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North Yorkshire PCC raised police precept to pay for 50 PCSOs
Cathedral Bobby+ posted a topic in UK Policing News
The PCC of North Yorkshire has raised the forces precept rate. What for? To pay for 20 new PCSOs and fill 30 vacancies. Not convinced this is the most efficient and best use of the money! https://www.yorkshirecoastradio.com/news/local-news/2855079/pcso-recruitment-campaign-in-north-yorkshire/ -
Ethiopian-born Tegegn Bayissa had claimed his career was wrecked by 'deep-seated and cunning' racism https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6545657/Ethiopian-born-PCSO-claimed-suffered-deep-seated-cunning-racism-loses-legal-battle.html -
Lincolnshire Police is granting extra powers to its uniformed police staff. Lincolnshire Police has PCSO cars, but the staff members won't be allowed to enforce the rules of the road from them Date - 2nd October 2018 By - Ian Weinfass - Police Oracle 5 Comments PCSOs will be given the power to stop and seize cars, require drivers to show licenses and authorise the issue of traffic offence reports. Lincolnshire Police has announced it is using the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to give the uniformed police staff more powers. The force will also be assigning its 118 police community support officers to record statements around low level crimes like shop theft. Chief Constable Bill Skelly said: “I have decided to designate additional powers to our PCSOs which focus on traffic issues and relate directly to [...] our commitment to tackling serious and fatal collisions on our road.” He said the staff are the bedrock of neighbourhood policing, adding: “I’m keen that those existing relationships and ways of policing don’t disappear but shift more towards dealing with traffic-related issues. "I am hopeful that a balance can be struck between carrying on with established responsibilities and also incorporating these new powers into the role of the PCSO. “We know the areas where I’ve given extra powers are some of the most concerning to our communities and it is right that local officers can now tackle them direct, as well as alleviating pressure from other members of the force. All this helps us keep Lincolnshire as safe as possible.” The additional powers centre around being able to authorise the issue of traffic offence reports for thing such as speeding, using mobile phones at the wheel and driving without a valid MOT. They will have the power to stop motor vehicles, but only on foot, not from inside a police car. Lincolnshire Police Federation chairman Jon Hassall said: “It’s a sad indictment of what the government has done to policing that we’re having to give extra powers to PCSOs to do things police should be doing. “If anything goes wrong and escalates on the street it will be my cops that will have to get there and pick up the pieces straight away.” Last week CC Skelly warned the force faces having to cut 40 per cent of its PCSOs, 60 police officers and 10 per cent of other staff if the government doesn't make funding changes. Dorset Police recently gave some PCSOs responsibility for taking statements, calling them Police Community Support Investigators. View On Police Oracle
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Hi all, I begin my PCSO training at BTP next month. I'm, currently looking to buy my boots and from looking on this forum I understand it's mainly between Magnums, Lowa and Alt-bergs. What I wanted to know is, am I going to need to have my boots for my first day's training or will it be further on down my 7-week training program? Also, if anyone has any recommended style from the three brands mentioned, please let me know. Thanks
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Hi guys, I've been given a conditional offer and a start date in October to become a BTP PCSO in inner London. I've passed my medical and I am just waiting for my vetting. Does anyone know how long vetting will usually take for PCSOs? I'm on holiday for a few weeks in September and would need to give my notice in before I go away as it would be too late to do so within my notice period when I get back. Another question I have, sorry if this should be in a separate post - it's my first post - is about progressing in BTP. I have aspirations to move from PCSO to PC in a couple of years on the job, however would this be possible considering in 2020 you will need a degree to be a police officer? Thanks for your time.
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New community stations will reduce the need for officers to travel miles from deployment centres More than 100 PCSO bases are to be introduced in Cheshire - including at a golf club and a fire station. Under Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane’s initiative to get “more feet on the beat,” PCSOs will be stationed at bases within their assigned communities. The plans will reduce the need to travel to and from deployment centres and increase time and visibility in communities. The locations proposed included a petrol station but this was ruled out due to “constant moving vehicles and a lack of private room within the retail space”. According to a report, the cost of the 122 bases will be minimal with some introduced from June. However, it could take until the end of the year for each base to be fully operational. Extra booking in bases will also be introduced after PCSOs were “left frustrated” due to taking longer to travel to their areas as a result of the force’s decision to introduce single booking on stations for operational staff. David Keane, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire, said: “PCSOs are an important part of local policing teams across Cheshire. They are the ‘eyes and ears’ of local communities, gathering intelligence to deal with complex police issues, whilst providing support to vulnerable residents, and focusing on making our roads safer. “These bases will provide the facilities for PCSOs to spend more time in the heart of the community they serve, increasing interaction with local residents and allowing them to have more visibility in our communities. “Under the previous model, some PCSOs were travelling miles each day to the community they were based in, wasting valuable time. “When I was elected I promised the residents of Cheshire ‘more feet on the beat’. Providing every community in Cheshire with their own named, recognisable community officer is helping us achieve this vision.” View On Police Oracle
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Businesses and councils offered own PCSOs for £37k a year
Fedster posted a topic in Police Oracle Features
PCC says move will help avoid cuts to the posts. Pictured (l-r) Daventry District PCSO Paul Harris, Daventry District Sponsored PCSO Mia Ball, Mayor of Daventry Lynne Taylor, PCC Stephen Mold, Daventry District PCSO Kirsten Bates, Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Swann and Daventry District Sergeant Sam Dobbs A PCC is promoting a scheme for councils and businesses to pay for their own dedicated PCSOs as a way to beat budget cuts. Daventry Town Council in Northamptonshire has become the first to buy its own support officer as part of the initiative which sees personnel dedicated to the area which covers its costs. A statement from Northants PCC Stephen Mold said: “While a number of organisations have in the past provided sponsorship for PCSOs, this scheme is different in that it guarantees the services of a sponsored officer within the geographic area of the sponsoring agency, rather than integration into a wider neighbourhood policing team.” The PCSOs will only be pulled away from their dedicated area in the event of them needing to assist at a major incident. Northamptonshire Police pays for the training, uniform and equipment of the support officers, while the business or council pays £37,000 a year to cover other costs including their salary. In 2014 previous PCC Adam Simmonds and then chief constable Adrian Lee promised parish councils in the force area dedicated special constables, but this never materialised and was officially scrapped by Stephen Mold when he took office. Mr Mold said: “I’m proud that my office has developed this innovative scheme to help empower local communities to increase policing resources. "At a time when other counties in England and Wales have decided to reduce the use of PCSOs due to budget challenges, in Northamptonshire we have presented an alternative model that allows communities to contribute towards enhanced policing. “I have been delighted by the response to this scheme from partners which will allow us to put more police on the street of the county, and I know that given the valuable work that PCSOs do, this will undoubtedly lead to a safer Northamptonshire.” In 2015 when a village in Hampshire tried to fund its own local PC’s salary one former officer said: "The principle that if you live in a wealthy area and can pay you get a superior level of policing while other people see cuts is absolutely anathema to me.” Later that year businesses in Liverpool city centre began paying for two dedicated PCs to patrol the area. At least half the mounted units in the UK have turned to sponsorship in a bid to avoid cuts, Police Oracle revealed last month. View On Police Oracle -
Neighbourhood police: One in seven officers axed were beat bobbies
Fedster posted a topic in UK Policing News
Bobbies on the beat accounted for one in seven axed police posts over the past five years, analysis suggests. At the same time, one in three police community support officer (PCSO) posts - originally intended to be the "eyes and ears" of the community - have gone. Critics say a visible police presence in communities deters criminals and helps gather intelligence. The Home Office said "overall traditional crime" had fallen by almost 40% since 2010. The BBC's Shared Data Unit compared workforce figures for 43 police forces in England and Wales, Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Police Scotland over a five-year period from 2012 to 2017. Click here for full story - BBC -
Hi Guys, Just wondering if anyone else was attending the assessment centre on 18/02/2018 for the BTP PCSO role? Also wondered how easy it is to progress in BTP? Thanks,
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Hi is there anyone that has gone through this process that could shed a little light on what happens while we there. such as any exams and what happens when begin Sworn in.
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Hi folks, have just applied for the above position, while I know it is similar to a detention officer type role in England, could anyone give me a bit more information about it? I'm currently event security and nightclub door staff looking to explore new opportunities.
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PCSOs consider strike action over inability to get home after late shifts
Techie1 posted a topic in Police Oracle Features
Transport workers union leader accuses railways force of 'turfing staff onto the streets'. British Transport Police PCSOs are considering strike action over changes to their shifts. The TSSA union is balloting the force’s community support officers ahead of the imposition of a 1am shift finish which it says “jeopardises [their] safety” in London. According to a statement from the union, the force is attempting to save money by changing shift patterns – but the workforce wll not be able to get home by public transport as a result. The force employs 330 PCSOs, with half of them London-based, but the union says: “because they can't afford London housing, London PCSOs themselves depend on trains in and out of home counties to the commute to work.”. PCSOs voiced their concerns that the new rosters are not practical during BTP's staff consultation process, but the TSSA says a proposal to finish the shift at midnight to enable members to make the last train home was rejected and PCSOs will now finish at 1am on one in three of their shifts. General Secretary Manuel Cortes said: "BTP have made a sham of their own consultation process by ignoring the valid concerns of their staff who simply can't get home at 1am. Are they supposed to sleep at the station? “No employer should turf their staff out at 1am onto the streets of London with no way to get home. But that's what BTP, the very people charged with ensuring the public travel safely, are now doing to their own staff. Frankly, it beggars belief and it's causing a lot of unnecessary upset." The new rotas will be introduced from April. The union is calling for shifts to be put back to midnight or to end at 7am instead, and will be balloting members over the issue. Mr Cortes added: "Our PCSO members are professional police support staff dedicated to keeping commuters safe. So a failure by their bosses to protect them is insulting as is their unwillingness to negotiate with our reps over this easily resolvable issue.” He added he will be calling on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to intervene to help the PCSOs. BTP Deputy Chief Constable Adrian Hanstock said: “It is disappointing to learn of this proposal by TSSA to ballot our PCSOs on plans for industrial action, which feels somewhat premature and excessive when we are still engaged in discussions with those few employees affected by our planned shift changes. “I must also contradict the suggestion that this is an exercise in cost-cutting by ruthlessly cutting shift allowances.” He added that the shift patterns were last reviewed in 2009 demand on the force has changed, and that staff had asked for a more reliable and consistent shift patterns. “In addition we have sought to ensure fewer officers and staff are working on their own across the national network, as well as build in sufficient capacity to minimise the impact of abstractions when officers are absent through training, court appearances, sickness and annual leave. “As the demand has changed, invariably it means the times of day we must be available to respond to incidents and manage large volumes of people travelling around the country must also change,” he said. There have been claims in the past that warranted police officers in London have resorted to breaking into property because of their shift patterns and inability to get to their homes outside the capital when they have gone off duty. View on Police Oracle -
PCSO's - The Roles Lack of Development Over the Years.
Radman+ posted a topic in General PCSO Discussions
I work with some fantastic PCSOs, they know their powers, have full support from supervision and are more than happy to get stuck in to whatever comes their way be it statement taking, CCTV duties, detentions, contemporaneous interviews, arrest escorts etc. Great guys the bunch of them and I'm lucky that I work for a force that supports them in their role as much as BTP does, however the other day we had two local PCSOs pop in for a brew, we chatted and they asked the usual "How's BTP" "What do you get up to" kind of questions, conversation moved on to how they find the role and to be fair it's the same old complaints that I've heard over ten years ago when I first started my policing career... Which had got me wondering where is the PCSO role going to go now? Will there be any major reforms and will more forces start to utilise their officers better? Thought I'd try and inject some life into it. -
PCSO powers possibly being dramatically expanded
jimmyriddle posted a topic in General Policing Discussions
I noticed this recently and thought it was worth a discussion. 2 years ago they added the whole of s19 PACE to PCSOs, but this seems a huge leap. Could it be that PCSOs are soon to be sent to more jobs, tasked with more, stopping a vehicle and s165 seizing it/issuing the FPN, etc? (I appreciate they would have to use one of their already existing traffic stopping powers rather than this excluded one). I'm not sure if they'll be standard or designated powers. Will they increase their pay or give them further kit? Your thoughts? Wikipedia link The proposed Policing and Crime Bill 2016 sets out dramatic expansions to the role of PCSO. Section 28(4)(a) states a PCSO will be able to be designated with "any power or duty of a constable (other than a power or duty specified in Part 1 of Schedule 3B excluded powers and duties)". These excluded powers would be: Any power or duty of a constable to make an arrest (under s24 PACE 1984) Any power or duty of a constable to stop and search an individual or a vehicle or other thing The power of a constable, under section 36(4) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, to perform the functions of a custody officer at a designated police station if a custody officer is not readily available to perform them Any power that is exercisable only by a constable of a particular rank Any power of a constable under (a) the Terrorism Act 2000; (b)the Terrorism Act 2006; (c)the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008; (d)the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011; (e)the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 Any power of a constable under the Official Secrets Act 1911 to 1989 The power of a constable to make an application on behalf of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis under section 6 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000(applications for interception warrants) This bill is currently (March 2016) progressing through the House of Commons.[68] -
PCSO A and his colleague PCSO B, are on duty in the local town centre doing foot patrol duties at a busy event at which point they both notice a copblocker stood there with his phone out videoing them. They approach the copblocker and PCSO A asks him nicely why he is videoing them. He does not say anything in response. PCSO A removes the phone from the copblockers hand and says that he will have the copblocker arrested unless he cooperates. The copblocker calls his bluff and again makes it clear that he won't be answering PCSO A's question at which point PCSO A hands him his phone back. PCSO B then asks politely why the copblocker is filming and he again refuses to answer. At this point PCSO A then demands the copblockers details which he does not provide. The copblocker then demands to know what law PCSO A is using before giving them up. PCSO A then replies that he doesn't need to tell him the law and makes it clear that he doesn't have to give his details, he was just having a conversation. PCSO A proceeds to continue questioning the copblocker. The copblocker continues to be obstructive and PCSO A says to the cameraman that "you know nothing" and "We'll leave you to what you're doing. You're a very pathetic young man" before walking off. The copblocker then decides to follow the PCSOs around at which point PCSO A demands the copblocker stay with him and requests that a unit attend. The copblocker asks if he is being detained to which PCSO A replies that he isn't being detained. The copblocker makes off at which point PCSO A detains him. The copblocker carries on walking at which PCSO A grabs hold of him. You arrive on scene to hear from PCSO A who explains what has happened and you find that the copblocker is still on the phone to the force control room after he called them to report he had been assaulted by a PCSO who he believed might be fake. PCSO A hands you the copblocker's phone. After he terminates the call you then hear from him that he has been assaulted. Whilst you are aware that the copblocker has committed no offence you are aware that PCSO A has assaulted him. What do you do?
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Good Lord! It's ages since I have had a moment to come back and have a look on here since I last posted, but really, time has flown. I have completed the training and now have started my 10 weeks tutorship. The 8 weeks training was great, at times I was a little stressed, like when there was a rumour that the officer safety training would have me doing the bleep test 2 days running, but that was nonsense. You can do it, if you want to and the whole class is under 25 or gym fans but ours were very sensible and allowed me to warm up at my abilities. In the end I really enjoyed it. I never thought that punching, kneeing and twisting people's joints to the limit whilst shouting " GET BACK!!" would be so enjoyable. Daily knowledge checks using trump cards became a bind, so half an hours revision a night doesn't go amiss. However it took me to week 6 to finally nail the when and now cautions, in the end the daughter had to spend 3 hours teaching me the meanings and breaking it down before it stuck. Try singing it to a tune or rhythm it worked for me. You will get to know your basic laws and be expected to recite their definitions. I pinned print outs all over the house, good if you have a memory like a knat like me. But, don't worry, it all just clicks into place... eventually. The final exam for me was a multiple choice exam, don't fret about it all through the course, when you see the questions you will be amazed at how much you have learned. The best thing about the course is the friends you will make. I was the oldest by a loooong way but that made no difference at all and I guarantee you will make friends for life. There was 15 on our Cohort and every one of them were different and fabulous. Their struggles, life events during the course like deaths or births in the family, their sense of humour and even personality clashes will set you up for the world of PCSO and carry you through the course. I recommend a WatsAp group, you can support each other during and after the course and keep contact when you have all scattered to your own districts at the end of it ( the saddest time of the course) At this point, I wish you the best of luck on your course. Trust me, you will enjoy it and be proud at the end of it no matter what your circumstances. I know that a lot of you will have taken a pay cut and huge career change for what ever reason, leaving often really top professional jobs, some of you will be fresh from uni or perhaps coming from the breadline, or a struggling single parent. You will all bring something to the table and for that reason I am very proud of you even if I don't know you. So I passed and now out in the Valleys expanding on the basics they taught us on the course. I have an experienced tutor which I will stay with for at least 10 weeks, it may be different where you are. Advice? Well, I hope you got the best boots for your feet. As you are aware, I'm not the fittest of people. I'm a middle aged mum of 4 that has for the last 20 years used every muscle in her body, bar the ones you use to walk with. Add the weight of the body armour, tack vest, radio, body cam and all the inventory of the store Staples and you can imaging the pain I seem to be permantly in. At the end of the shift and the hour drive home, I am being very honest when I say the walk up the garden path is excruciating. Everyone tells you that you will get used to it and the benefits in the long run will be amazing. Well, I'm still waiting for that and every time I strip off the gear I expect to see a sweaty pain free size 12 there, it hasn't happened yet. I work in hope. Moral of this tale is prepare if you can before and during your course. If not, like me, then keep telling yourself that you bring a lot of experience and other beneficial talents to the job and force other than a fit athletic youth that can cover between 15 and 20 miles a day. This has been my downside of my career change so far, sometimes reducing me to tears and wondering if I have done the right thing. But I remind myself that I'm not going to jack it because things have got physically tough and I do my best. A little meeting with my sergeant to explain my limits too helped. They really are great, don't be afraid of them. P.S. Drink lots of water, apparently it desolves the lactic acid. Hmmmm So what have I done so far in my brief tutorship? Well I have collected CCTV. Who would have thought it had a system to follow? I thought you would have just said " Hi! I've come for the CCTV! "And then trotted off back to the station with evidence in hand for the awaiting PC . There's more to it so pay attention in the evidence gathering lesson. I've played Tom and Jerry with the youths... a lot. Been handed found drugs and dealt with that, attended burglarys, admitted intelligence and been offered my very own tea spot. My favourite so far? Scene Guard. Now I know that makes most PCSO's and PC's tremble at the knees and perhaps throw there hands up in the air and I suppose I will eventually get there too, but right now I loved it. Bar from the lack of walking which is always a plus for me at the moment, it was the engagement with the public that I loved. From little kiddies waving to teenagers trying to wrestle out of me what has happened to adults passing the time of day with you. Some offering tea or ginger biscuits and yes the odd crazy making you lift your eyebrows at their oddities. Though I don't want to happen what has happened to cause the scene guard, I have no problem volunteering for it... at the moment. Tip, take a big coat and make sure it's near you to put on even if you feel warm. The temperature can just suddenly plummet and you can't tootle off and leave your area to get it. Anyway, that's me so far. If it helps just one starting and gives an idea of what's coming then I'm happy and to all you oldies that I KNOW at some point will have thought " when I was a wee whipper snapper of a bobbie, and we had to put body armour on, it was much heavier with metal plates front and back.." during reading this, I say what ever Robocop! Bet you haven't given birth to four kids and make Yorkshire Puddings like I can, so nerr. Till next time folks, take care and don't be a hero without applying the NDM first!
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Hi. I wondered if anyone can help, a person passes as a pcso with one force and passes as a pc with another force at the same time. The pcso start date is before the pc start date, could the person start as a pcso say for example 6 months and when the pc intake in the other force is ready, could they then hand their notice in with the pcso post to become the pc? I have read that some forces require you to be a pcso for 2 years in force before applying to become a pc, wondered if you already have an offer elsewhere whether this may differ? And as it's out of force? It maybe something only HR within the force can answer, but thought I'd air it on case anyone was aware. Hopefully that makes sense. Thanks
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I shall post my experiences as I go along, so others can compare or have an idea what's going to happen or what was different for them. If I bore anyone just scroll past it's going to be a sort of Blog. For you exciting OSU or firearms officers with your really cool uniforms ( or so says my daughter ) please feel free to scroll on by ok, so after passing all the requirements back in 2014, I sadly got the email telling me that due to Buget cuts, the whole of the 80 odd PCSO's would be shelved. I always wanted to be a police officer and now being in my middle years and after having 4 children ( forgot to say I'm of the female variety ) I pretty much thought " that's that then " but, seeing as 90% of my family are either was an officer, is an officer or are on the route to learn how to be an officer, I didn't give in and applied for a staff job at WYP. Then I got the email in February asking if was still interested and, of course, I replied yes, very much yes, yes yes. I wouldn't need to go through all the tests and role play again, just the medical. But, with WYP employing PC's as well at the same time it's not until now that I have finally been made an offer and a start date for training on the 24th October. The medical was a story on its own and I wouldn't tell it to my colleagues till they were all present. It wasn't bad or hard, but did include a back fastening disposable gown and some unwanted bed hygiene paper stuck somewhere undesirable whilst doing the movement tests. It made the staff laugh, I will just say to make a tale short, make sure you wear nice matching underwear and certainly nothing thong like. This is when big knickers has no shame. I passed the medical, which of course is the most important thing, to be a PCSO. The doctor told me if I wanted to be a PC he would stop it there as my BMI was basically through the roof. I was thinking it's basically reaching the heights of Emley Moor Mast, but hey ho, I'm sure I'll walk it off. Then next contact was with the lovely gent in charge of PCSO recruitment, who on the phone offered me the post and told me I had been posted to Calderdale. He doesn't know where in Calderdale, I would find that out later in training. So, laptop out and find all the stations in Calderdale, routes there in summer and of course in winter when we have two foot of snow to battle... Todmordon? Gosh. Fingers crossed on that one then. Later In the day I got an email telling me my collar number and a link to the new starters website at WYP. ( this is seriously out of date, I must remember to tell HR that they are knocking the building down that all the extension numbers relate to) and an instruction to buy good quality leather boots that can be buffed. So I've looked on here and seen the favourites. £150+?!? I'll visit Go Outdoors and see what Magnums they have on offer Collegues have started to ask questions at work. They're mean ( in a nice way) and talk about the cold, the sleet and unruly teenagers. Outwardly, it's not working, I live on the moors and have four grown up kids. Inside I'm thinking " oh hell, what have I done?" So here I am. At this moment, wanting a friend to face it with. My next post will be about the boots. See you then
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Hi, I'm egg. I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I can't see a specific PCSO area :) Is anyone else going through the recruitment process for Thames Valley Police? I hope there will be enough people joining/getting through in order to start training in September as planned. I'd be interested to know how anyone else is getting along. They seem to have something like a rolling recruitment process. Also wondering if people were intending to join the regulars at some point. I'd heard that a few people who did so regretted it and wished they'd remained in their PCSO role!
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North Wales Police recruitment thread
Eddzz!! posted a topic in North Wales Police / Heddlu Gogledd Cymru
Please see the following links for North Wales Police recruitment updates. Police Community NWP recruitment updates Official NWP recruitment section -
Police community support officer sacked for faking job application CV
Fedster posted a topic in UK Policing News
This is the police community support officer who was sacked after admitting faking her job application CV. Samantha Skinner, 24, changed her NVQ qualification to a higher grade while applying to join the regular police force. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/police-community-support-officer-sacked-11044272 -
Do we have any Volunteer PCSO's from lincolnshire police ?
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West Mercia Police are currently not recruiting new PCSOs. PCSO recruitment can be discussed in this thread and further information can be found here: https://www.westmercia.police.uk/article/2423/Police-community-support-officers-PCSO
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Uniformed PCSO mistaken for stripogram at 50th birthday party
Chief Cheetah posted a topic in UK Policing News
Uniformed PCSO mistaken for stripogram at 50th birthday party 7 hours ago From the sectionWiltshire Image captionThis is the real PCSO uniform A police community support officer was mistaken for a stripogram when he accidentally stumbled in on a 50th birthday party in Wiltshire. PCSO Mike Ober was on foot patrol in Bradford-on-Avon on Saturday when he spotted an open door at a social club. Going in to investigate, he was greeted by a group of women who "went wild with excitement" thinking he was the male stripper they had ordered. He said: "The party was about to get started and they thought I was early." 'Poked head round' He added: "I had to beat a hasty retreat." Mr Ober, who is in his mid-20s and engaged, said the social club was not normally used at the weekend, so he had decided to "poke his head round the door" and investigate. "There were no cars in the car park and the door was propped open," he said. "But as I went in there were loud cheers and someone shouted: "Oh, are you the stripogram?" After being told he was too early and to come back later, Mr Ober walked away, passing the real stripper on his way in. "It's a matter of personal taste, but the uniforms aren't very flattering, so I guess [the mix-up] is flattering," he said. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-35453852
