Local PCSO

In response to:Lazy days

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:55:00 +0200

PCSO's area a joke they go round in pairs holding hands and are a complete wast of my tax money give me a proper bobby any day of the week! we didnt ask for plastic bobbies we wanted real ones i wish i could take them all back to the home office ask for my money back as these are not fit for the purpose which they were bought! then i would buy 10000 proper police constables! wake up and get a proper job!

In response to:uniform

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:19:50 +0200

You should not be told to be in plain clothes as you have no plain clothes role. Your designated powers are all concerned with the PCSO uniform (and the carrying of the designation card, which explains what you can and can't do).

I would suggest that, if you are being ordered out in plain clothes at any time, it is not a lawful order.

The PCSO uniform SHOULD NOT look more like police and I think that those forces/services that use v similar uniforms are being extremely disingenuous to the public, and putting MOPs, colleagues and the PCSOs themselves at more risk. There are certain expectations of police, and different ones (not saying worse, but different) of PCSOs.

As a MOP *and* as a police officer, I want to know roughly what I'm getting when I approach a person in any part of the uniformed police family. I'd be pissed off if I was talking to what I thought was an officer, to find out they were an "O". PCSOs exist for the benefit of the wider MOP communities, not for criminals, and it is for the wider community that things like uniform should be addressed, not to criminals/suspects.

If the risk assessment is that bad where you are that you think you'll be protected by crims having to look twice at you to check you aren't "real", then your management needs to be making better choices about how to deploy you.

In response to:title-3929565

Mon, 25 May 2009 18:57:40 +0200

Well done to you for that. I do think the fitness tests are a little bit lenient to say the least. Id like to see more cops, who ,like yourself, can manage a little chase.

In response to:uniform

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:59:20 +0200

With "POLICE" on our uniform we are instantly going to have expectations from the public. It is also a target.
Some people see police and instantly hate us, some people feel safe.
Most people I deal with thank me and say how just seeing me around makes them feel safe.
But the local "criminals" know our powers and will ridicule us because we come under the police "banner".

I enjoy working with PCs because it makes the shift totally different.
But our remit holds us back. I was "told off/warned" because I had "broken the law". I saw a vehicle speeding/driving dangerously whilst i was on foot patrol with a PC, just as I was about to put it up on the radio I saw it was being followed by a lone traffic officer.

The car turned into a road that I know to be a dead end so we decided to walk back and give the officer support. As we were walking to the road I saw the male running so we started chasing whilst giving commentry on the radio. We split up and I went to the other end of the estate as I knew this was the only other way out whilst my colleague kept behind the driver.

When I got the other end the male was about 5m away coming towards me, i shouted "stop get on the ground" I made him jump as he didnt see me there and he dived onto the floor so I held him down until the PC arrived as he was swearing and shouting at me and thrashing about. when the PC got there he cuffed the guy and the traffic officer turned up and told us the car was stolen and he has knocked the officer off his motorcycle.

When I wrote my statement my sgt came and spoke to me saying that I had overstretched my remit because I had "used more force than what was allocated to me" which in my white notes states "limited reasonable force which is no more than placing one hand on a person stating that they are detained". And that he hopes that it doesnt go to court as any good defence would pick up on that and I would have to explain my actions in court.

sorry about the long message glad to get it off my chest though. :D

In response to:Back again

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:29:53 +0200

Glad to see you back again, look forward to reading more.

In response to:uniform

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:55:36 +0200

Say what you like I think PCSO's are great its just the media is one sided in its view we need more PCSO's like:

PCSO Uthayakumar Packirisamy, London: who just a month after the July 7/7 terrorist attacks stopped a woman who had mental health problems from blowing her self up on a bus with an incendiary bomb. He was off duty alone at the time but detained her till police arrived.

PCSO Will Brockett, New Mills: who on his own saved a man drowning from a freezing river during winter.

PCSO Andy Hill, Essex, who saved two flood victims trapped in a car.

PCSO's Mike Driscoll and Sue Broadwell, North Yorkshire: who saved an elderly man from drowning in a fast flowing River. PCSO Driscoll could not swim.

PCSO’s Linda Haynes and Kim Scott, Watford: who saved an escaped psychiatric patient from downing in a canal who they had been searching for. Both officers later required medical treatment for the effects of cold.

PCSO Dean Crowley, Southend: who on his own despite having no rescue equipment saved 3 young girls from drowning in the sea. He got two of the girls to the safety of a jetty. He then swam back to rescue the 3rd who was being swept out to sea. He successfully saved her and all 3 girls were treated by paramedics on the beach.

PCSO Laura Parry, Neath: who on her own stopped a man committing suicide by throwing himself off a bridge. The PCSO talked him down before grabbing hold of him till help arrived.

PCSO Rogers Jean-Baptiste, London: a former British Commonwealth soldier from St Lucia with two tours of duty in Iraq who after leaving the army was denied British citizenship but went on to become a PCSO and was later injured trying to detain a suspected robber.

PCSO Dave Bird: Devon, a former firefighter who on his own made two heroic attempts to save two children from a burning house.

PCSO Jamie Foreman, Catford: who whilst on holiday in Cyprus saved the life of a 13 month old baby girl who was choking on her own food. The PCSO used the Heimlich manoeuvre and after four attempts managed to free the food blocking the child’s airway.

PCSO John Gale, Bristol: who with a Constable chased and captured a suspect who was wanted for a serious sexual assault. The officers chased him jumping into dense brambles in order to arrest the suspect. Both Officers were later formally commended for bravery.

PCSO’s Lee Hopkins and Chris Dartnell London, who chased and detained 5 youths loitering suspiciously at a bus stop one of whom dropped a firearm before running away,. A search of the suspects revealed a further 3 firearms, ammunition, 5 knives and a stolen oyster pass. All 5 youths were arrested. Both Officers were formally commended for their bravery.

PCSO Hannes Meiring, London: who on his own after a ½ mile foot chase detained a burglar armed with a hammer. The PCSO had initially spotted the suspect with stolen jewellery. The suspect was arrested for the offence and was later linked to other burglaries.

PCSO Paul Tunnard: Leeds: who whilst off duty made a citizen’s arrest on a man armed with a stun gun. He was presented with an award for his actions.

Traffic PCSO’s Carina Tunks and Abdul Hamid, London: Who detained a violent man at a bus stop who was wanted on a "failure to appear" warrant issued for theft. A number of mobile phones were found on him one of which had been stolen from a female victim just 15 minutes before the stop. The suspect had numerous convictions for theft, assault and robbery. He was arrested for both offences and the stolen phone was returned to its owner.

.PCSO’s Laura Hurry, Kerry Floody and PC Neal Drew, Birmingham: Who saved the life of a 68 year old man who had suffered a cardiac arrest whilst playing football. All three played their part administrating CPR and summering an ambulance which arrived 15 minutes later.

PCSO Rebecca Clarke aged 21, Whitehaven: who on foot patrol alone at night came across a burning flat. She made a call for assistance before entering the premises despite it being full of smoke. She found a disabled elderly 58 year old man in a wheel chair who she successfully evacuated out of the building. The man was taken to hospital and treated for the effects of smoke inhalation.

PCSO James Harry, Portsmouth: Who helped a female Constable detain a violent man who had attacked her following a shoplifting incident.

Unnamed Male and Female PCSO, Southport: Who went to the aid of a pedestrian after he tripped over on a pavement along Albert Road. In a number of pictures on www.southportforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50381927 the female PCSO is seen taking off her own coat using it as a blanket to keep the injured man warm. With her male colleague she shielded the 46 year old man from hailstone, wind and rain for 25 minutes until paramedics arrived. She is clearly shown only wearing a light short sleeve dress shirt in the picture yet shielding the man despite the cold weather.

PCSO’s John Brinksman and Jane Bowring, Birmingham: Who were awarded an OCU Commander’s Commendation for helping to save the life of an elderly man who collapsed while out shopping from a heart attack. Both officers began to resuscitate the man until paramedics arrived. The man survived.

PCSO Andy Dancey, Burnham on Sea: Who caught a rouge trader attempting to rip off customers by providing over priced building work. The PCSO initially spotted him dropping leaflets whilst on foot patrol. The male was arrested and cautioned

PCSO’s Rachel Cotton, Ian Grant and Aaron Kattal, Wickford: who rescued a disabled woman who had spent 18 hours on her cold kitchen floor after a fall in her own home. PCSO Cotton knew the woman suffered from a number of debilitating conditions. When she passed by the house she noticed the curtains drawn. Suspicious she got her colleagues to assist before checking out the house. The lady in her late 50s would have gone unnoticed for 36 hours until her next scheduled social worker visit possibly with fatal consequences.

PCSO Gerry Woods, Burnley: Who whilst on foot patrol alone discovered a possible cannabis farm. A search warrant was later attained and the premises were searched. It was discovered the occupant of the address was growing cannabis. He was arrested and 28 cannabis plants were discovered and destroyed.

PCSO Salik Abdul, Sgt Colin Davies PC Andrew Phidia and PC Gareth Nash. of the Tower Hamlets Safer Neighbourhoods, London: Who late at night found a house on fire whilst on foot patrol. They summoned help before entering the smoke filled premises where they found an elderly man almost unconscious because of all the smoke. The officers managed to get him out saving his life. The man as one of the officers received treatment for the effects of smoke inhalation.

PCSO David Lax, Bradford: who helped a constable arrest a drunk and disorderly man at a public event. PCSO Lax fractured a bone in his left wrist, the Constable also was injured. The arrested man was banned from the event for two years and was given a 200-hour community order. PCSO Lax was later formerly commended for his actions.

PCSO Jonathan Burke, aged 22, Suffolk: who helped a man deliver his wives baby in a car.

In response to:Lazy days

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 23:04:49 +0200

When does a PC have time to walk around talking to people??? Have people forgotten the way society is shaping up? Knife crime, gun crime, drugs, all on the increase and why is that i hear you cry? It is because there has been no visible police presence in the community. People have been walking around knowing they can do what they like and get away with it provided that noone 'calls the cops'. Some people are to scared to call but when they see the pcso appear out of the blue from around the corner its like a ray of light shining in the dark.

In the past and also present the police have been too busy dealing with incidents and the paperwork that comes with it, effectively they became like the fire service. Responding to calls and tidying up the mess. We need more people on the streets selling smoke detectors... (see the metaphor there... ;)

People know pcsos arnt police officers and therefore there isnt the old stigma of talking to the police or being seen as a grass... PCSOs gather intelligence and the PCs work with that intelligence to detect crimes and find criminals! It's all about engaging with the community and detering crime and anti-social behaviour, not running around catching criminals!

In reply to Mr ball saying pcsos are employed to provide reassurance and prevent crime. Mr Ball read the blog again... 'Needless to say as soon as the camera goes up, even the stupidest of youths doesn't get up to anything.' I'm sure you can draw your own conclusion, just think again and slower...

I was talking to a 67 year old bloke the other day and he said, 'I know them pcsos get a lotta bad press and people think they just walk around all day with their hands in their pockets but i have seen them in action and they are very good...'

In response to:Back again

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:48:50 +0100

well done!!!

You have said what we all want to say,we are not a waste of money and people need to realise this.

In response to:Lazy days

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:55:18 +0100

folks we are doing a good job, i have been a PCSO for two years and have seen and more importantly been told by the public that I and my colleages have improved their quality of life. It is in equal measure the most rewarding and frustrating role I have ever had. Unlike most I dont want to join the regulars ,losing my freedom to a paperwork mountain has no appeal.This role is only just developing and I want to be there to influence where it goes.So ignore the negative press,Wear the uniform with pride and remember we have very powerful support..... The Public.

In response to:Lazy days

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:03:55 +0100

Its about time PCSO'S are given some praise for what they do. The arguement regarding why have 4 pcso's when you can have 3 pc's is getting boring, pcso's are here and its about time people got used to it, the majority of pc's I work with are great, very supportive of our role and appreciate us being there. Why not speak to your local psco and help them gather info about what's going on in the community rather than badger them about what a crap job they do. Just like pc's pcso's are front line officers and deserve the respect for the job they do, fair enough we dont have the same powers but we do have powers and when used correctly they are effective. To think as a front line officer of any sort we wont encounter hostile situations is pretty naive. Not everyone can do a job like that. At the end of the day its up to the government to give pcso's more powers and the training to go with them. Good luck to all the pcso's out there your doing a great job.Keep up the good work.

In response to:Lazy days

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:17:20 +0100

I totaly agree, and your point was proved last september:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7006412.stm

In response to:Lazy days

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:22:38 +0100

Because they won't go out on the streets because of all the red tape, i am a pcso and i understand what you are saying and to some extent i agree with you but we do have a role to play within society, some of the stuff is low level and as such easier for us to deal with also we do alot of reasurance visits if that was to be cut by 25% that would not be so good.

In response to:uniform

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:24:20 +0100

Nice to see pc's talking so highly of us. On my division we (pc/pcso's) work as a TEAM. Quite righly we are not constables however we all come under the same banner 'POLICE', one big team, after all isn't that one of the core competencies we fill in on our application forms????
Oh and more to the point the new uniform looks spot on.

In response to:uniform

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:25:11 +0100

Sorry but PCSOs are more of a hindrance than a help. Many in the MET can't even speak English with most not being able to communicate on a radio effectively. In fact many start to dribble on the radio blocking the airwaves for police when they need it.

In response to:Lazy days

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:17:36 +0100

Sorry but i think the concept of PCSOs are flawed. When will the government do a serious cost benefit analysis of the role. For the money they do very little and I believe have a negliable effect on crime.

Why have 4 PCSOs when you can have 3 police officers.

In response to:Lazy days

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:37:28 +0100

Hi just like to say i like what you are trying to do but i have to say you are not doing a great job of it. I have been a PCSO for 5 years and i have heard most of the comments about pcsos more than once. I am also one of the idiots used by my force as a pcso rep.
If you want to improve the perseption of pcsos you have to play the game and do everything by the book unfortunately because if not you will end up like several pcsos in my division and find yourself without a job. for example as Mr ball so eloquently put it yor are given a uniform so wear it. what he neglects to point out is that yes we can do plain clothed duties as required however without your uniform you have no legal powers there for you cannot use your pcso powers to demand names and addresses etc for those delightful little cherubs who are causing the asb on your area. Its interesting really to read your blog though as it shows there are so many differences between forces the first one that i notice immediately was that your shifts finish at what i assume is 2200 hrs where as ours go to at least 0000 if not full nights

anyway keep up the good work and try not to land yourself in it.

In response to:uniform

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:43:37 +0100

I have a lot of trust in the police, and i had a lot of trust in PCSOs, until I met one, he was rude, ignored criminal inteligence I supplied to him, and put me so on guard I forgot to tell him about evidence in a spate of local vandalisms. He failed in every respect, and if he was a police officer would have had a complaint made agisnt him, but because he was a PCSO, he was not reguired to give me a written record of my contact, and I was not told how to make a complaint. I still have a lot of respect for the police, I just share their opinion of PCSOs. I met 2 poluce officers in circumstances that actually looked a lot worse, although I was acting totally legally, and they gave me no cuase for complaint, but still they gave me, entirely un promted, a form with thier details, and hot to make a complaint. If PCSOs had to do that, they would not last 5 minutes. the PCSO I met is infamous. He is hated by all the local teenagers. He is a school PCSO, and is supposed to engage with teenagers. PCSO cars have also been sighted several times parked on double yellow lines.

In response to:Lazy days

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:47:46 +0100

Just to point out a few things, I a was a reserve police officer in Northern Ireland, I had the same powers as a regular officer and did the same job. I have the most respect for PCSO's out there doing a front line job without the powers and support that I as a reserve had. Keep up the good work lads/lass and I hope that PCSO comes to Northern Ireland soon to continue the service that the public needs.

In response to:uniform

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:25:36 +0100

With all due respect to the PC above. We do as we’re told. We wear the uniform we are given. We go in plain clothes if we are told to.
We do our jobs just fine.

In reference to the comment earlier about older people not being able to take ‘teenage PCSOs’ seriously. In my experience most PCSOs are older than PCs. They tend to be middle aged people. The average age of the PCSO at my nick is about 30. and PC its about 25. Don’t believe everything you read in the Mial.

In response to:uniform

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:12:49 +0100

PC & PCSO uniforms should be distinctly different. The reason is our roles are completely different and the public need to know the difference.

You are not police, you are not confrontational, you do not arrest. Public thinking you are police get upset when they see you not acting as police thus stirs up community tensions with us.

Do your job and we will do ours.

In response to:uniform

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:47:19 +0100

Cara Robbie,
I am deeply upset to hear that you feel this way, however, you and anybody else who believes such rubbish is simply wrong. PCSO's have proven time after time how effective they are, and how they aid all police services. Your outspoken comment regarding 40-50+ adults being lectured by a teenager worried me further, surely middle-aged adults should be behaving themselves and setting a positive example! I am only so thankful that these 'teenage police community support officers' are correcting their unacceptable behaviour.

In response to:Lazy days

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:40:44 +0100

To make you aware, that under no circumstances should a Police Community Support Officer be in plain clothes, you are employed to create public reassurance, and to prevent crime. You have no business being involved in the detection of crime, you are given a uniform to wear, and you must wear it whilst performing operational duties.

In response to:Neighbourhood watch

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:45:59 +0100

I don’t mean to be pedantic, but yes we do have the powers of arrest.

We can arrest for all sorts of offences, ranging from Assault, Criminal Damage and Theft.

And punching him in the face or taking another form of a preemptive strike, could well be justified under certain circumstances.

We are taught about conflict resolution. An option to us, if it gets to a certain stage, is the preemptive strike(which we’re also trained in), approved by the Home Office and force policy, so the Chief wouldn’t mind too much I shouldn’t think.

In response to:Neighbourhood watch

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:22:22 +0100

Well, in such a context you were public spirited and very brave to be willing to confront this.

In response to:Neighbourhood watch

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 23:02:33 +0100

Not sure what his opinion would be, but the cops etc who work the streets everyday said they would have threatened to use there baton o spray if he did keep his hands away from his pockets.
I made a split second decision based on both my own and the publics safety.

No we do not have the power of arrest or the power to detain in my force.

In response to:Neighbourhood watch

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 23:00:11 +0100

Apologies it was late last night when I made that post.
I should have advised that the station has had 5 robberies in the last four weeks, all of which involved the injured party being threatened with a screwdriver.

Although I do not like to stereotype, yes the description did add to my suspiscions - hood with ties tightened to cover face, black tracksuit bottoms and bright white trainers.

In response to:Neighbourhood watch

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 01:51:45 +0100

Hmmm, not so sure that your Chief Constable would be very impressed with you saying you would have punched him in the face - just out of interest, do PCSO's have a power of arrest in your force?

In response to:Neighbourhood watch

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 01:46:33 +0100

I think its possibly a question of your description, but I am trying to work out what was so wrong about a person having a screwdriver with them which aroused your suspicions and caused you to involve the police and threaten to hurt them.

In response to:uniform

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 00:08:54 +0100

What have these comments got to do about uniform?

We are getting polo shirts next year, ours will be dark navy, PCs will get (some already have) black. It's about time we all got a standardized uniform.

In response to:uniform

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 00:04:19 +0100

Agree with you localpcso. You find that those who dont like us don't know what we do and can achieve nor have they bothered to research or speak to a pcso. You find they usually read 'The Sun' or the Hate mail too.

I work in a city centre which is quite a different role to a residential CSO. My knowledge of the city is better than most of the pc's and I am putting in around 30 intelligence entries a week along with about 25 stops. We hammer areas where local drinking is commonplace and on saturdays we find underage drinkers, call their parents and have them picked up while giving them a good dressing down.

Most of the chavs and the criminals DO respect me. They know what I can or cant do [like you, I find asking them to search themselves works 99% of the time] but they still comply with my orders because they know the outcome will only be worse for them in the long-term.

If CSO's are in the job for the right reasons and have a good understanding of the limitations of the role so that they can stretch it as far as they can then we can be a valuable tool in the police force and an excellent idea by the Labour Government.

The reaction to myself by the general public, the PC's and even the criminals is suprisingly positive, Ive had suprisingly little criticism for the role which just makes you realise how narrow-minded people like the above are...