PSCOs' a lot of them about lately?

[Deleted User] · 29/04/08 - 18:10

I live in Scunthorpe (its okay, i am okay honestly, i live with it), and have noticed over the last few weeks there seemed to be lots more police walking the streets.

On further looking i have seen they are PSCO, one put a ticket on my friends car and i saw one telling a group of kids playing football to behave, and there are lots of them walking in twos in town and here in Ashby (which is like town but smaller),

Is it just here or have others noticed the increase?

And if this is the case, why now?

[Deleted User] · 29/04/08 - 18:14

yup, there's loads of them looking supernumerary in crystal palace (it's ok, i can deal with it).

jesaya · 29/04/08 - 18:16

As one of the (seemingly rare) supporters of PSCOs I am glad to hear they are apparently breeding. I would like some more fully fledged coppers around as well though.

[Deleted User] · 29/04/08 - 18:28

I thought it couldn't just be here in Scunny. Anybody know where all this has come from? Is it to show the public that the police (albeit without the full powers) are getting back to pounding streets and neighbourhoods? Or has there been a rise in people wishing to do the job?

Rose Budd · 29/04/08 - 18:33

There was a couple knocking on every door in my street yesterday trying to find the owner of a red micro parked with out of date road tax. Surely a call in would have been quicker and cheaper. The car belongs to a young guy who lives in the next road but I don't think anybody told them.

[Deleted User] · 29/04/08 - 18:33

the strange thing is that initially it got me worried. i wasn't used to seeing so many officers lurking around. so i thought there was something wrong (security alert or something) and asked some police officers why there were so many support officers around. i was told they were just keeping an eye on school children at going home time.

nanscombe · 29/04/08 - 18:34

Hi,

Sananda Maitreya wrote: »

i was told they were just keeping an eye on school children at going home time.

Good, making sure the little darlings don't get into mischief I expect.

Nigel

rosalynn · 29/04/08 - 18:40

Good to see PCSOs around, so long as there are enough police when they need backup. I think they're fine for community policing and providing a police presence though. So I guess you can say I'm one of those rare PCSO supporters too.

[Deleted User] · 29/04/08 - 18:40

Well they can issue tickets, my friend parked around the corner of his bank and got a £30 ticket given. The ironic thing he was going into the bank to ask for them to help him as he was totally skint and they had taken all his money in charges (long boring story), the bank said they couldn't help him and stepped out to a £30 fine, he said he didn't know whether to laugh or hang himself

.

The thing is lots of people park there for years there hasnt been a problem (although it does have a no parking within certain times sign). I am now wondering if they will run out of tickets in a month

System · 29/04/08 - 18:59

There seems to be saturation coverage by them at Liverpool Street station! But there has been for quite a while....................not a recent development.

[Deleted User] · 29/04/08 - 19:09

Ah well over here things seem to be a bit behind in some things so that may explain why it is only recent here.

nanscombe · 29/04/08 - 19:14

Hi,

jackee-spyker wrote: »

I live in Scunthorpe (its okay, i am okay honestly, i live with it), and have noticed over the last few weeks there seemed to be lots more police walking the streets. ... why now?

April.

Start of a new financial year with more money in the budget perhaps?

Nigel

[Deleted User] · 29/04/08 - 19:19

nanscombe wrote: »

Hi,

April.

Start of a new financial year with more money in the budget perhaps?

Nigel

:o You could be right, i thought the PCSO were voluntary so didn't think of that. I have been wrong as they do get some money, so that will be why.

Mystery solved and i am a nob (ess) for not knowing:D

nanscombe · 29/04/08 - 19:29

Hi,

jackee-spyker wrote: »

Mystery solved and i am a nob (ess) for not knowing:D

No, no. Not at all.

It's just after working, in the Civil Service, and to budgets for many years, you start to think that way.

PCSO's are just as much public servants as regular Police.

http://www.cambs.police.uk/information/recruitment/pcso/salary.asp

Some more background on PCSOs, if you are interested.

http://www.policecommunitysupportofficer.com/welcome.html

Nigel

Sticky Pollard · 29/04/08 - 19:34

What can a police officer do that a PSCO can't?

nanscombe · 29/04/08 - 19:38

Hi,

Sticky Pollard wrote: »

What can a police officer do that a PSCO can't?

Was that a rhetorical question?

or did you mean http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/pcso/whats_it_like.html

Nigel

[Deleted User] · 29/04/08 - 19:39

Sticky Pollard wrote: »

What can a police officer do that a PSCO can't?

Police Officers carry truncheons, pepper spray, handcuffs etc. wheras PCSOs do not.

PCSOs do not have powers of arrest, cannot interview or deal with prisoners, can only investigate minor offences and do not carry out the more complex and high-risk tasks that police officers can perform.

Cheap Policing if you ask me. I'd rather have more PCs around.

Sticky Pollard · 29/04/08 - 19:40

Does not compute attempting to rephrase...

Please Wait...

What powers do police officers have that PSCOs do not?

Teddy Smith · 29/04/08 - 19:43

Sticky Pollard wrote: »

What can a police officer do that a PSCO can't?

Arrest people.

I live near Cambridge and I think there was once a debate about our PSCO's not being given enough powers.

robtuk06 · 29/04/08 - 19:44

jackee-spyker wrote: »

:o You could be right, i thought the PCSO were voluntary so didn't think of that. I have been wrong as they do get some money, so that will be why.

Mystery solved and i am a nob (ess) for not knowing:D

Why is it mystery solved? Just because you see more in the streets doesn't mean that they have only been employed since the beginning of the financial year

And its definetly not voluntary - minimum of £16k starting salary (more in London)

rosalynn · 29/04/08 - 19:45

noiseboy123 wrote: »

Police Officers carry truncheons, pepper spray, handcuffs etc. wheras PCSOs do not.

PCSOs do not have powers of arrest, cannot interview or deal with prisoners, can only investigate minor offences and do not carry out the more complex and high-risk tasks that police officers can perform.

Cheap Policing if you ask me. I'd rather have more PCs around.

I sort of agree, but there is a lot of minor stuff that PCSOs deal with that IMHO it would be a waste to have police officers deal with.

So long as the PCSOs have the support of PCs, then I don't really see the problem with "cheap" policing - in fact I rather have it rather than spend many months of training only to tell people not to play ball games and to give directions to people.

Just my opinion though. PCSOs seem to work in this area and are a good filter to keep normal officers working on more important crimes. It just seems a better use of resources.

Sticky Pollard · 29/04/08 - 19:45

Teddy Smith wrote: »

Arrest people.

I live near Cambridge and I think there was once a debate about our PSCO's not being given enough powers.

So what is the point of them then?

Apart from saving the Government money of course.

nanscombe · 29/04/08 - 19:47

Hi,

I'm sure it would be an extremely long list to specify all of the powers granted to the Police under the Police And Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE)

I'm not sure of the provenance of this site but it might give you a flaour of what they can do ...

http://www.helpwithlawexams.co.uk/policepowers.html

The regular Police would have a lot more training as well, in things like risk analysis to help to decide what action they should take.

Without this training PCSOs have to sit it out and wait for qualified help to arrive. Rather like that unfortunate drowing of the child in the pond.

Nigel

Teddy Smith · 29/04/08 - 19:49

Sticky Pollard wrote: »

So what is the point of them then?

Apart from saving the Government money of course.

I think it's to provide more of a police presence in town in general.

Also, they provide support to the police.

robtuk06 · 29/04/08 - 19:50

Sticky Pollard wrote: »

So what is the point of them then?

Apart from saving the Government money of course.

One point of them is to deal with minor crime.

For example, I would prefer a lower paid PCSO to deal with minor crime whilst police officers deal with proper crime.

Incidently, PCSO powers vary from force to force, so be careful making generalisations

[Deleted User] · 29/04/08 - 19:50

rosalynn wrote: »

to keep normal officers working on more important crimes. It just seems a better use of resources.

Or to give them more time to do the pages of paperwork!

Don't get me wrong, PCSOs do a good job and I have seen them building community relations but criminals and yobs see them as people who really can't do anything, because they can't. The only power of arrest they have is "Citizens Arrest", which is what everyone of us has, and law breakers know that!

I'm in the middle, half of me can see how PCSOs is a good idea, but half of me would rather see more fully fledged PCs on the streets.

Hey there!

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PSCOs' a lot of them about lately?

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