In the United Kingdom, a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) is a uniformed civilian working with the Police.

Police Community Support Officers were introduced following the Police Reform Act 2002 in response to long standing concern over the lack of a significant police presence on the streets. Their uniforms are similar to those of the regular police, but have a variety of distinguishing features depending on the area.

Powers

PCSOs have been given limited powers. The are able to:

• Issue Fixed Penalty Notices for public nuisance, dog fouling, littering, cycling on footpaths
• Request a person's name and address for certain minor offences
• Detain a person for up to 30 minutes, and use reasonable force to prevent them escaping
• Confiscate alcohol from young people
• Request a person to stop drinking alcohol in designated public areas and to surrender open drink containers
• Enter property to save life, prevent injury, or prevent serious damage to property
• Seize vehicles used to cause alarm and distress
• Require abandoned vehicles to be removed
• Stop vehicles for the purpose of a road check or for exhaust emissions testing
• Regulate traffic for the purpose of escorting abnormal loads
• Maintain and enforce a cordoned area established under Terrorism Acts
• Stop and search vehicles and items carried by driver and passengers (under the Terrorism Acts)
• Stop and search items carried by pedestrians (under the Terrorism Acts)

See also

• British Police
• UK topics

External link

• Police Reform Act web site