PSCO'S to support PSNI

Under plans revealed today, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will undertake neighbourhood policing in support of uniformed officers.

The British government insisted the move would not create two-tier policing and added that applicants would be vetted to the same standard as regular police.

PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton said:

"It is envisaged that PCSOs will become part of our neighbourhood policing teams across Northern Ireland.

"They will assist in the delivery of a first-class service to the people of Northern Ireland, thereby helping to make communities safer and reducing fear of crime.

"They are most definitely not viewed as a replacement for full-time or part-time reserve officers or for police officers part-time."

Thousands of full-time reserve officers lost their jobs under recommendations in the Patten report on policing.

The cuts were made as part of moves to make way for more Catholic recruits and slim the police service.

Critics said this had left the force under-resourced and unprepared for any resurgence of violence.

"As their very title suggests, PCSOs are about supporting the police in dealing more successfully with local community issues and providing greater public reassurance," added Mr Leighton.

"Their introduction is not about creating different levels of policing."

The Northern Ireland Office is to launch a public consultation on policing issues which will also include the introduction of PCSOs.

PCSOs from Merseyside and Lancashire Constabularies are visiting Northern Ireland over the next two days to share their experiences.

Mr Leighton added: "PCSOs will work to address many of the issues that affect the quality of life - and while the powers given to PCSOs will be limited, they will enable them to deal effectively with a number of community issues.

"All PSCOs will be vetted to the same standard as police officers. They will be managed by and fully accountable to District Commanders."

The Northern Ireland Policing Board has endorsed this initiative. Board member Pauline McCabe said she supported the development.

"The message the board and District Policing Partnerships are clearly getting is that everyone in our community wants to see more visible policing and a focus on tackling such issues as anti-social behaviour, under-age drinking, damage to property and vandalism.

"Having seen for ourselves the role that they can play, we believe that this new addition to the policing family will help to make a real difference on the ground in Northern Ireland and will help to build the community confidence and engagement that is at the heart of policing in the community."

However, the former head of the Police Federation - which represents grass-roots officers - Jimmy Spratt, criticised the plan.

"It is a halfway house to proper policing," the DUP Assembly man said..

"They are under-skilled in relation to police officers, they don`t have the same legal responsibilities as police officers.

"In my view they are glorified traffic wardens and are only capable of dealing with the most petty of offences and do not have the power of arrest."

He added that uniformed officers would be required to protect the new recruits, defeating the purpose of their appointment.

More bulls***** from the government, there is proof that they are replacing police officers.

How can you deploy PCSOs into Northern Ireland. The problems they have are a lot worse than in mainland UK. the police routienley carry guns for christ sake

The way the Government are going here they will push it through anyway, they are getting rid of all the Full Time Reserve PSNI and the PSCO's are a money saving method of replacing them.
I personally would hate to do the job they are going to do and I just wonder what the criteria will be for applicants. There are allready suggestions that applicants with certain types of convictions may be considered for the posts.
But there again with "ex" terrorists in political parties what can we expect.

Think I'll go back to London again.

With the amount of attacks on police officers I think we are going to see our first PCSO death whilst on duty

True!