PCSOs work with police to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in communities.
Derbyshire Constabulary has recently decided to increase the number of Police Community Support Officers in the county and will be taking on an additional 15 PCSOs later this year. We intend to recruit externally for our new PCSOs and will release further information on this at the end of May. Please check this website and local press for an update at that time.
Why not volunteer to become a Special Constable|? You will receive training in many aspects of policing have all of the powers of a Police Officer. Derbyshire is policed by a team that includes Police Officers, police staff Special constables and Police Community Support officers. We are currently recruiting for the Special Constabulary|.
Derbyshire Constabulary values diversity and welcomes applications from talented people from across all sectors of the community.
About PCSOs
1. What do Police Community Support Officers do?
Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are support staff, employed by the Police Authority. A uniformed and highly visible presence, they perform a patrolling role to provide reassurance to the communities they serve.
Complementing the work of police officers, they focus predominantly on lower level crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.
The Police Reform Act allows Chief Officers of Police to designate PCSOs with limited enforcement powers to enable them to tackle such issues effectively.
PCSOs also have a key role to play in freeing up police officer time. They perform some of the functions that require a police presence - but do not necessarily require the full skills and expertise of a police officer. Examples include enforcing a cordon established under the Terrorism Act.
2. Who is funding them?
The Home Office has provided funding, although the level of funding has recently been lowered.
3. How does a Chief Officer designate a Police Community Support Officer?
The Chief Constable needs to be satisfied that a person is suitable for the PCSO role, is capable of effectively carrying out his or her functions and has received adequate training. The Chief Constable will also decide the uniform, powers and equipment to be used by PCSOs in their Force area.
When on duty each PCSO needs to carry a document that they can produce to a member of the public, if asked, which details their designated powers and their uniform.
4. What are the distinctions between a Police Community Support Officer and a sworn officer?
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) produced a position statement, which was adopted by the Chief Constables' Council in January 2005.
ACPOs' view is that sworn police officers are appropriate for the following circumstances:
4.1 Wherever there is a clear likelihood that a confrontation will arise. However, PCSOs should have sufficient support, equipment and training to cope safely with confrontations that arise spontaneously in the course of their primary role of patrol, reassurance and tackling anti-social behaviour.
4.2 Where there is scope for exercise of a high degree of discretion - for example, where a situation is complex owing to a number of different parties involved, where there is particular sensitivity within a community about police action, or where a large range of enforcement options are available;
4.3 Where police action is likely to lead to a higher than normal risk of harm to anyone;
4.4 Where there is a clear likelihood that police action will include any infringement of a person's human rights - for example intruding into their privacy or deprivation of their liberty (beyond the temporary detention period available to CSOs);
4.5 Where the incident is one which is likely to lead to significant further work being undertaken. which have the potential to impact adversely upon the CSOs' capacity to undertake visible patrol duties.
5. What equipment do Police Community Support Officers have in Derbyshire?
Equipment includes the standard police communications system, body armour (giving protection against ballistics & knives), a pocket book and fixed penalties.
6. What Health and Safety considerations are there for Police Community Support Officers?
A generic risk assessment has been completed for the role of Community Support Officer (PCSO)
PCSOs will support the police by performing the primary roles relating to observation and reporting.
When attending an incident they will make a dynamic risk assessment and consider options to observe, confront, seek assistance and, if necessary, withdraw and report.
There is no expectation to intervene in high-risk situations.
7. What powers do Police Community Support Officers have in Derbyshire?
A PCSO in Derbyshire has 22 powers available to them. The full list can be read on our PCSO Powers in Derbyshire| page.
8. Are there any other websites I can visit to find out more information?
If you are considering becoming a PCSO yourself, we recommend you visit:
http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/|
For more strategic information, go to the web site for the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) at http://www.acpo.police.uk/| and look at the policies section.