page_title: Police community support officer
section_title: Powers
hierarchical_section_title: Police community support officer / Powers
caption_attribution_description: English: Lady talking to Greater Manchester police outside Scientology centre (scientology manchester)
context_page_description: A police community support officer, or as written in legislation community support officer is a uniformed member of police staff in England and Wales, a role created by Section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002, which was given Royal Assent by Queen Elizabeth II on 24 July 2002. They are non-warranted but provided with a variety of police powers and the power of a Constable in various instances by the forty-three territorial police forces in England and Wales and the British Transport Police.
  PCSOs were introduced in September 2002 and first recruited by the Metropolitan Police. The first ever PCSO on the streets of the UK was Barry Faust who left Belgravia Police Station, London at 6am on 7 September 2002 to deliver a car to an east London garage to be fixed. His shift left the station at 7am.
  Proposals for PCSOs in Northern Ireland were prevented by a budget shortfall in the Police Service of Northern Ireland, as well as fears that the introduction of uniformed and unarmed PCSOs in Northern Ireland would mean they would potentially then become a "legitimate target" in the eyes of the IRA who have attacked other civilians working for the police in Northern Ireland in the past.
context_section_description: PCSO powers vary between forces. The powers of PCSOs mainly stem from the Police Reform Act 2002, and every PCSO since 2007 has a number of standard powers that were introduced for all PCSOs regardless of which force they belong to. This is in addition to the discretionary powers that can be designated by the chief constable or commissioner of each PCSO's respective force. Before 2003, the British Transport Police was unable to have PCSOs until Section 28 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 allowed the BTP Chief Constable to recruit PCSOs and designate powers to them using the Police Reform Act 2002—which previously only extended to chief constables or commissioners of territorial police forces.
  PCSOs have a duty to act in the same manner and to the same standards as a police constable. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary or criminal proceedings related to misfeasance in public office or malfeasance in public office. Leeway may be given depending on the situation, as the circumstances may dictate they do not have the training or equipment to deal with a situation like a constable could. It is also accepted that PCSOs do not have to intervene in high risk situations and it is reasonable if they decide to withdraw from one. This is due to the non-confrontational purpose of their role.
  PCSOs are not attested constables, and therefore do not have the same powers of arrest under section 24 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. They can, however, utilise the 'any person' powers of arrest under section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (commonly known as a citizens' arrest). This means they are able to arrest anyone without warrant providing there are reasonable grounds to suspect they are committing, or have committed or are suspected to be guilty of an indictable or 'either-way' offence. This covers offences such as arson, criminal damage, theft, assault, possession of a controlled drug and burglary, etc. All PCSOs can also make common law arrests in exactly the same manner as a constable to prevent a breach of the peace along with a power of entry.
  Legislation exists that states that PCSOs are entitled to use reasonable force in order to effect an arrest as described above (under section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967), or to forcibly detain (using Police Reform Act 2002 powers) There is also a 'reasonable code of conduct' which is a legitimate and tested defence to a (technical) common assault of which the courts have accepted and has now been written into case law ( e.g. leading two disputing parties away from each other to prevent a fight – technically an assault as neither party has been arrested/detained at this point, but still considered otherwise lawful).
  The term to detain (under the meaning of the Police Reform Act 2002) is a relatively new one, but under law, it is considered a temporary arrest (in accordance with Schedule 4, Part 1, Paragraph 2A(2)(b) of the Police Reform Act 2002). As a result, a PCSO may any person arrest someone he or she has reasonable grounds to suspect is attempting to escape from lawful custody when subject to a detention requirement (under Schedule 4, Part 1, Paragraph 2(3) of the Police Reform Act 2002). Section 38 Offences Against the Person Act 1861 also creates the offence of assault with intent to resist arrest, which also covers the "lawful apprehension/detention of himself or another". This is an either-way offence, meaning that the PCSO may also any person arrest for this offence in addition to the original proposed detention.
  In September 2018, Section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 created an either-way offence of any assault on any emergency worker, which includes PCSOs.
  PCSOs may, subject to permission from their force, carry handcuffs and leg restraints which are both governed by the Criminal Law Act 1967 or common law and can be used in the same manner as a constable. They may use them for detaining or arresting a person using reasonable force under the powers listed. There are four forces at present whos
caption: A PCSO of the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) talking to a member of the public whilst on duty. Note the plain blue band on his hat.
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