Community officers win real support

May 2 2008 Chester Chronicle

THE Police Authority has been reviewing the contribution made by Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) to make people safer.

There are 237 PCSOs in Cheshire, 127 are part- funded by parish and other local councils and organisations.

Member overseeing the review Sue Proctor said: “We were delighted to find that 67% of the partners that we asked had received positive feedback from the public and, despite a perception that they are not “real” police officers, they have become an integral part of neighbourhood policing.”

“Our partners told us that PCSOs made a real difference in the community by tackling local issues such as anti-social behaviour, nuisance youths and underage drinking.”

The increase in the number of PCSOs coincides with a 10.6% reduction in anti social behaviour and 19.3% cut in criminal damage.

Other comments received included:

PCSOs have an ability to directly affect concerns expressed/identified by the community which traditional policing does not fully address.

The community feel safer and more confident when they see officers walking about on foot

PCSOs are breaking down barriers with children and youths

In 79% of cases the PCSO had been able to resolve the initial problem

Sue Proctor added: “One of the findings is that partners, police officers and the public are still unsure about what powers a PCSO has and that the Constabulary needs to ensure that the visibility of PCSOs is maintained. We will keep this under review.”