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UNISON PCSOs NEWSLETTER/Issue 2 May 2008

OverviewPCSOs are an increasing part of local quality of life. They provide the human face of public and political commitment to make our society a better place to live.

But the work they do is often painstaking and requires real presence, where it matters, in the community. Building up street-by-street, house-by-house knowledge is no longer possible for the standard police officer, yet it is vitally needed.

Some of the stories in this issue of PCSO@work, feature the footslogging and patient attention to detail that is typical of good PCSO operations. For instance, nearly a year on from the devastating floods of summer 2007, many communities are still struggling.

PCSOs have been important in keeping up spirits and ensuring that their neighbourhoods are safe.

There are similar stories of hard work in Newport, Gwent and East Staffordshire. It either involves careful logging of local intelligence or being prepared to sift a mass of paperwork to get an alcohol designation order.

There are many stories similar to this in PCSO practice and they all establish the important place that PCSOs now have in local life. UNISON is committed to ensuring that this is recognised and that the staff who deliver it are properly rewarded and professionally accepted.

Mopping up operationsA year after the floods in South Yorkshire, householders are still coming to terms with the impact. PCSOs have been important in helping them

PCSOs have been crucial in keeping South Yorkshire community spirit going after the waters receded and the media lost interest. Locals have sometimes endured harsh weather conditions including high winds and freezing temperatures. There have also been worries about the security of salvaged effects stored upstairs in flood damaged homes - a tempting target for thieves.

Twelve months on, many from the Toll Bar area of Doncaster are still in caravans. PCSO supervisor, Thordale Elsson with other South Yorkshire PCSOs has been pro-active in helping to support this and other flood-ravaged communities. Children at the local school were traumatised by the

experience and visits by PCSOs help to reassure them.

Thordale says: ‘According to the headteacher, lots of kids get very upset when there is any sign of bad weather. ‘

There is still a great deal of distress going on, he adds.

‘The PCSOs have the time to work with the community and help them through this.’

PCSOs and police officers are involved in mounting a festival next month, marking 12 months on from the floods and helping people to look forward.

Paula Simpson, one of the PCSOs, says the floods have at least helped break down barriers between police personnel and local people. PCSOs can

claim some credit for that.

A good deal of her work support work has been through the local

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Got a PCSO story for the bulletin? Contact the editor, Laurence Pollock on 01234 757689 or email broadgreen68@btinternet.com

Uniform clean-up – claim now

Thanks, MarianThe police service group has been a growing and dynamic sector of UNISON and PCSOs have been an important part of that. Assistant national officer Marian Boston has been with the service group for more than seven years.

More members, new professional roles (e.g. PCSOs) and more conferences and seminars have all brought great demands on head office staff at Mabledon Place. Marian has coped patiently and professionally, giving UNISON a first rate service. She is now shifting to a different service group and their gain is the police sector’s great loss.

She has been replaced as assistant national officer by Dave Bryant. In addition Joan Rodiss will take on a new committee administration role for the Police Staff executive and Police Staff Council.

National officer Ben Priestley said: ‘I am sure that you will join with me in expressing our gratitude and appreciation of both the marvellous work which Marian has done on behalf of the Police Executive.’

PCSOs and other unformed police staff need to get to grips with cleaning allowances.

It all adds up when you are balancing the books at the end of the month.

After some effort, Paul Farley, branch secretary of Cambridgeshire Police UNISON obtained confirmation from HM Revenue and Customs that PCSOs can claim the increased rate of £140 fixed rate expenses for this.

Those already claiming fixed rate expenses at £55 have to apply for the increase, and those and who do not yet claim should claim the full allowance. This brings them back into line with police officers.

To ease this process Paul can send out claim letter templates – see contacts below.

Paul added: ‘Unfortunately we have not yet secured this increase for detention officers or other uniformed police staff. I shall be writing to the

HMRC on behalf of these staff in the near future.

‘Members should be clear that our intervention and support from the payroll section secured this increase for them.’

In Hampshire UNISON has been advising staff who qualify for this allowance for some years now. But branch secretary Kathy Symonds says the branch was not aware that they needed to ensure, individually, that the increase to £140 annually, was implemented.

‘The allowance can be claimed by any member of staff who wears a uniform that they are required to launder themselves. These can be considered as uniform if they could not be worn when off duty.

‘If the employer provides cleaning tokens the value of these is deducted from the allowance. The allowance can be claimed retrospectively - up to six tax years provided there was a

requirement to wear uniform during this time.’

Michael Shepherd, branch secretary at Staffordshire said UNISON handed out tax claim forms to colleagues in the area communication rooms, and they are now concentrating on other areas such as front offices, forensic investigation department and any one else who wears a uniform.

Contact Paul Farley email: Paul.Farley@cambs.pnn.police.uk tel: 01354 606 508

Toll Bar junior school. Each PCSO is allocated one school where they build contacts and become familiar figures. The PCSOs have been delivering a web based safety programme called MissDorothy.Com but Paula says building links in the area has been difficult in the past.

‘There has been mistrust of the police in the area and doors have been closed. But since the floods the relationship between PCSOs and police on the one hand and the community on the other has turned around.

‘We have been able to offer reassurance to people who are stuck on a caravan site fearing that their own homes are being broken into and stored possessions being stolen. People in that community are much more ready to speak to us now.’

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Handling the paperwork Quality of life issues are time consuming, slow and bureaucratic. But when you have the patience of PCSO Matt Eagles you can still make it happen.

Matt from Burton-on-Trent (below)applied to East Staffordshire Borough Council Licensing Committee for

an alcohol ‘designation order’ for an area on his patch. The order bans drinking in the area and allows police to confiscate alcohol.

The area affected is

called The Green, a small play area in Brizlincote Valley and Stapenhill. It faced the traditional problem of youths gathering and drinking under-age. Over 50 per cent of anti-social behaviour calls in Brizlincote Valley related to The Green.

Terry says: ‘The residents approached me with the problem and I took it upon myself to solve it. In January last year I had enough evidence to submit an application.

‘The entire process took over 12 months to complete and a lot of hard work and effort went into the application. I also had help and support from others but the majority of the work was done by myself.’

The local residents say they are pleased that somebody has finally listened to their concerns and actively done something to improve their quality of life. Terry’s commitment is an excellent example of neighbourhood policing and reassurance that PCSOs are working hard to improve the communities that they represent.

Penny checks out Oz‘You mean you patrol on foot, alone, without gun, spray, baton or cuffs. Stone the crows.’

Australian police officers who met Suffolk PCSO Penny Molkenthin (below) were taken aback at how close to the community, PCSOs got. Penny says most Oz cops (there are no PCSO equivalents) do not do foot patrol.

Penny, a PCSO since October 2006, was chosen to spend a month in New South Wales as part of a Rotary International group study exchange scheme.

This is aimed at those who are relatively new to their career and working in a professional environment. She was invited to apply for nomination by a rotarian who works at the Age Concern centre on her beat.

She was selected in a five-strong group that included a youth offending officer, an environmental officer and a licensing sergeant: ‘We were all strangers and we needed to get to know each other pretty quickly. But we all liked life and we were all interested in making a difference.’

The group ended up in Rotary District 9700 and their four week travels included two days in Sydney and visits to Orange and Wagga Wagga.

‘I did 20 presentations and I didn’t get a tan,’ says Penny. ‘Everyone was kind and generous and I believe I have made life long friends.’

Penny confirms the Australian sense of humour but also discovered, to her amazement that the soap opera The Bill has cult status. Some questioners wanted to know if she starred in it.

But she adds: ‘The main question I got, all the way through was “Why do you do your job without baton, sprays, cuffs or gun?”

‘They understand the gun thing but they couldn’t get their heads around the rest of it. They thought I was crazy.’

Penny did get some hands-on experiences, witnessing prisoners being taken into custody, going out on patrol and acting as a stooge in a firearms exercise (no harm done).

‘It was a fascinating experience – we were travelling in remote places well away from the tourist trail.’

An Austrlian group from the same district including some police personnel is expected in Suffolk (and neighbouring counties) soon. Penny is looking forward to returning the welcome.

‘This has a been a great experience and I would like to thank Rotary International both for making it possible and giving this recognition to the PCSO role.

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To join UNISON call 0845 355 0845 (voice) 0800 0 967 968 (text)www.unison.org.uk

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Getting to know youAndy Norman (right) is a familiar figure around Commercial Road, Bolt Close and Capel Crescent.

Gwent’s PCSO of the year has enjoyed three commendations, four good work reports and loads of appreciation from the public.

He puts it down to his communication skills allowing him to build a strong relationship with both the older generation and the young people of the Pillgwenlly area of Newport.

Unlike many PCSO beats, Pillgwenlly is more noted for drug dealing and prostitution than the anti-social behaviour that attracts newspaper headlines. Andy is dealing with real problems and significant criminality.

A key part of his job is building up the intelligence which allows CID to target the dealers and pimps who are blighting the environment and ruining people’s lives.

‘I have been a PCSO in “Pill” for four years. When I came, the role was unknown and it has taken that time to build rapport and get people to tell me things. It is a very difficult area.’

Andy is a Newport man himself and he asked to be posted to Pill: ‘I felt I could make a difference.’

But he acknowledges that the system works because PCSOs and police officers – in all parts of the hierarchy – are working together.

All aboard – hold tightFour Gwent PCSOs have been sponsored to ride the buses in the Newport area. Now they are helping to ‘green’ the city.

The scheme, which began in March, aims to provide a reassuring presence on Newport’s bus network in order to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour. It also means more people might be tempted to get out of their cars.

The PCSOs will also use their traffic enforcement powers to help with the smooth running of roads used by buses in the city.

Newport Transport will initially sponsor the PCSOs for three years, with an option for both parties to extend the deal. The company is committing £180,000 over the three years for the PCSOs and services from police officers when required.

PCSO Owen Reynalds said the main hot spots involved youth causing problems at the bus stations and at certain stops.

‘I believe we are making a difference already,’ he said. ‘Members of the

public tell us how reassuring it is to see a police presence on the buses. Building up intelligence was slow at first but we are getting to know the drivers. They are an important source of information.’

The UK’s railways carry around two billion passengers a year and have the benefit of the British Transport Police. But there has never been anything specifically for the bus industry, which carries more than five billion passengers annually. Newport

buses, alone, carry nearly eight million passengers a year.

Chief Inspector Simon Jeffries said: ‘Working together we aim to reduce people’s fear of crime and antisocial behaviour, keep the transport network running smoothly and to reassure the travelling public. Newport is a city with massive regeneration and in terms of our green credentials, encouraging more people to use effective and safe public transport is a key objective.’

Managing director of Newport Transport Trevor Roberts added: ‘The very visible presence of the PCSOs will generate a safer environment for public transport in Newport.

‘The close cooperation between the two organisations through this partnership will benefit not only bus users and the staff delivering the service but the community in general.

‘I would like to thank Gwent Police for working so closely with us to deliver this tailor-made solution and I look forward to it having a positive impact on the provision of public transport in the city.’

PCSOs Chris Burge (left) and Owen Reynalds (right) are fully on board

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