Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), also called Community Support Officers (CSOs), provide a visible presence in the community, helping the police to tackle anti-social behaviour and offering reassurance to the public.  PCSOs help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour by dealing with minor offences and supporting front-line policing.

PCSOs patrol in uniform and can:

• Work with the public to identify and address their concerns
• Contribute to the management of local neighbourhoods
• Help to support people who are affected by crime and disorder

Additional responsibility

Depending on their role, PCSOs may also be given powers, currently under review, including:

• The power to detain someone pending the arrival of a constable
• The power to direct traffic and remove vehicles
• The power to issue fixed penalty notices in relation to a range of anti-social behaviour

To become a PCSO and to find out more about the role go to www.policecouldyou.co.uk

In 2006, the Home Office published: 'A national evaluation of Community Support Officers' (HO Research Study 297) which can be accessed at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hors297.pdf

NPIA Twelve-month Progress Report on the PCSO Review recommendations

In July 2008 the NPIA published the PCSO Review following a need being identified for greater standardisation across forces relating to powers, training, supervision, uniform, career development, funding and recruitment. The PCSO Review outlined 22 recommendations for forces to follow.

Following publication of the Review, forces were asked to submit their progress against relevant recommendations. The PCSO Progress Report (August 2009) outlined progress against these recommendations and recommended 18 to be discharged. The report also incorporated the findings from the ACPO survey of forces on PCSO powers.

Forces were further consulted in November 2009 in order to better understand progress against the outstanding recommendations and their responses are outlined in the Monitoring Report (March 2010).

The Report discharged all but one of the 22 recommendations. Some of the principal findings were:

• More forces have adopted the Wider Police Learning and Development Programme (WPLDP) since the PCSO Progress Report.
• More forces are using PCSO tutors.
• The PCSO qualification will be launched imminently.
• Plans have been announced for a distinct single national uniform for PCSOs to be in place by 2012.
• Guidance in operational risk assessments for all police staff has been developed.

The Monitoring Report marks the culmination of NPIA's monitoring of the specific 22 recommendations. All the reports can be accessed under the 'useful documents' section of this web page.

The NPIA continues to support forces in relation to PCSOs by hosting a bi-monthly meeting for PCSO Policy Officers and the PCSO Community of Practice. If you would like more information about the national work on PCSOs please contact Mark Roe.