PCSO'S READY TO HIT THE STREETS OF TRENT VALLEY
| Published: 31st January 2007 11:19 |
MEET the latest recruits to the Staffordshire Police "family". . . Community Support Officers who will soon be out on the streets of towns across Trent Valley.
The new officers lined up at Burton Police Station during their final training before preparing to head off to join colleagues - doubling the number of PCSOs in Trent Valley Division, which covers Burton, Tamworth, Lichfield Burntwood and uttoxeter.
They include a former bank cashier, a postman, a carer, a DIY store delivery co-ordinator, a florist, a Special Constable and a lighting expert at live events.
Three of which will be stationed in Lichfield:
PCSO Liane Haddock will be stationed at Lichfield and joins Staffordshire Police from the neighbouring West Midlands force. She is looking forward to meeting and helping many different people.
PCSO Brian Harbon will also be based in Lichfield. A keen sailor, Brian spent last summer teaching sailing skills to people of all ages, some of whom were disabled.
PCSO Lisa Pritchard, based at Lichfield, worked as a 999 call taker for Staffordshire Police so is no stranger to the demands faced by the force. Her decision to become a PCSO was taken because she wanted more direct contact with the public and to become involved in community matters.
The primary purpose of a PCSO is to deliver reassurance through high profile patrolling and participating in neighbourhood policing.
Effective examples of this include patrolling hot spot areas; carrying out house to house enquiries following crimes; visiting vulnerable victims to provide reassurance; checking vulnerable persons or premises; participating in community safety meetings, neighbourhood watch and police surgeries.
PCSOs wear a uniform similar to that of a police officer, but with a blue rather than chequered band on the hat and the words ‘Community Support Officer' on the epaulettes.
All PSCOs are supervised by police officers and, if needed, are able to call for assistance on their radios.
As well as the traditional powers of the traffic warden to issue fixed penalty notices for parking and related offences, the PCSOs are able to:
- issue fixed penalty notices, for instance where people are riding on footpaths, dropping litter or allowing their dogs to foul the pavement
- confiscate tobacco and alcohol
- demand the name and address of someone acting in an anti-social way
- arrange removal of vehicles
- enter a building to save life or prevent damage.
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