Have to agree with you here Ironmad. They are plastic police. I don't think they should be called police anything. They have about the same arrest powers of a 90yr pensioner, although I've seen have a go pensioners with "during the war" language being more effective.
I think PSOs have a role of sort under a different guise, something like "Uniformed Human Presence/CCTV in Stab Vest/" or neighbourhood warden. I think in Dad's Army they were the air warden type, always at odds with Capt. Mainwaring. It reminds me of my history lessons of the Romans, when in the absence of regular legionnaires who initially built Hadrians Wall in 18 months competively; the romans manned/patrolled the wall mainly Yugoslavian Auxillary Legions, quite a few integrating and settling along the wall, with rusty swords.
Basically they are just eyes/ ears sticky plaster trying to cover the security public/neighbourhood ambivalence about blade whelding ferral kids and chavs; and proper police coverage/costs on the beat.
Problem with Specials [despite having police training/ powers] is you need full time coverage/ area knowledge/patrols to cover the the security void/ chav watch.
Its far from ideal. I think they do their best and its reassuring to have them patrolling. But it is policing on the cheap and they lack the status/power of a regular coppa. Whether they are worth it must be based on a cost/benefit basis. If they cost £20k pa each, are they preventing say £30k of crime/damage pa. or a persons life, perhaps.
Bottom line if we didn't have our current ferral chav generation (proper parents), more public engagement and more proper coppas on the pavement doing less pen pushing to cover ass; PSO wouldn't be needed.
Not sure if the police are at breaking point. They have a tough job like teachers , firemen, teachers, paramedics; they have been back worded on pay 2.5% increases etc by Brown and now Brown is playing them off against other professions, on affordability. This is the last thing a government does to these types of professions.They just don't trust Brown's word over conditions. Thats a bad thing when over 100,000 coppers regard a government as untrustworthy as an paymaster and a conveyorbelt of poor policy. I guess they have a reasonable salary/market salary; but like many other professions are finding paying the hike in living tough, mortgage, food, tax, kids,fuel, worried about the future. Not even an average salary like the police get is meeting current bills. Its sad to see decent officers and teachers striking; maybe its a litmus paper from coal face officials who deal with families, kids, parents,day in day out etc; standing up to Brown and saying no more BS, sort it, .
and dont expect any help from victim support either, unless you think a sympathetic ear will solve your problems, thats all you get and crime reference numbers, i got pages of them and use them to pick lottery numbers.
this world is based on money and while you cant expect the police to work for nothing, theres enough speeding drivers whos fines would actually EXCEED the budget needed for essential services. Because they dont have the business acumen, society is suffering.
Shame about the chairman of Sainsburys, Thatcher and the purchaser/provider system, pity they didnt pilot it first. Dont expect any help from the police (unless an mp or police office is targeted by yobs of course)
sorry just my two penneth worth ( oopth ive developed a lithp)
I've been pointing this out for ages.
Most community crime occurs 6pm- 12pm, when kids aren't at school/are playing out , people not at work.
So paying PSCO working daytime hours is useless.
Actually evening patrols by regular police in certain residential areas have gone up, following local pressure.
But neighbourhood wardens and PSCOs need to work evenings and trade for daytime hours, to tackle the real time problems and to prove better value for money to the council tax payer.
So we could be talking plastic police cars as well plastic coppers? Real cops in unmarked cars or bikes, it gets confusing
Actually I've noticed a few more evening patrols, but is a police are a jaffa behind the wheel. Perhaps a hoody would be more sharp eyed on the issue.
Copyright © 2007 Archant Regional Limited. All rights reserved. Terms and conditions