PCSOs - what are they for?

[malumbu]

A serious question. Was chatting with a friend yesterday who was very involved in introducing them a few years ago, but disappointed with the outcome.

I approach them from time to time to point out a motorist who perhaps deserves a talking to, and they show no interest and seem to be pretty ignorant (Highway Code etc). I say don't stand on Lambeth Brige North side roundabout as there is nothing happening. Go and do something useful and sort out the traffic on the South Side. And they look at me all confused.

A cut out of a copper with a fluorescent vest on the North side roundabout would be just as effective. The full sized cut out of the middle aged copper in the shop in Peckham is great (easy to scoff but this does have an impact on reducing shoplifting).

So before I write to Sadiq great to have views. Am I being mean or a moaning Minnie?

[Grok]

PCSOs aka Plastic Coppers or Hobby Bobbies are untrained and ill equipped pseudo police withabout as much legal power as a street warden. They are there to make up numbers as real coppers numbers are reduced and the law abiding among us are left to the nefarious whims of the criminals eg 2011. PCSOs, I have heard tel,l are made up of failed police recruits, frustrated NEDS, thugs, pensioners, and ex-Olympic 'Game Makers'.

[uncleglen]

I was at London bridge station at the height of all the terrorist activity in France and there were 2 cops with guns and 2 PCSOS and they were all in a group facing each other and chatting....what is the point? Although given the nature of the random attacks none of them will be any good until at least one person has been attacked.

[malumbu]

Wow. How has my well worded thread attracted knee-jerk posts? Grok just insults them and Uncleglen goes off on a terrorist angle.

Not that helpful for my letter to Sadiq. Can I have some more objective views please?

[rendelharris]

For my tuppence worth, I do feel they're a bit of a waste of resources. I actually applied to join them when they first came on the scene, having totally misapprehended their purpose (I am very much not copper material) - I imagined that they would be some sort of community wardens going round reassuring the old folk and so on. Worryingly they seemed very interested, possibly fortunately a serious illness intervened so I never followed up...

The trouble is they have no power of arrest (above and beyond any citizen's power to make a citizen's arrest) and don't really have any purpose beyond providing a superficially reassuring uniformed presence on the street. As far as I'm concerned they're a misguided attempt to do policing on the cheap.

Anecdotally, about the time I put in an application I helped my local newsagent fend off an attempted robbery by a gang of little scrotes - basically by pushing them out the door and bolting it, not much heroism! - and when the coppers turned up Mrs.H mentioned I was thinking of PCSO, the sergeant said "Don't do that mate, we know they ain't proper police and so do the scum."

No disrespect to those who do it but each one costs more than half of a fully trained and warranted officer, which I think are far more useful.

Could be wrong though, often am!

[adonirum]

Think the Police service dodged a bullet there.

Worrying indeed, that they might have been interested in having you on board. Then again, entrance standards have declined quite dramatically in recent years.

I'll sound the huge sigh of relief on behalf of police officers all over the country.

[malumbu]

The purpose was to do the sort of things you talk about Rendell. Doesn't help that the real ones don't think much of them. There could be a good debate here but I would not wish to reveal my source.

[uncleglen]

Well, that was my second experience of seeing PCSOs...my first experience was when I spotted 2 of them sitting on a bench on Peckham Rye chatting....not looking around at all...

[Pugwash]

In defence of PCSOs - we have had some good ones in ED. Their presence on the street does reassure the older generation - many of them (OAPs) think they are 'beat bobbies'.

In my previous working life, my team came across some vulnerable adults and it was often the PSCOs who alerted social services. In some instances the PSCOs would undertake regular welfare checks on certain people.

[Nigello]

I saw a gaggle (five) PCs and PCSOs all chatting away near to a van near to the Ritzy which had a huge TV screen on it, asking "have you seen these men" and showing some images. I have no idea why any more than one officer needed to be there and it erodes my confidence in the service when I see lots of examples of over-deployment.

[uncleglen]

It's a pity the crims don't think they are beat bobbies, Pugwash

[jaywalker]

malumbu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I say don't stand on

> Lambeth Brige North side roundabout as there is

> nothing happening. Go and do something useful and

> sort out the traffic on the South Side. And they

> look at me all confused.

er, you do know this is one of the most security sensitive places in the whole of the UK? Or did you never watch Spooks?

[Grok]

So worthwhile-letting OAPs believe something that isn't true, in times when con artists posing as eg ThamescWater workers get into pensioners homes to rob them. The rest-er calling social services, and knocking on doors-wardens can do that/anyone can do that. PCSOs are a complete waste of space and not to be taken seriously.

Pugwash Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In defence of PCSOs - we have had some good ones

> in ED. Their presence on the street does reassure

> the older generation - many of them (OAPs) think

> they are 'beat bobbies'.

>

> In my previous working life, my team came across

> some vulnerable adults and it was often the PSCOs

> who alerted social services. In some instances the

> PSCOs would undertake regular welfare checks on

> certain people.