Humberside Police - protecting communities, targeting criminals

What Does Being a Police Community Support Officer Involve?

Employed as full-time members of support staff they are directed and managed by Humberside Police, these new Officers are a vital and visual new addition to the Force and will help us to make Humberside a safer place to live, work and visit.

PCSOs are not a replacement for Police Officers but are there to do many of the jobs that often take highly trained police officers away from more appropriate duties. They  fulfil a unique role designed purely to tackle local issues affecting the quality of life in the community. The work that PCSOs do means that they need fewer powers than regular police officers.

These powers include:

  • issuing of fixed penalty notices (e.g. riding on footpaths, dog fouling, litter)
  • confiscating alcohol and tobacco, stopping and searching vehicles
  • maintain cordons and removing abandoned vehicles.

Additionally PCSOs have the power to demand names and addresses and detain suspects for up to 30 minutes until the arrival of a Police Officer.

Police Community Support Officers are supplied with a uniform that makes them recognisable as being employees of Humberside Police. However, the uniform is different to that worn by Police Officers. All have a personal radio that provides immediate access to police communications and support.

Because of the type of word they do, protective equipment, i.e. batons, C.S. gas, handcuffs, etc are not at the moment seen as necessary.However defensive tactical training is given. 

What do PCSOs do?

We are using the new PCSOs to provide us with the additional capacity to give our communities the service they expect and deserve. PCSOs are a visible, uniformed on-street presence helping to improve the quality of life in local communities and offer greater public reassurance. Working with partners and community organisations, their duties include addressing anti-social behaviour , reporting vandalism, reporting suspicious activity, providing crime prevention advice, deterring nuisance from young people.

Training

PCSO's are fully trained to understand their role and the powers available to them. The initial training is in 4 phases and lasts for 12 weeks; see below: 

  • Phase 1 - Induction (2 weeks)
  • Phase 2 - Work experience (2 weeks)
  • Phase 3 - Law input and practical application (4 weeks)
  • Phase 4 - Accompanied Patrol (4 weeks) 

Following this ongoing support, training and development is provided.