per year.
Role
![Tackling anti-social behaviour on patrol](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Tackling_anti-social_behaviour_on_patrol.jpg)
Most PCSOs work within a Safer Neighbourhood (SNT) or
Neighbourhood Policing
A neighbourhood policing team (NPT), also sometimes known as safer neighbourhood team (SNT), is a small team of police officers and police community support officers (usually 3-10 strong) who are dedicated to policing a certain community or ar ...
team (NPT) that contains
special constables and beat managers (police sergeants). These teams are led by a neighbourhood inspector. 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. 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
A roads policing unit (RPU), or a similarly named unit in some forces, is the specialist road traffic police unit of a Law enforcement in the United Kingdom, British police force.
Responsibilities
RPUs work with the National Police Chiefs' Counci ...
s, and
British Transport Police
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, abbreviation = BTP
, patch =
, patchcaption =
, logo = British Transport Police Logo.svg
, logocaption = Logo of the British Transport Police
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, badgecaption =
, f ...
PCSOs are deployed as part of station teams. As with many aspects of PCSOs, the specifics of each job description vary depending on the relevant force.
Recruitment selection and training
Recruitment and selection
Police forces will recruit PCSOs through adverts placed in newspapers and on the Internet and by posters in public places. Some may use open days as a method of attracting applicants which is the same way constables are recruited. The recruitment of PCSOs has helped some police forces increase the representation of ethnic minorities among their employees. Unlike with police constables, there is no set selection procedure for PCSOs and the process varies between forces
although section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (the law that made PCSOs) requires that
chief constables or
Commissioner
A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something).
In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...
s in charge of police forces have a duty to ensure a recruit "is a suitable person to carry out the functions for the purposes of which they are designated" and is "capable of effectively carrying out those functions".
Generally, PCSOs will be selected through a process that involves: an application form, interview and fitness tests; a medical test; and security and background vetting. Welsh PCSOs must have basic abilities to speak the
Welsh language
Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...
.
Training
Having passed the application process a new PCSO then enters the training process. Unlike police constables, there is no set training procedure for PCSOs so the training given varies from force to force although section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (the law that made PCSOs) requires that chief constables or commissioners to ensure a recruit "Has received adequate training in the carrying out of those functions and in the exercise and performance of the powers and duties to be conferred on him by virtue of their designation".
The original PCSOs recruited in 2002 by the Metropolitan Police received only 3 weeks' training, which was criticised as too little. The training period was eventually raised, and new Metropolitan Police PCSOs are now trained for six weeks. Training in other forces takes between four and eleven weeks, with the length of training depending on how close the PCSOs' authority comes to that of a regular police officer.
[https://www.btprecruitment.com/FullFAQs.asp]
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
First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person with either a minor or serious illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery. It includes initial in ...
. Written examinations are usually performed during training. Upon successful completion of training, there may be a passing out parade.
After training a new PCSO is normally sent out on patrol with a tutor—usually an experienced PCSO—until they are able to patrol on their own. All PCSOs go through a twelve-month probationary period after completing training.
Uniform and equipment
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. As with a lot of things about PCSOs, their uniforms have a great deal of variation between police forces. The current
ACPO guidance states that "PCSOs should be recognisable to the public as police staff, but visibly distinct from sworn police officers".
Since PCSOs were first created in 2002, many forces have made changes to the uniforms issued. Most of these changes are commonly in regards to shirts, trousers and headgear.
Headgear
![London Feb 10 2008 CoS protest AB 9](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/London_Feb_10_2008_CoS_protest_AB_9.JPG)
A PCSO's headgear is normally a black formal
peaked cap
The peaked cap, peaked hat, service cap, barracks cover or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the armed forces of many nations, as well as many uniformed civilian organisations such as law enforcement agencies and fire departments. It ...
for men and a black
bowler for women, although some forces are now opting for female PCSOs to wear the peaked cap. Headgear may or may not display the force crest, some have a metal shield, usually blue, stating "police community support officer" followed below with the name of the wearer's respective force in smaller letters. Some newer versions of such shields have the wearer's respective force crest printed on them. Most forces now simply issue the same hat badge that is issued to constables.
The band on the hat is a silver reflective band with blue edging, a plain blue band, a chequered blue and silver band or a black and white
Sillitoe tartan
Sillitoe tartan is the nickname given to the distinctive black and white chequered pattern, correctly known as ''dicing'', which was originally associated with the police in Scotland. It later gained widespread use in the rest of the United Ki ...
chequered band.
Male PCSOs wear flat, peaked caps rather than
custodian helmet
The custodian helmet is a type of helmet worn predominantly by male police officers in the United Kingdom, within England and Wales, and certain other places around the world.
History
The custodian helmet is the headgear traditionally worn by m ...
s, which are worn by male police constables and sergeants. The Metropolitan Police Authority noted in 2004 that the hats worn by male PCSOs were not rigid and 'may therefore not offer adequate protection'. Female PCSOs wear bowler hats which contain foam padding as protection.
Some police forces have unique hat designs for PCSOs which are different from the more common styles, such as those worn by the
City of London Police
The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, including the Middle and Inner Temples. The force responsible for law enforcement within the remainder of the London region, ou ...
PCSOs who adhere to the force's tradition of red detailing, red banding, and a red shield. Another is
Merseyside Police
Merseyside Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Merseyside in North West England. The service area is 647 square kilometres with a population of around 1.5 million. As of September 2017 the service has 3,484 police of ...
, whose PCSOs wear a blue band with green edging. The badge is a black
cloth patch similar to the metal shield used by some other forces;
North Wales Police
North Wales Police ( cy, Heddlu Gogledd Cymru) is the territorial police force responsible for policing North Wales. Its headquarters are in Colwyn Bay. , the force has 1,510 police officers, 170 special constables, 182 police community suppor ...
( cy, Heddlu Gogledd Cymru) PCSOs wear black
baseball cap
A baseball cap is a type of soft hat with a rounded crown and a stiff bill projecting in front.
The front of the hat typically displays a design or a logo (historically, usually only a sports team, namely a baseball team, or names of relevant co ...
s with a blue band with "police support" written in both English and Welsh.
Surrey Police
Surrey Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Surrey in South East England.
The force is currently led by Chief Constable Gavin Stephens. Previously the force was led by Nick Ephgrave who left the force ...
and
Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England.
, Greater Manchester Police employed 6,866 police officers, 3,524 memb ...
(GMP) give their Traffic PCSOs (who are part of GMP's Road Policing Unit (RPU)) white covered caps in the same style as traffic police officers. The hat retains though the standard blue band and force crest as other PCSOs in GMP.
Formal uniform
Generally, most forces do not have a formal uniform for their PCSOs, but a few provide tunics. Tunics are the same as that of a
Police Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
but may have special badging to distinguish the wearer as a PCSO. As with police constables, PCSOs very rarely wear tunics (provided they have been given them). 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. His funeral was attended by police colleagues wearing tunics including PCSOs.
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
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (french: Médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II) or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ...
. This is a commemorative medal created in 2011 to mark the
60th anniversary of the accession to the throne of
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
. PCSOs awarded the honour may wear the ribbon of the medal while on daily routine patrol. This medal was also given to police constables under similar rules.
Gwent Police
Gwent Police ( cy, Heddlu Gwent) is a territorial police force in Wales, responsible for policing the local authority areas of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen.
The force was formed in 1967 by the amalgamation o ...
issued a silver coloured "Gwent Police Staff Diamond Jubilee Badge 2012", a small lapel badge awarded to all police constables and PCSOs who received the Jubilee Medal.
Operational uniform
![CofL00-PCSO](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/CofL00-PCSO.png)
Shirts for PCSOs are either white, blue or black. Originally the shirts were collared, ironed, smart and formal with two front pockets and radio loops but in recent years are being replaced in most forces with breathable shirts made to be worn with stab vests. Such new shirts unlike their predecessors are sometimes marked with "PCSO" or "police community support officer" on the sleeves or chest. North Wales Police now have the
Welsh flag
The flag of Wales ( cy, Baner Cymru or , meaning 'the red dragon') consists of a red dragon passant on a green and white field. As with many heraldic charges, the exact representation of the dragon is not standardised and many renderings exis ...
on both sleeves of their shirts, for both constables and PCSOs.
Neckwear if worn is a tie for men or a cravat for women. Neckwear is normally light blue, but is sometimes black. Some police forces issue name and/or number badges to its officers to be worn on their uniforms. PCSOs in such forces have "PCSO" or "police community support officer" written before their name or number. The badge is sometimes also differently coloured from the badge of regular police officers. Trousers are usually black or dark navy blue. 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.
Body armour
Body armor, also known as body armour, personal armor or armour, or a suit or coat of armor, is protective clothing designed to absorb or deflect physical attacks. Historically used to protect military personnel, today it is also used by variou ...
vests are issued to PCSOs—although originally not all forces did this—and wearing one is usually compulsory.
Staffordshire Police
Staffordshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the West Midlands of England. It is made up of eleven Local Policing Teams, whose boundaries are matched to the nine local authorit ...
was the last police force to issue Stab vests to PCSOs; they were only issued to officers of this force in April 2011. Some forces issue tactical vests to PCSOs that go over the body armour to provide alternative storage to a duty belt. The vest usually comes in black or hi-vis yellow.
Most PCSOs tend to wear blue
epaulettes
Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''shoulder scales'' ...
on their shoulders, although some forces use black epaulettes. Since 2009 a few forces began embroidering names on to epaulettes. PCSOs are issued with hi-visibility jackets and waterproof coats of varying design depending on the force. Officers may also be issued with a simple tabard for traffic duties. PCSOs wear nylon duty belts with quick release buckles to hold their equipment in pouches.
Cycle patrol uniform
Special uniforms exist in most forces for cycling for both PCSOs and constables. This typically consists of a cycling helmet, breathable cycling shirt and cargo cycling trousers. Hi-visibility jackets or vests are normally compulsory for cycling.
Equipment
![RigidCuffs](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/RigidCuffs.jpg)
PCSOs use a
police radio
Police radio is a radio system used by police and other law enforcement agencies to communicate with one another. Police radio systems almost always use two-way radio systems to allow for communications between police officers and dispatchers.
...
to communicate with other PCSOs, police officers and the control room on the same channel. Some neighbourhood police teams NPT or safer neighbourhood teams (SNT) also monitor local
shop/pub watch radios. A
body armour
Body armor, also known as body armour, personal armor or armour, or a suit or coat of armor, is protective clothing designed to absorb or deflect physical attacks. Historically used to protect military personnel, today it is also used by variou ...
vest is issued to all PCSOs although in previous years some forces did not do this. Arrangements for use vary between forces, from compulsory use throughout shift down to officers choice of use. Unlike constables, due to the non-confrontational nature of their role PCSOs are not normally issued with
batons,
incapacitant spray
Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ad ...
, handcuffs or leg restraints. However PCSOs are authorised to carry and use this equipment.
Four forces are an exception to this convention:
British Transport Police
, nativename =
, abbreviation = BTP
, patch =
, patchcaption =
, logo = British Transport Police Logo.svg
, logocaption = Logo of the British Transport Police
, badge =
, badgecaption =
, f ...
PCSOs are issued with handcuffs and leg restraints;
Also
Dyfed-Powys Police,
North Wales Police
North Wales Police ( cy, Heddlu Gogledd Cymru) is the territorial police force responsible for policing North Wales. Its headquarters are in Colwyn Bay. , the force has 1,510 police officers, 170 special constables, 182 police community suppor ...
and
Merseyside
Merseyside ( ) is a metropolitan county, metropolitan and ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England, 1.38 million. It encompasses both banks of the Merse ...
PCSOs are issued with handcuffs.
Forces such as
South Wales Police
South Wales Police ( cy, Heddlu De Cymru) is one of the four territorial police forces in Wales. It is headquartered in Bridgend.
The force was formed as South Wales Constabulary on 1 June 1969, by the amalgamation of the former Glamorgan Const ...
also issue 'Biteback' dog spray.
Most police forces allow some PCSOs to use laser and
radar gun
A radar speed gun (also radar gun and speed trap gun) is a device used to measure the speed of moving objects. It is used in law-enforcement to measure the speed of moving vehicles and is often used in professional spectator sport, for things su ...
s to help enforce speed limits.
Powers
PCSO powers vary between forces. The powers of PCSOs mainly stem from the
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
, and every PCSO since 2007 has a number of standard powers that were introduced for all PCSOs regardless of which force they belong to. This is in addition to the discretionary powers that can be designated by the
chief constable or commissioner of each PCSO's respective force. Before 2003, the
British Transport Police
, nativename =
, abbreviation = BTP
, patch =
, patchcaption =
, logo = British Transport Police Logo.svg
, logocaption = Logo of the British Transport Police
, badge =
, badgecaption =
, f ...
was unable to have PCSOs until Section 28 of the
Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003
The Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (c 10) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Purposes of the Act
The purposes of the Act include:-
*the creation of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch
*the replacement of the Rail R ...
allowed the BTP Chief Constable to recruit PCSOs and designate powers to them using the
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
—which previously only extended to chief constables or commissioners of
territorial police force A territorial police force is a police service that is responsible for an area defined by sub-national boundaries, distinguished from other police services which deal with the entire country or a type of crime. In countries organized as federations, ...
s.
PCSOs must adhere to certain standards. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary or criminal proceedings related to
misfeasance in public office
Misfeasance in public office is a cause of action in the civil courts of England and Wales and certain Commonwealth countries. It is an action against the holder of a public office, alleging in essence that the office-holder has misused or abu ...
or
malfeasance in public office. Leeway may be given depending on the situation, as the circumstances may dictate they do not have the training or equipment to deal with a situation like a constable could. It is also accepted that PCSOs do not have to intervene in high risk situations and it is reasonable if they decide to withdraw from one. This is due to the non-confrontational purpose of their role.
PCSOs are not attested
constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
s, and therefore do not have the same powers of arrest under section 24 of the
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) (1984 c. 60) is an Act of Parliament which instituted a legislative framework for the powers of police officers in England and Wales to combat crime, and provided codes of practice for the exercise ...
. 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
A citizen's arrest is an arrest made by a private citizen – that is, a person who is not acting as a sworn law-enforcement official. In common law jurisdictions, the practice dates back to medieval England and the English common law, in which ...
). 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, provided the necessity criteria set out in statute are met. This covers offences such as arson, criminal damage, theft, assault, possession of a controlled drug and burglary, etc. All PCSOs can also make
common law
In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omnipresen ...
arrest
An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
s in exactly the same manner as anyone to prevent a
breach of the peace
Breach of the peace, or disturbing the peace, is a legal term used in constitutional law in English-speaking countries and in a public order sense in the several jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It is a form of disorderly conduct.
Public ord ...
along with a
power of entry
Power most often refers to:
* Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work"
** Engine power, the power put out by an engine
** Electric power
* Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events
** Abusive power and control, ...
.
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
The Criminal Law Act 1967 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made some major changes to English criminal law, as part of wider liberal reforms by the Labour government elected in 1966. Most of it is still in force.
Territ ...
), or to forcibly
detain
Detention is the process whereby a state or private citizen lawfully holds a person by removing their freedom or liberty at that time. This can be due to (pending) criminal charges preferred against the individual pursuant to a prosecution or ...
(using
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
powers) There is also a 'reasonable code of conduct' which is a legitimate and 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).
The term to
detain
Detention is the process whereby a state or private citizen lawfully holds a person by removing their freedom or liberty at that time. This can be due to (pending) criminal charges preferred against the individual pursuant to a prosecution or ...
(under the meaning of the
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
) is a relatively new one, but under law, it is considered a temporary arrest (in accordance with Schedule 4, Part 1, Paragraph 2A(2)(b) of the
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
). As a result, a PCSO may
any person arrest
A citizen's arrest is an arrest made by a private citizen – that is, a person who is not acting as a sworn law-enforcement official. In common law jurisdictions, the practice dates back to medieval England and the English common law, in which s ...
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
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
). Section 38
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 also creates the offence of
assault with intent to resist arrest
Assault with intent to resist arrest is a statutory offence of aggravated assault in England and Wales and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales
This offence is created by section 38 of the Offences against the Person ...
, which also covers the "lawful apprehension/detention of himself or another". This is an either-way offence, meaning that the PCSO may also
any person arrest
A citizen's arrest is an arrest made by a private citizen – that is, a person who is not acting as a sworn law-enforcement official. In common law jurisdictions, the practice dates back to medieval England and the English common law, in which s ...
for this offence in addition to the original proposed detention.
In September 2018, Section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018
[http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/23/section/1/enacted ] created an
either-way offence of any assault on any emergency worker, which includes PCSOs.
PCSOs may, subject to permission from their force, carry
handcuffs
Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...
and leg restraints which are both governed by the
Criminal Law Act 1967
The Criminal Law Act 1967 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made some major changes to English criminal law, as part of wider liberal reforms by the Labour government elected in 1966. Most of it is still in force.
Territ ...
or
common law
In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omnipresen ...
and can be used in the same manner as a constable. They may use them for detaining or arresting a person using reasonable force under the powers listed. There are four forces at present whose PCSOs are currently carrying handcuffs (BTP, Dyfed-Powys Police, North Wales Police, Merseyside Police). PCSOs are also lawfully authorised to carry
CS spray
The compound 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (also called ''o''-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile; chemical formula: C10H5ClN2), a cyanocarbon, is the defining component of tear gas commonly referred to as CS gas, which is used as a riot control agen ...
and a
baton when on duty, although none have yet been provided by any Chief Officer of any Police Force.
![Policeandlady](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Policeandlady.JPG)
PCSOs have a number of other powers and abilities that they may exercise in the course of their duty:
[ ]
*General power of a constable to seize property
[ ]
*Issue
fixed penalty notice
In the United Kingdom, a fixed penalty notice (FPN) is a notice giving an individual the opportunity to be made immune from prosecution for an alleged criminal offence in exchange for a fee. Fixed penalty notices were introduced in Britain in the ...
s (FPN) 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 licensing 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 18s
*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
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
)
*Remove abandoned vehicles
*Stop bicycles
*Control traffic
*Carry out road checks
*Place traffic signs
*Enforce cordoned areas under the
Terrorism Act 2000
The Terrorism Act 2000 (c.11) 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 (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 and the Northern Ireland (Emer ...
*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
![PCSO on duty at Newport](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/PCSO_on_duty_at_Newport.jpg)
Certain additional powers which may be assigned to PCSOs by the
chief constable (or
commissioner
A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something).
In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
), but which vary from force to force, include:
*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 and leg restraints if the PCSO has been issued with and authorised to use them.
*Issue penalty notices for disorder (PND), truancy, excluded pupils found in public places, dog fouling, graffiti and flyposting
*Power of a constable to issue an
FPN under section 68 of the
Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (fixed penalty notice in respect of failure to comply with
public spaces protection order)
*Power to direct someone to leave a dispersal zone and/or seize property in relation to suspected ASB
*All the powers of a
*Enforce bylaws
*Deal with begging. This involves requiring the person to stop begging as well as providing their name and address to the PCSO
*Enforce certain licensing offences
*Search detained people for dangerous items i.e. weapons and/or items that could effect an escape from the PCSO
*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
*Deal with parking offences including giving fines
Individual chief constables or commissioners can increase the discretionary powers their PCSOs use from the existing list.
PCSO powers were further increased by the
Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 statute. This provided them with powers such as the power of a constable under Section 19 of PACE to seize any suspected criminal property or property suspected of being used in crime
and further traffic FPN powers.
Expansion of powers
The
Policing and Crime Act 2017
The Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It received royal assent on 31 January 2017.
Synopsis
The act enacts various changes to existing rules involving PCCs, complaints through the IPCC, amendm ...
set out dramatic expansions to the role of PCSO. Section 28(4)(a) states a PCSO will be able to be designated with "any power or duty of a constable (other than a power or duty specified in Part 1 of Schedule 3B excluded powers and duties)". These excluded powers would be:
* Any power or duty of a constable to make an arrest (under s24
PACE 1984)
* Any power or duty of a constable to stop and search an individual or a vehicle or other thing
* The power of a constable, under section 36(4) of the
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) (1984 c. 60) is an Act of Parliament which instituted a legislative framework for the powers of police officers in England and Wales to combat crime, and provided codes of practice for the exercise ...
, to perform the functions of a
custody officer at a designated police station if a custody officer is not readily available to perform them
* Any power that is exercisable only by a constable of a particular rank
* Any power of a constable under (a) the
Terrorism Act 2000
The Terrorism Act 2000 (c.11) 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 (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 and the Northern Ireland (Emer ...
; (b)the
Terrorism Act 2006
The Terrorism Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that received royal assent on 30 March 2006, after being introduced on 12 October 2005. The Act creates new offences related to terrorism, and amends existing ones. Th ...
; (c)the
Counter-Terrorism Act 2008
The Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 (c 28) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which increased police powers for the stated purpose of countering terrorism. The first reading of the bill was held in January 2008, and it received royal ...
; (d)the
Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011
The Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that abolished control orders and provides new powers to allow the Home Secretary to impose restrictions on the behaviour of a spec ...
; (e)the
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015
The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It came into force in July 2015.
Provisions
Part 1 Temporary restrictions on travel
Part 2 Terrorism prevention and investigation measures
Part ...
* Any power of a constable under the
Official Secrets Act 1911
The Official Secrets Act 1911 (1 & 2 Geo 5 c 28) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It replaces the Official Secrets Act 1889.
The Act was introduced in response to public alarm at reports of wide-scale espionage, some of them ...
to
1989
* The power of a constable to make an application on behalf of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis under section 6 of the
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 ( c.23) (RIP or RIPA) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, regulating the powers of public bodies to carry out surveillance and investigation, and covering the interception of comm ...
(applications for
interception warrants)
This bill received Royal Assent on 31 January 2017 and was subsequently passed into law
Use of force
Under a mix of
legislation
Legislation is the process or result of enrolled bill, enrolling, enactment of a bill, enacting, or promulgation, promulgating laws by a legislature, parliament, or analogous Government, governing body. Before an item of legislation becomes law i ...
and
common law
In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omnipresen ...
, a PCSO can use
reasonable force
The right of self-defense (also called, when it applies to the defense of another, alter ego defense, defense of others, defense of a third person) is the right for people to use reasonable or defensive force, for the purpose of defending one' ...
to
arrest
An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
or
detain
Detention is the process whereby a state or private citizen lawfully holds a person by removing their freedom or liberty at that time. This can be due to (pending) criminal charges preferred against the individual pursuant to a prosecution or ...
a suspected offender. 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 three forces permit this and issue handcuffs.
The use of reasonable force is provided by s3
Criminal Law Act 1967
The Criminal Law Act 1967 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made some major changes to English criminal law, as part of wider liberal reforms by the Labour government elected in 1966. Most of it is still in force.
Territ ...
, the
Common Law
In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omnipresen ...
and the
Human Rights Act 1998
The Human Rights Act 1998 (c. 42) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which received royal assent on 9 November 1998, and came into force on 2 October 2000. Its aim was to incorporate into UK law the rights contained in the European Con ...
. Reasonable force is further provided to PCSOs under Section 38(8)
Police Reform Act 2002
The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30) 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 Officers, who have some police powers whilst not being 'sworn' cons ...
when using a power which - in the same circumstances - would also be a power available to a Constable.
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
* Wilfully obstructing or resisting 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 PCSO to a police station
* Contravening a PCSO's requirement to hand over alcohol
* Contravening a PCSO's requirement to surrender tobacco
* Failure to stop a vehicle as directed by a PCSO
* Impersonating a PCSO
* The
common assault
Common may refer to:
Places
* Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
* Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts
* Clapham Common, originally com ...
(indictable) of an emergency worker (PCSO) under Section 1 Assaults on
Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018.
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.
Organisation
Rank structure
![PCSOVariantsAltern](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/PCSOVariantsAltern.jpg)
PCSOs do not normally have a rank system; however,
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham.
In N ...
and
Kent Police
Kent Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the and approximately 1.8 million inhabitants of Kent, a county in the south east of England.
History
On 14 January 1857, a 222-strong 'Kent County Constabulary' was formed u ...
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
Avon and Somerset Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in the county of Somerset and in four districts that used to be in the defunct county of Avon: Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and So ...
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 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
A neighbourhood policing team (NPT), also sometimes known as safer neighbourhood team (SNT), is a small team of police officers and police community support officers (usually 3-10 strong) who are dedicated to policing a certain community or ar ...
Team (NPT).
Although not a rank in itself, most forces have an official system of putting newly trained PCSOs on their probation with a PCSO tutor. A PCSO tutor is normally an experienced PCSO, sometimes with additional training, who will patrol with the new PCSO until he or she is ready to patrol alone. Whilst being tutored like a probationary police constable the new PCSO may have a number of tasks to complete whilst on patrol and will complete such tasks whilst being mentored by the PCSO tutor.
Roles in the Metropolitan Police
PCSO duties can vary from force to force. Many forces may officially have different roles for PCSOs in which special training and sometimes equipment is given. Within the
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
, which is responsible for
law enforcement
Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...
in
Greater London
Greater may refer to:
*Greatness, the state of being great
*Greater than, in inequality (mathematics), inequality
*Greater (film), ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film
*Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record
*Greater (song), "Greate ...
, 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 district.
* Safer Transport PCSO — Provides a uniformed presence on buses (policing on the railways and
London Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent ceremonial counties of England, counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and He ...
being provided by the
British Transport Police
, nativename =
, abbreviation = BTP
, patch =
, patchcaption =
, logo = British Transport Police Logo.svg
, logocaption = Logo of the British Transport Police
, badge =
, badgecaption =
, f ...
.)
* Traffic PCSO — Provides a uniformed presence by assisting the
Traffic OCU in roads policing, along with issuing penalty notices.
* Counter Terrorism PCSO (known prior to 2010 as a Security PCSO) provide 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 OCU 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. This role was disbanded in 2012 leaving only Safer Schools police officers (SSOs)in the role.
Vehicles
![Pedal Power!](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Pedal_Power%21.jpg)
Most forces allow their PCSOs, commonly those assigned to duties managing traffic, to drive marked police vehicles. PCSOs may only use blue lights when they come across an accident to indicate the danger present to members of the public, to alert the public to a road hazard and when asked to by a Senior Officer.
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
The Segway is a two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transporter invented by Dean Kamen and brought to market in 2001 as the Segway HT, subsequently as the Segway PT, and manufactured by Segway Inc. ''HT'' is an initialism for "human transp ...
s were reported to be used by Metropolitan Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) in
Sutton
Sutton (''south settlement'' or ''south town'' in Old English) may refer to:
Places
United Kingdom
England
In alphabetical order by county:
* Sutton, Bedfordshire
* Sutton, Berkshire, a List of United Kingdom locations: Stu-Sz#Su, location
* S ...
. These teams consist mostly of PCSOs.
Underage PCSOs
In 2007, it was revealed that some forces recruited a large number of PCSOs under the legal recruitment age for police constables, which was 18 years and 6 months. The criterion seemed to be that such recruits must be at least 16 and their appointment must have been 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, the then
Home Secretary
The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all national ...
Jacqui Smith
Jacqueline Jill Smith (born 3 November 1962) is a British broadcaster, political commentator and former Labour Party politician. She was Member of Parliament (MP) for Redditch from 1997 to 2010. She served as Home Secretary from 2007 to 2009 ...
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 were allowed to hold their positions.
A few police forces including
West Midlands Police
West Midlands Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England.
The force covers an area of with 2.93million inhabitants, which includes the cities of Birmingham, Coventry, W ...
,
Cumbria Constabulary
Cumbria Constabulary is the territorial police force in England covering Cumbria. As of September 2017, the force had 1,108 police officers, 535 police staff, 93 police community support officers, and 86 special constables.
The force serves a ...
and the
British Transport Police
, nativename =
, abbreviation = BTP
, patch =
, patchcaption =
, logo = British Transport Police Logo.svg
, logocaption = Logo of the British Transport Police
, badge =
, badgecaption =
, f ...
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.
Deaths on duty
Since their introduction in 2002, three PCSOs have died on duty:
* 31 January 2006, PCSO Adrian Martin, aged 45 –
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
: Collapsed and died of heart failure while on a police cycle training course at
Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College is the principal training centre for London's Metropolitan Police.
Founded with the official name of the Metropolitan Police College, the college has officially been known as the Peel Centre since 1974, although its origi ...
. He was the first PCSO to die on duty.
*10 September 2007, PCSO Chris Maclure, aged 21 –
Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England.
, Greater Manchester Police employed 6,866 police officers, 3,524 memb ...
(GMP): Died whilst on cycle patrol in
Hindley Green
Hindley Green is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. The population of the village had decreased to 11,186 at the 2011 Census. The village lies to the east of Hindley, Greater Manchester, Hindley and is c ...
Wigan
Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas, Lancashire, River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the nor ...
when he was accidentally struck by a lorry. As a result of his death, safety was improved nationally for officers deployed on cycles. An award for GMP PCSOs the 'PCSO Christopher McClure Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community' was made in his honour.
*28 April 2009, PCSO David Leslie Adams, aged 59 –
Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Avon and Somerset Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in the county of Somerset and in four districts that used to be in the defunct county of Avon: Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and ...
: Died of a suspected heart attack whilst attending a road traffic collision whilst on duty in
Woolverton near
Frome
Frome ( ) is a town and civil parish in eastern Somerset, England. The town is built on uneven high ground at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, and centres on the River Frome. The town, about south of Bath, is the largest in the Mendip d ...
. PCSO Adams had previously been a
with his Force before becoming one of the constabularies first PCSOs. During his service he won an award in 2007 for outstanding customer service in the Somerset East District at the Avon and Somerset Community Police Awards.
The
Police Roll of Honour Trust
The Police Roll of Honour Trust is a charitable organisation registered in England & Wales and Scotland, it was founded in 2000 and records all those British police officers who have died on and in the line of duty. It has been granted a Royal Cha ...
includes PCSOs in its roll of fallen officers alongside constables ''providing they die in operational circumstances (i.e. in the performance of a law enforcement role, including patrol)''.
Union and Police Federation membership status
PCSOs cannot by law be members of the
Police Federation, the staff association to which, by statute, all regular police officers from the rank of
Police Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
to that of
Chief Inspector
Chief inspector (Ch Insp) 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 (CIP).
Usage by country Australia
The rank of chief inspector is use ...
belong. Police officers cannot by law join any
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
, but as designated, unsworn, unwarranted officers, PCSOs can, despite being employed by the Police. Most PCSOs belong to
UNISON
In music, unison is two or more musical parts that sound either the same pitch or pitches separated by intervals of one or more octaves, usually at the same time. ''Rhythmic unison'' is another term for homorhythm.
Definition
Unison or per ...
. But other PCSOs are represented by PCS -
Public and Commercial Services Union
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) is the sixth largest trade union in the United Kingdom. Most of its members work in UK government departments and other public bodies.
History
The union was founded in 1998 by the merger of th ...
for PCSOs in the
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
and TSSA -
Transport Salaried Staffs' Association
The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) is a trade union for workers in the transport and travel industries in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its head office is in London, and it has regional offices in Bristol, Derby, Dublin, Manche ...
who represent PCSOs in the British Transport Police (BTP).
Unlike police constables, PCSOs can strike. This has occurred during the 2011 Public Sector Workers strike, which was partaken in by some PCSOs.
Police constables, on the other hand, cannot legally strike as a result of the Police Act 1996, although they have not been able to strike since 1919 when it was first outlawed. Police Acts do not apply to PCSOs.
Special constable membership status
Unlike other civilians employed by the police, PCSOs are usually not
Special Constables, as this may cause confusion with their PCSO role, since Specials have the same powers as paid
police constables. Any PCSO wishing to become a Special Constable would usually be required to resign and the same would apply for any Special Constable wanting to be a PCSO.
Future
It was expected that the Conservative Party might remove PCSOs in early 2010. It has been reported by the ''
Daily Telegraph
Daily or The Daily may refer to:
Journalism
* Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks
* ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times''
* ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...
'' 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
In British politics, the Shadow Home Secretary (formally known as the Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department) is the person within the shadow cabinet who shadows the Home Secretary; this effectively means scrutinising government polic ...
Chris Grayling
Christopher Stephen Grayling (born 1 April 1962) is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician and author who served as Secretary of State for Transport from 2016 to 2019. He has served as Member of Parliament (United King ...
was understood to be doubtful of the effectiveness of PCSOs and was concerned that a disproportionate number of them were disciplined in 2009. He stated he would 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 PCSOs altogether.
Since the
2010 general election held on 6 May 2010, which resulted in a Conservative Party led coalition government coming to power, no police force has disbanded or announced the disbanding of its PCSOs, and many forces have continued to recruit PCSOs after the 2010 election. Such forces include
Durham Constabulary
Durham Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing ceremonial county of County Durham in North East England. The force’s area is bordered by Cumbria Constabulary to the west, Cleveland Police to the south east, Nor ...
in December 2011 and British Transport Police (BTP) in June 2011. BTP in 2012 have decided to increase their overall numbers of PCSOs.
The
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
in February 2012 undertook a recruitment campaign to employ around 1000 additional PCSOs.
Chris Grayling
Christopher Stephen Grayling (born 1 April 1962) is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician and author who served as Secretary of State for Transport from 2016 to 2019. He has served as Member of Parliament (United King ...
, who was possibly considering reducing or disbanding PCSOs, was not made
Home Secretary
The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all national ...
after the 2010 general election. Instead, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions.
In April 2012
Home Secretary
The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all national ...
Theresa May
Theresa Mary May, Lady May (; née Brasier; born 1 October 1956) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. She previously served in David Cameron's cab ...
told a
Home Affairs Select Committee she would leave PCSO funding and numbers to individual police forces although she did not announce any all-out plans to disband them.
During the
the
UK Independence Party
The UK Independence Party (UKIP; ) is a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. The party reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two members of Parliament and was the largest par ...
(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
BBC Radio Norfolk is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Norfolk.
It broadcasts on FM, AM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at The Forum in Norwich.
According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of ...
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.
All other PCC candidates for Norfolk Constabulary defended PCSOs and their role in the debate. The
election for PCCs Matthew Smith is the only known candidate during the
who planned to reduce PCSO numbers. Although later in 2018
Norfolk Constabulary abolished its use of PCSOs and made all of its remaining PCSOs redundant.
Similar programmes in other countries
Several countries have copied or already have law enforcement positions that are similar to PCSOs in England and Wales. In some cases they take the form or are employed by
Municipal Police
Municipal police, city police, or local police are law enforcement agencies that are under the control of local government. This includes the municipal government, where it is the smallest administrative subdivision. They receive funding ...
. Municipal police are forces under the control of localised
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
, which are other countries' versions of British local authorities or councils.
Australia
In
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, most police forces have an equivalent role known as a PSO, standing variously for Protective Services Officer (
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of the Australian States and territories of Australia, state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. It was formed in 1853 and currently operates under the ''Victoria Police Act 2013''.
, Victo ...
), Protective Service Officer (
Western Australia Police
The Western Australia Police Force, colloquially WAPOL, provides police services throughout the state of Western Australia, an area of 2.5 million square kilometres, the world's largest non-federated area of jurisdiction, with a population ...
and
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is the national and principal federal law enforcement agency of the Australian Government with the unique role of investigating crime and protecting the national security of the Commonwealth of Australia. Th ...
) or Protective Security Officer (
Queensland Police
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the principal law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto ...
and
South Australia Police
South Australia Police (SAPOL) is the police force of the Australian state of South Australia. SAPOL is an independent statutory agency of the Government of South Australia directed by the Commissioner of Police, who reports to the Minister for ...
). Except in Victoria, they are not sworn constables and have limited powers. At a federal level, the
Australian Protective Service
The Australian Protective Service (APS) was an Australian Commonwealth law enforcement agency which existed between October 1984 and June 2004. The APS was created by the separation of the Uniformed Protective Service component of the Australian ...
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.
In the state of Victoria, Protective Services Officers are sworn members of Victoria Police. PSOs attached to the Protective Services Unit (PSU) perform duties as guards at state Parliament, at the Shrine of Remembrance and at court premises throughout the state. PSOs attached to the Transit Safety Division (Transit PSOs) perform policing duties at all metropolitan and some regional railway premises throughout Victoria. Unlike PSOs assigned to the PSU, Transit PSOs possess almost full police powers while on duty and within the vicinity of railway premises. They are identified by the use of blue-and-gold
Sillitoe tartan
Sillitoe tartan is the nickname given to the distinctive black and white chequered pattern, correctly known as ''dicing'', which was originally associated with the police in Scotland. It later gained widespread use in the rest of the United Ki ...
rather than blue-and-white and the text "PROTECTIVE SERVICES" on badges. All PSOs carry a firearm, ballistic body armour and all other personal equipment issued to police officers throughout Victoria. and pepper spray.
Queensland Police
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the principal law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto ...
have Police Liaison Officers, members of staff employed by the police to keep links between the police and the local ethnic minority groups normally distant from the police such as Australia's Aboriginal peoples, Asian groups and African communities. They wear the same blue uniform as Queensland Police officers, but have features on them to distinguish them such as yellow or blue/green epaulettes. They have no police powers and do not carry any weapons or accoutrements.
The
Western Australia Police
The Western Australia Police Force, colloquially WAPOL, provides police services throughout the state of Western Australia, an area of 2.5 million square kilometres, the world's largest non-federated area of jurisdiction, with a population ...
have Police Auxiliary Officers, members of staff who are employed to support WA Police Officers through the admission, custody and release of detainees in the Perth Watch House and other station based lock-ups. Other duties include managing and handling drugs and firearms, processing property and exhibits and a range of station support tasks. They wear maroon epaulettes and are not authorised to carry or use firearms however do carry telescopic batons, handcuffs, Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) Spray and
Taser
A taser is an electroshock weapon used to incapacitate people, allowing them to be approached and handled in an unresisting and thus safe manner. It is sold by Axon, formerly TASER International. It fires two small barbed darts intended to ...
s. They have limited police powers and training lasts only 12 weeks.
Belgium
In
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, Police Agents ( nl, Aspirant-Agents) serve at both the
federal
Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to:
Politics
General
*Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies
*Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
and local level. These uniformed Police Agents who have limited police powers to enforce traffic, parking and public nuisance laws.
Unlike Belgian Police Officers, Police Agents are unarmed but are equipped with handcuffs. They were originally known as "Auxiliary Officers".
Canada
The
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...
launched a Community Safety Officer (CSO) (french: Agent de Sécurité Communautaire, (ASC)) programme based on the model in England and Wales. CSOs are given the title "Special Constable". The first seventeen CSOs were sworn in on 16 June 2008 as part of a pilot programme, which lasted eighteen months. They did not carry
pistol
A pistol is a handgun, more specifically one with the chamber integral to its gun barrel, though in common usage the two terms are often used interchangeably. The English word was introduced in , when early handguns were produced in Europe, an ...
s like fully powered officers in the RCMP, but they did carry handcuffs,
pepper spray
Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, or capsicum spray is a lachrymatory agent (a compound that irritates the eyes to cause a burning sensation, pain, and temporary blindness) used in policing, riot control, cr ...
s and
batons to protect themselves. The programmed disbanded in 2014 with a new program known as "Community Constables".
In addition, many municipalities across Canada also employ a Municipal
Bylaw Enforcement Officer
A bylaw enforcement officer (also called municipal law enforcement or municipal enforcement) is an employee of a municipality, county or regional district, charged with the enforcement of local ordinance—bylaws, laws, codes, or regulations enac ...
or a number of them, to enforce municipal by-laws and some provincial laws regulating dangerous canines, tobacco use and motor vehicle traffic. Many Municipal Bylaw Enforcement Officers wear uniforms and some are issued batons and handcuffs. Municipal Bylaw Enforcement Officers are employed by the Municipality, however, some are directly by employed by police departments such as in Medicine Hat, Alberta and Toronto, Ontario.
France
French municipalities utilise officers called ASVP or Public Roads Control Officer (french: Agents De Surveillance De La Voie Publique), who are not armed but carry handcuffs and utilise powers of arrest.
Gibraltar
In the
British Overseas Territory
The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remna ...
of
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
, Highways Enforcement Officers are employed by Gibraltar Car Parks Limited a wholly owned Government Company of
Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar
His Majesty's Government of Gibraltar is the democratically elected government of the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The head of state is King Charles III who is represented by the Governor. Elections in Gibraltar are held every four ...
. Like mainland British PCSOs they undertake uniformed patrols. They perform a very similar role to that of mainland British Traffic PCSO that various forces used to replace their Traffic Wardens notably the
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
. Unlike British PCSOs they are not staff employees of the
Royal Gibraltar Police
The Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) is, along with His Majesty's Customs (Gibraltar), the principal civilian law enforcement agency in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It is the oldest police force in the Commonwealth of Nations outside ...
. As well as performing parking enforcement including the issuing of fines they also look after government owned car parks, look out for deficiencies in the public highways and enforce litter control laws including giving fines or summoning offenders. They are paid £20,325 rising to £24,345 per year subject to satisfactory performance, plus a 12.5% shift disturbance allowance and weekend premium.
Germany
In Germany, several agencies provide similar services like the PCSO:
![Stadt Fulda - Ordnungsamt, Land Rover Freelander](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Stadt_Fulda_-_Ordnungsamt%2C_Land_Rover_Freelander.JPG)
;
Auxiliary police
Auxiliary police, also called special police, are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated. The po ...
: some
states established
auxiliary police
Auxiliary police, also called special police, are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated. The po ...
units as ''Voluntary Police Force (Freiwilliger Polizeidienst)'', ''Security Watch (Sicherheitswacht)'' or ''Security Partner (Sicherheitspartner)''. These services are intended to maintain or establish public security and order throughout their assigned territories.
;
City police forces: (''Stadtpolizei'', ''Kommunalpolizei'' or ''Polizeibehörde'') exist in few
states like
Bremen
Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state consis ...
,
Saarland
The Saarland (, ; french: Sarre ) is a state of Germany in the south west of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and ...
,
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
and
Hesse
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...
. Those municipal police officers do have the same rights, powers and obligations like their counterparts in the
state police
State police, provincial police or regional police are a type of sub-national territorial police force found in nations organized as federations, typically in North America, South Asia, and Oceania. These forces typically have jurisdiction o ...
, but are employed by German municipalities.
; Municipal order enforcement agencies: depending on state laws and municipal regulations, they are named ''Kommunaler Ordnungsdienst (KOD)'' or ''Ordnungsamt''. These city employees mainly wear police-like uniforms but some wear labelled jackets and plain clothes. They are the municipal administration's eyes and ears on the street. Depending on each state's laws, these local employees could be armed or unarmed. Mostly they are charged with monitoring municipal by-laws and laws that fall under the responsibility of municipalities, which include monitoring the conduct of shop owners, sanitation inspections, veterinary inspections and minor
infraction
A summary offence or petty offence is a violation in some common law jurisdictions that can be proceeded against summarily, without the right to a jury trial and/or indictment (required for an indictable offence).
Canada
In Canada, summary offen ...
s and
misdemeanor
A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than adm ...
s such as illegal parking,
litter
Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an unsuitable location. Litter can also be used as a verb; to litter means to drop and leave objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups, ...
ing, state and local dog regulations etc. They usually only hand out warnings and fines and can only perform a
citizen's arrest
A citizen's arrest is an arrest made by a private citizen – that is, a person who is not acting as a sworn law-enforcement official. In common law jurisdictions, the practice dates back to medieval England and the English common law, in which ...
as any other citizen can. If they see any major crimes they are required to call the state police. They usually hand out warnings and fines. Like British PCSOs, they have special powers of detention and can perform arrests.
Poland
Straż Miejska ( en,
City guard
A city guard, city watch, town guard, or town watch, was a law enforcement and security formation found in many countries and historical periods, usually subordinate to the local municipal government. Historically, many cities had their own gua ...
) are
municipal police
Municipal police, city police, or local police are law enforcement agencies that are under the control of local government. This includes the municipal government, where it is the smallest administrative subdivision. They receive funding ...
officers who like British PCSOs have limited powers and are not as well armed as fully powered officers but are known to be equipped with batons, handcuffs, tear gas launchers and more recently
tasers
A taser is an electroshock weapon used to incapacitate people, allowing them to be approached and handled in an unresisting and thus safe manner. It is sold by Axon, formerly TASER International. It fires two small barbed darts intended to ...
. There are also plans to allow them to carry handguns of a lesser calibre that the Polish National
Police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...
carry.
In the event of a major incident, they must request the aid of an officer of the National
Police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...
.
Spain
In some areas of Spain that are unable to have a local
municipal police
Municipal police, city police, or local police are law enforcement agencies that are under the control of local government. This includes the municipal government, where it is the smallest administrative subdivision. They receive funding ...
, their function is performed by the
Guardia Civil
The Civil Guard ( es, Guardia Civil, link=no; ) is the oldest law enforcement agency in Spain and is one of two national police forces. As a national gendarmerie force, it is military in nature and is responsible for civil policing under the a ...
or
autonomous Community
eu, autonomia erkidegoa
ca, comunitat autònoma
gl, comunidade autónoma
oc, comunautat autonòma
an, comunidat autonoma
ast, comunidá autónoma
, alt_name =
, map =
, category = Autonomous administra ...
force who are assisted by officers known as "Vigilantes Municipales" who are uniformed municipal employees with limited powers.
Sri Lanka
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
''Grama Niladhari'' (''village officers'') ( si, ග්රාම නිලධාරී) is a Sri Lankan public official appointed by the central government to carry out administrative duties in a ''grama niladhari'' division, which is a sub-un ...
(village officers) to resolve minor disputes and youth offenders. Mirroring the role of old
Police Vidane in villages, two CPS members would allocated to each Grama Niladhari division and operate out of the village Grama Niladhari office instead of the local
Police Station
A police station (sometimes called a "station house" or just "house") is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, al ...
. Reporting to the State Minister for Community Police Services, this force would have local members serving in their own residential areas acting as
intelligence officers for the state and work closely with local civil defence committees. The new recruits will have the same powers as a
police constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
, and have a similar rank structure up to the grate of Sergeant. Once promoted to the rank of
Sub Inspector, they will be assigned other duties in the
Sri Lanka Police
(The one who lives by the Dhamma is protected by the Dhamma itself)
, mission =
, formedyear =
, preceding1 = Ceylon Police Force (1866–1972)
, dissolved =
, superseding =
, employees = ...
.
Thailand
The
Royal Thai Police
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) ( th, สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ; ) is the national police force of Thailand. The RTP employs between 210,700 and 230,000 officers, roughly 17 percent of all civil servants (excludi ...
formed the "Phuket Tourist Police Department", staffed by "Tourist Police Volunteers" to deal with growing crime problems related to tourism in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. Their role is to support police officers, helping tourists and patrolling mostly by foot.
They wear a different uniform but unlike British PCSOs, they carry
pepper spray
Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, or capsicum spray is a lachrymatory agent (a compound that irritates the eyes to cause a burning sensation, pain, and temporary blindness) used in policing, riot control, cr ...
and batons in addition to handcuffs. They do not carry firearms as Thai Police Officers do.
A lot of their recruits are foreigners, this is done to make it easier to make links between the police and tourists.
The Tourist Police Volunteers and their work were featured in the TV documentary ''Big Trouble in Thailand''.
The Netherlands
In The Netherlands, there are municipal SEOs ''(Special enforcement officers)''. These assist the police on certain pieces of the law. They could be working in cities as municipal code inspectors, parking enforcement, public transport or in environmental departments. These officers have police powers like detaining people, issue fines and use force when arresting a person. Most municipalities issue handcuffs to the officers, in some cities also police batons are a part of the officers equipment. In a few cities officers are allowed to carry and use pepper spray. Only a few cities have SEOs with additional schooling carrying a firearm, these officers a mostly employed in dense areas like forests. A SEO (or BOA in Dutch) has the status of civil servant and is not a uniformed civilian unlike security guards. Until 2014 every municipality could use a uniform of their choice, some wear exact police uniforms with peaked caps and blue trousers with black striping. From 2015 the justice ministry created a uniform specially for municipal enforcement. This consists of a polo shirt, worker trousers, baseball cap and soft-shell jackets and were inspired by the Spanish municipal police uniforms with checkers bands on shirts and hats.
The Dutch police also knows police volunteers, these are divided in two categories; administrative and operational. Operational officers have the same rank, uniform and weapons as regular police officers. There is practically no difference between them, besides their payment.
United States
Community Service Officers (CSO) have been used in the US since the 1970s by several police departments. These 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. They are not provided with any legal powers above and beyond a normal citizen. A major difference between this role and the UK equivalent is that the US counterparts are not dispatched to ongoing incidents.
Depending on the police department they work for they may be equipped with
handcuffs
Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...
,
batons,
pepper spray
Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, or capsicum spray is a lachrymatory agent (a compound that irritates the eyes to cause a burning sensation, pain, and temporary blindness) used in policing, riot control, cr ...
and
taser
A taser is an electroshock weapon used to incapacitate people, allowing them to be approached and handled in an unresisting and thus safe manner. It is sold by Axon, formerly TASER International. It fires two small barbed darts intended to ...
s as possession of these items in the US is usually not considered being 'armed'.
The term is also occasionally used for contractor hired individuals dealing with inebriated homeless individuals, as in Anchorage, Alaska They are dispatched via the central dispatch. Anchorage requires them to have EMT training.
In fiction
Despite being in recent years the more visible aspect of British policing, PCSOs have rarely been featured in fictional television programmes or films, but there are some examples that are the exception:
The 2008
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
film ''
Adulthood
An adult is a human or other animal that has reached full growth. In human context, the term ''adult'' has meanings associated with social and legal concepts. In contrast to a " minor", a legal adult is a person who has attained the age of major ...
'' directed by
Noel Clarke
Noel Anthony Clarke (born 6 December 1975) is a British actor, screenwriter, director, and comic book writer. Rising to prominence for playing Mickey Smith in ''Doctor Who'' (2005–2010), he played Sam in the films ''Kidulthood'' (2006), ''Adu ...
starred
David Ajala
David Ajala (born 21 May 1986) is a British actor. He is known for his roles as Manchester Black in '' Supergirl'' (20182019), Captain Roy Eris in ''Nightflyers'' (2018), and Cleveland "Book" Booker in '' Star Trek: Discovery'' (2020present).
...
as PCSO Desmond "Buds".
The popular long-running British police drama ''
The Bill
''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983.
The programme focused on ...
'' featured two
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
PCSO characters; PCSO Colin Fairfax played by Tim Steed and PCSO Laura Bryant played by
Melanie Kilburn
Sarah Melanie Jean Kilburn is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Laura Bryant in the ITV police drama series ''The Bill''. She also played the part of Sandra Conway, wife of CI Derek Conway in earlier episodes of The Bill. He ...
. Both started at the same time in episode 278. PCSO Bryant is shown eventually becoming a
police constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
, accurately portraying the fact that many PCSOs go on to become constables. After both PCSOs left neither was replaced and The Bill never again portrayed PCSOs despite their common presence in real life.
Paul Abbott
Paul Abbott (born 22 February 1960) is an English television screenwriter and producer. Abbott has become one of the most critically and commercially successful television writers working in Britain, following his work on popular series such as ...
's long-running drama series ''
Shameless'' occasionally features police community support officers, for example, in Series 8 Episode 19, a PCSO is seen getting out of a police vehicle and chasing
Aidan Croker.
Hollyoaks
''Hollyoaks'' is a British soap opera which began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created by Phil Redmond, who had previously conceived the soap opera ''Brookside (TV series), Brookside''. Since 2005, episodes have been aired on ...
the long-running
British television
Regular television broadcasts in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection ...
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
, on
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
featured for many years
Carmel McQueen
Carmel Valentine (also McQueen) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Gemma Merna. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing on 13 August 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirk ...
played by
Gemma Merna
Gemma Merna (born 6 February 1984) is an English actress and model. She is best known for portraying the role of Carmel McQueen in the Channel 4 soap opera, ''Hollyoaks'' from 2006 to 2014.
Career
Merna joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap op ...
who was portrayed as being a PCSO between 2009 and 2010.
PCSOs have also featured in a few
comedy
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
sketch programmes including Season 3, Episode 1 of ''
That Mitchell and Webb Look
''That Mitchell and Webb Look'' is a British sketch comedy television show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb that ran from 2006 to 2010. Many of its characters and sketches were first featured in the duo's radio show ''That Mitchell and W ...
''.
PCSOs were featured in the
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
by Dave Lamb ''Hobby Bobbies''.
In 2009 the long running children's British comedy
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
''
ChuckleVision
''ChuckleVision'' is a British children's comedy television series created by Martin Hughes and the Chuckle Brothers for the BBC. It starred Barry and Paul Elliott as the Chuckle Brothers and occasionally their older brothers, Jimmy, and Brian ...
'' featured PCSOs in Season 21, Episode 2 "Top of the Cops" where the shows main characters the Chuckle Brothers
Paul & Barry Chuckle are depicted as PCSOs fresh out of training sent out on patrol for the first time.
In 2015, a PCSO is shown guarding a crime scene on ''No Offence'', episode 6, where he has a brief conversation with a Detective Inspector and Detective Constable.
In 2016, season 2 of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, becoming a PCSO following the events of her kidnapping in the first season.
In fiction, PCSOs are often depicted as somewhat laughable – for instance, the ''That Mitchell and Webb Look'' sketches, a PCSO is teased by a police officer who clearly despises him, and in the ''ChuckleVision'' episode the portrayal of PCSOs is kindly but unflattering.