Chief Inspector’s Update

By Southend District Commander Chief Inspector Jo Collins.

I HOPE this update finds you well with the lighter, longer days a welcome change.

Lots of people love watching a police documentary or drama and I am often asked are they realistic, so I wanted to share with you a day in the life of a Police Community Support Officer, so you can see for yourself what happens on a typical day in the community.

The key role of a Police Community Support Officer (PSCO) is to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.

Most days see our PCSO’s supporting community policing work by carrying out targeted patrols, being accessible through our ‘Let’s talk’ events and liaising closely with partners to solve or allay concerns people may have.

Our day begins with a briefing with our shift which consists of PCSO’s and Neighbourhood Police Officers, Town Team Officers, sergeants, and our inspector. In our briefing we are informed of low-level crimes, any intelligence for our areas and any wanted persons to look out for.

Our Sergeant will allocate any low-level incidents that will need to be attended based on the areas and wards that we cover and inform us of any community-based events/high visibility patrols and any enquiries that need to be completed during the shift to support colleagues from the Community Policing Team as well as other departments.

PCSOs do not have any powers of arrest, do not carry handcuffs, baton, or Pava. As PCSO’s we have good communication skills, which keeps us safe and we also have body worn cameras.

The role of a PCSO and a Police Officer are completely different. Each PCSO must look after their own wards along with their neighbourhood constable. They engage with members of the public, so they know a familiar face and contact for their area.

Some days we may be asked to do CCTV and house to house enquires following an incident or crime, we hold ‘Let’s Talk’ events where members of the public are invited to come and talk to us at various locations, at the start and end of a school day we will patrol outside schools for parking issues.

We also visit educational establishments, pre-school, schools and speak to the children about our role, stranger danger and how to keep safe and answer any questions that they have which can be very entertaining!

We also assist in searching for missing people, scene preservation – this is where a significant incident has occurred, we could be standing on a cordon for several hours making sure that it is preserved and that the best evidence can be obtained from the scene we are protecting.

We also deal with abandoned and stolen vehicles, conduct reassurance and welfare checks, give court warnings, deal with property and we carry out a large amount of partnership working. We are sometimes required to attend court to give evidence. We also work alongside the other emergency services.

Day to day we give advice on crime prevention, fraud and scams and often attend the Local Community Meetings for our wards where councillors and members of the public voice concerns and ask questions.

Read more.

Visit: https://leigh-on-sea.news

Contact us. Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighonsea.news

Twitter: @leighonsea_news

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighonsea.news