Thank you to everyone who responded to our discussion on PCSOs. Here are the answers to all the questions that we received as well as a selection of the comments, both positive and negative, that were sent through to us.

Questions and Answers:

Can you tell me how many PCSOs it would take to cover the cost of one constable. In plain terms for example, "for the cost of two PCSOs could you (Cambridgeshire Constabulary) provide the community with one fully warranted constable" my question is, what is the ratio on a like for like basis?

As you might expect there is no straight comparison. For example whilst including shift allowances the starting pay for a PCSO is in fact very similar to a probationer constable, however costs vary considerably for training, equipment, pensions and so on. In addition a major difference is that unlike a police officer with nine ranks to progress through, there is no rank structure within Cambridgeshire for PCSOs. The actual way PCSOs and police officers are funded is also different. Currently the Home Office provide forces with specific funding for PCSOs which cannot be ‘converted’ to anything else including police officer recruitment. PCSOs primary role is intentionally directed towards dealing with community based concerns, very often preventing things from escalating to a point where a police officer has to attend in the first place.

Please tell me why PCSOs do not do more about vehicle parking. Papworth has a well known problem with parking due to the hospital situation. The Parish Council often receives letters with regard to this situation, but has no authorisation over it. It would be helpful if more ticketing was carried out with particular regard to parking within 10 metres of a junction and on a bend. This is prevalent on the corner of Elm Way near the fire station.

In Cambridgeshire, all our PCSOs are also appointed as traffic wardens and have full traffic warden powers. However, in some areas, illegal parking is the responsibility of the local authority. In these areas, PCSOs are unable to intervene, however they do work closely with the local authority to address problem areas. If there are no yellow lines, a PCSO using their traffic warden powers can and do issue fixed penalty tickets for offences such as vehicles being left in dangerous positions or obstructing the highway. Regarding Papworth village we have asked the local Neighbourhood Policing Team to read your comments. This link will take you to the right page on our website for details of your local team https://www.cambs-police.co.uk/myneighbourhood/nhtpage.asp?teamcode=212

Why it is that PCSOs do not have the power to stop cycling in no-cycling zones, such as that in Bridge Street, Peterborough? Or if they do have the power, why they choose to ignore it?

PCSOs do have the power to stop cyclists illegally riding on a footpath and issue a fixed penalty ticket. However, and this is where it gets a bit complicated, often ‘no-cycling zones’ are not footpaths under the law, instead these areas may be pedestrianised zones, or perhaps a zone enforceable only under local authority byelaws. In these cases legally the PCSO cannot issue a ticket. There may of course be other offences either the PCSO or a police officer could deal with depending on the circumstances. Our officers continually work with colleagues in local authorities to try to resolve these restrictions which can cause dangerous problems, by combining our respective powers to best effect.

I believe that PCSOs do an excellent job in the community but I am concerned about the turnover as the change over period produces break downs in communication and to some extent trust. I have spoken to PCSOs about why many of them move on and become police officers. A high number say that the fact that they cannot arrest people is an issue for them. Can this ruling be changed as this might produce more consistency and therefore better long-term relations between the PCSOs and the community?

Thanks for your comments about the excellent job your PCSOs are doing and for taking time to talk to them. It is true a number of our PCSOs do decide to apply to be police officers. In one sense that is good for local communities as Cambridgeshire gets new police officers who already know the local area, how the force works and have amassed a great deal of local experience. On the other hand you are right, because our PCSOs are so well known in local communities they have built up both trust and respect, moving on and embedding a new officer can naturally take some time for the officer and their local community to get to know each other.

We try to limit initial problems by ensuring other members of the team ( all PCSOs are part of a larger neighbourhood team) cover any gaps and speed up the time it takes to get the PCSO back as a constable to the same area wherever possible.

Giving PCSOs the power of arrest is simply not possible as legislation does not allow it, and that is unlikely to change. We do understand the frustrations of some of our PCSOs who feel that they should be able to do more, however we need to remember that arresting someone generally is for more serious offences which by definition would require the full powers, training and experience of a police officer. PCSOs do a wonderful job in dealing with community based concerns, very often preventing things from escalating to a point where a police officer has to attend to make an arrest in the first place.

Why do you pay PSCOs a salary yet they do not have the power of arrest etc yet, special constables just get expenses, yet have the same power of arrest and attend the same jobs as a regular officer?

PCSOs are full employees of the Police Authority, as are regular police officers, special constables on the other hand fulfil a historic civic role by freely giving up their own time, unpaid, in support of their local constabulary and community. We have superb commitment from our special constables but unlike a paid employee we can not demand anything from them or count their numbers as part of the Constabulary’s deployable strength.

PCSOs as members of local Neighbourhood Policing Teams have their own role to play along side their regular, and often special constabulary, police colleagues. That role is not the same as a police officer, nor would you expect it to be. PCSOs are ideally placed to address and resolve local community problems preventing things from escalating without resource to the full powers, training, equipment or experience of a police officer.

I am interested to know the training and vetting procedures for PCSO applications, and does the vetting procedure include an enhanced CRB (criminal records bureau) or standard CRB?

Vetting is similar to the enhanced CRB level but different and doesn’t just look at the person being vetted but immediate family members, it also looks at the applicants financial situation (as for employee’s to Cambridgeshire Constabulary). The level of security vetting is the same level as for regular police officers and some appropriate staff job roles.

PCSOs receive classroom based training in all of their powers as authorised by the Chief Constable. After the classroom based phase each PCSO is tutored by a trained and experienced tutor PCSO for a period of six weeks. During this tutoring period the probationer PCSO has to show suitable competency prior to being allowed to take on independent patrol status.

Given that PCSOs can deal with anti-social cycling such as riding on footpaths, can they deal with anti-social parking on footpaths and cycle lanes?

In Cambridgeshire, all our PCSOs are also appointed as traffic wardens and have full traffic warden powers. However, in some areas, illegal parking is the responsibility of the local authority. In these areas, PCSOs are unable to intervene, however they do work closely with the local authority to address problem areas. PCSOs using their traffic warden powers can and do issue fixed penalty tickets for offences such as vehicles being left in dangerous positions, obstructing the highway, certain yellow line offences or parking a goods vehicle on footpath. The law is very limiting in what it allows a PCSOs, even using traffic warden powers, to do with cycle lanes. For example at the moment our PCSOs cannot stop or ticket someone for driving in a cycle lane.

I was wondering what powers PCSOs had in relation to road traffic. On Thursday the 27th May two PCSOs were walking down Trinity Street in the evening whilst ignoring the many cyclists passing them going the wrong way down the one way street. Can PCSOs stop illegal cycling, or is it just too much work for them if they decide to? Would it be beneficial in Cambridge City to scrap PCSOs and private parking enforcers and instead have more traffic wardens?

PCSOs as such have few powers to deal with parking offences. Fortunately, at least within Cambridgeshire, all our PCSOs are also appointed as traffic wardens and have full traffic warden powers where illegal parking has not since been decriminalised. Decriminalisation basically means that minor parking offences are dealt with by the local authority. Most parts of Cambridge City are decriminalised so our PCSOs will not be able to issue tickets for parking type offences. However decriminalisation does not stop PCSOs dealing with illegal cycling on a ‘footpath’.

However, and this is where it gets a bit complicated, the law defines what a footpath is, often streets clearly used predominantly by pedestrians are not footpaths under the laws a PCSO is restricted to, instead these areas may be pedestrianised zones, or perhaps a zone enforceable only under local authority Byelaws. In these cases legally neither a PCSO, a traffic warden nor a police officer can issue a ticket, there may of course be other offences either the PCSO or a police officer could deal with depending on the circumstances. This can be frustrating not least as it appears to passing members of the public that our officers are doing nothing when in fact they simply do not have the power. Our officers continually work with colleagues in local authorities to try to solve these restrictions which can cause dangerous problems, by combining our respective powers to best effect.

Comments:

We welcome and value the comments we received during the PCSO discussion. Below is a selection of the comments, both good and bad, that we received.

“PCSOs generally do a good job within their limited powers. Training is a good step towards becoming an officer. However they are not an acceptable substitute for sworn officers. Budgets must be used to maximise numbers of officers in the force, limiting the use of civilians and PCSOs.”

“Whenever I have met PCSOs I have been impressed with their diligence and interest. I believe they are an asset to the Police force and if possible their numbers should be increased.”

“I welcome the visual presence of the PCSO's 'on the beat'. I also appreciate them trying to engage with the local community by talking to stakeholders on their rounds and through various other modes such as E cops. However as they seem to move on greener pastures in a relatively short space of time the process has to repeatedly start over.”

“PCSOs are doing a great job in my area, without these officers on foot and mixing with the community, all we would see would be the odd police car from time to time like before. Quite often I see PCSOs detaining shoplifters in our local area, shoplifters that in days gone by I’m sure would have got away. PCSOs are seen in our schools, streets, parks, all over. On one occasion I witnessed PCSOs telling a PC who an individual was after he had given the officer false details, being out and about and the eyes and ears they appear to know what is going on more than their colleagues.”

“I fail to understand the logic in having officers (PCSOs) on duty every day whose powers are less than those of a special constable who is a volunteer and is only on duty for a very limited period. I assume that PCSOs are paid less than regular police officers, which leads me to conclude that we are getting policing on the cheap. Those who wish to break the law are perfectly well aware of the limitations of the PCSOs role and can, and I'm sure do, take advantage of the situation.”

“They serve a great and necessary purpose. We need to keep them in Peterborough.”

“I myself could not do the job of PCSO and would fail on patience alone but they cannot do the job either. A PCSOs main strength seems to be physical legwork. They are unfairly underpaid and it is unfair on them and unfair on public. I have had several poor bad experiences with them and their conduct has been appalling in public places much worse than the civilians they are policing. I would like to see them out of uniform concentrating on neighbourhood policing and not seen as police officers at all.”

“I doubt that any member of the community can doubt the value of PCSOs. They do an important and, I suspect, a sometimes thankless task.”

“I am very much in favour of PCSOs. I have had the pleasure of meeting a number of them and as a voluntary worker at the Ferry Project, I have had the opportunity of observing their role in Wisbech. As a training step before taking on a career in the Police force this job must be second to none. As a backup to the force itself, the PCSO is very effective and finally by adding a very visible presence of the law on our streets they are setting people's minds at rest and they are a very effective deterrent to criminal activity.”

“What is the point of PCSOs if they do not have the power of arrest, surely offenders do not take any notice of them? Is this policing Peterborough on the cheap? Wouldn’t it be better to use them for station work releasing police officers to patrol our streets because they do have the power of arrest?”

PCSO Discussion Response

PCSOs provide a vital role in making communities safer and the majority of respondents to our PCSO discussion agree that PCSOs are an asset to their local area.

It is important to understand that a PCSO is not a replacement to a police officer, they are there to fulfil a completely different role. PCSOs provide a vital link to the community and attend various local meetings, which enables police officers to spend more time out patrolling. PCSOs are responsible for answering queries from residents, which again saves valuable officer time and allows for greater consistency. They spend the majority of their time out in their local community so get to know residents and can fully understand the issues of that particular area. They form a visible police presence out in the community and while they do not have the power of arrest, they are able to provide valuable support to those officers that can and it is often information and local knowledge provided by a PCSO that leads to a successful arrest. On top of their day job, many of our PCSOs get involved in their communities out of hours to help with fundraising, running local youth groups and assisting vulnerable residents. PCSOs play a vital role in the community and are an asset that no police force could live without.

Thank you again to everyone who took part in the discussion and sent us a comment. The force continually reviews the use of PCs, PCSOs and Specials and your feedback will be used to shape deployment in the future.