Midlands: Counting the coppers

Community Support Officers learn self defence

If you want to know the time, ask a policeman. Can you find one? In a police car, at the police station or in the law courts perhaps, but patrolling your community?

What can be done to increase police presence and reduce street crime? In every survey of public opinion on law and order, the cry goes up for more bobbies on the beat.

This week the government responded with a new scheme. The first of almost 100 Community Support Officers to be recruited across the Midlands went out on the beat in Lincolnshire and Warwickshire.

Restricted powers

They work closely with the police, wear a uniform like the police but their powers are a long way short of those of a police officer.

Whilst a Police Constable has handcuffs, a baton and the power to arrest people, a Community Support Officer can only issue fixed penalty notices for minor offences - like dropping litter or riding a bike on the pavement.

But they do increase the number of 'officers' out on the beat.

Not the cheap option

When he launched the Community Support Officer scheme last September, the Home Secretary David Blunkett denied he was getting his bobbies on the cheap.

He said they would not replace police officers but would be an additional resource.

It takes two years and almost £100,000 pounds to train a police officer. The new CSO's have had less than six weeks training.

Value for money

The eleven recruits in Warwickshire are costing the Home Office £240,000 a year and the Chief Constable, John Burbeck, thinks the scheme offers real value for money.

He says, "Our Community Support Officers will act as additional ears and eyes within the community, able to spot problems at an early stage, and also being there to listen and give advice to people on a wide range of issues".

From this week Lincolnshire has 20 CSO's spread across the whole county.

PC Dave Allen, who chairs the Police Federation in the county, has been critical of the decision by the Home Office to fund the scheme. He says the government should spend the money on police recruitment.

Despite his reservations the scheme is set to be extended and next year the county will receive funding for 32 Community Support Officers.

In total 27 forces across the country have applied to join the scheme. The 'bobby on the beat' may never be the same again.

We want your views

Do you believe that Community Support Officers can make a difference in the fight against vandalism and anti-social behaviour?

Or do you agree with the Police Federation that the money would be better spent on 'real' police officers?

Bobbies on the beat or coppers on the cheap? E-mail us below with your thoughts.

The Politics Show - we aim to get closer to your community so join our presenter Adrian Goldberg every Sunday at noon on BBC One.

Send us your comments:

Name:


Your E-mail address:


Country:


Comments:

Disclaimer: The BBC will put up as many of your comments as possible but we cannot guarantee that all e-mails will be published. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments that are published.