A PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) was recently filmed by a dash camera refusing to attend an incident in the area of Lancing, West Sussex, which was just 30 seconds away from where he was located. The witness reported to the PCSO that there was an alleged 15-year-old shoplifter at the Co-Op, who had assaulted a female shopper and was causing trouble. The victim involved was a 41-year-old mother of three, who had been punched and had a drink thrown at her. The usual thing for any officer in uniform to do would be to immediately jump into their car and race down to the scene; however, this one had other plans, which was to sit in his car and ‘scroll through his phone’. He did not even get out of the car to professionally talk to the witness, probably too much to ask when you consider the box of donuts in his hand, the mars bars and water pistol around his belt and the few pints of Guinness on his lap.
Here is what the witness–Micheal–who recorded the incident said to MailOnline:
‘The PCSO couldn’t have seemed less interested. He was very dismissive, all I got from him was a ‘this isn’t my job’ vibe…He told me he wasn’t in the response team so couldn’t do anything. But all he had to do was drive around the corner to the Co-Op where the woman had been assaulted and act as a visible deterrent. The kids who were causing the bother wouldn’t have stayed around to know whether he was a PCSO or a fully warranted officer. They would’ve scarpered as soon as they saw the car. Failing that, he could have radioed for help and got the response team round. But he didn’t do anything. He just sat there and told me it wasn’t what he was there for.’
We should have this man on the police force as he knows what he is doing. He could not have put that any better, and I am glad that he challenged the officer in question. The role of a PCSO is to contribute to the local community; increase public safety; deal with truants, graffiti, abandoned vehicles, litter, missing person enquiries, and help support crime victims. Also, although they do not have the power of arrest, they can detain people when necessary and they have the designated powers surrounding anti-social behaviour, tobacco, alcohol and fixed penalty notices.
Even though they do not have the same powers as special constables or police officers, they should still be able to attend an incident, especially if they are close, and do their job. As I stated above, they can detain people when necessary and the incident in question was definitely in that category. All he had to do was go down in his car, which would act as a deterrent to the suspect, and hold her until back up arrived. What is the point in having PCSOs if they are not going to do this?
This situation does not instil confidence in these second-rate police officers and incidents such as the one above can only lead to a loss of public trust. This PCSO’s failure to intervene sets a bad example, something criminals are likely to take advantage of. Far from crime prevention, events like this are likely to exacerbate the crime rate.
Thankfully the PCSO in question is being investigated for his arrogant and negligent behaviour, and I hope he is replaced with a better person; someone who can be bothered to protect and serve. Going forward, PSCO’s must either be given the same powers and responsibility of arrest as other officers, or be disbanded altogether and replaced with genuine Bobbies on the beat.
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There is a question over what their “insurance” covers. Some such excuse that if they were injured, they wouldn’t be covered. Not sure how driving round the corner would have put them at risk of injury.