Wednesday 4 March 2009

Different World's

I'm not one to bleat on about PCSO's having worked with some great and not so great people. I've posted only once on them, but the most recent Employment Tribunal involving PCSO Asad Saeed shows they are still flavour of the month with the press. I'm slightly peeved with the racist culprit being described as a policeman. Let's get it right he's not and wasn't, he was an unwarranted officer, a PCSO.

I usually steer away from posting on this subject, despite several years first hand experience of supervising community officers. I have numerous stories that would make your hair curl and no doubt make good press, but they shall remain with me. Stupid I am not. Suffice to say that I've just disciplined somebody for the first time ever in over 13 years and perhaps should have done the same last year to another staff member. Both would have been dismissed in a private sector job.

Supervision of community officers is something I've found very difficult. You can go out and patrol with them, but you police as a police officer and unless you went out and merely stepped back to observe, would never get a grasp of how they usually behave. When the cat's away the mice will play, and I've always thought some staff would turn it on when the sergeant is there, only to take the piss when he isn't. Police officers are the same, but are generally too busy with taskings and calls and can overall be trusted to get on with it.

From reading up on this case as best I can, we can assume these PCSO's driving about in vans were on security patrols in Westminster. As this has been going on since 2003 we might again assume that all concerned were amongst the first PCSO's recruited. What was it they got three weeks training? The fact is the Met recruited a large majority of staff at that time who were unsuitable for the role. They are now stuck with a large number of people who have hit the jackpot, earning more than a constable in training. They received little training from non police officers which included one day on diversity. No training at all on diversity in the workplace, and yes there is a difference. Plastic Fuzz posted on PCSO discipline in the Met and Westminster were found to commence misconduct proceedings the most.

It would appear that a sergeant to her credit wrote a report that ethnic minority staff felt they couldn't speak out to supervisors. In my experience there is a reluctance in all PCSO's black and white to report misconduct to line managers. I've had to literally sit people down and ask them direct about people having me over or behaving inappropriately to colleagues. They operate in a different world and under their own unwritten rules for some reason. They should let it be known who is letting the side down and giving PCSO's a bad name.

Things hopefully have improved with better quality people coming in, and also better training. PCSO's are here to stay, but I still say wait until after the Olympics in 2012. I suspect many will be outsourced to local authorities possibly employed by private companies doing traffic enforcement and other stuff, but still linked to policing through partnership. It makes financial sense and cash at the moment is King.

8 comments:

Constable Confused.com said...

There are good ones and then there are bad ones. Some,where I work, will even pinch your hi-vis vest/coat in order to have the word POLICE on their back instead of the PCSO (can't be bothered typing it). Some are very pro-active and get themselves in trouble but we have to help (another grade 1) and do so willingly.

Not rascist but do have issues with this article in the Daily Mail as some of the comments willingly point out.

Never thought I would agree with the Daily Hate Mail readers.

Oh well another supposed bad apple has left the job. If the allegations are true once again we are better off without him!

Dandelion said...

Fascinating.

It's difficult to expect PCSOs to report their colleagues' misconduct though, when the police proper are notorious for covering up eachother's misdeeds (cf De Menezes for a tip of the iceberg), and when the system appears to support this, by making it very easy so to do.

Anonymous said...

I think the MET is probably the biggest culprit for ill-discipline and poor quality of staff.

I became a PCSO for a Northern force 5 years ago. I got 6 weeks training, 3 months tuition and 1 year of probation.

As with any job, you will get idiots that will drag the rest of us down, they give us all a bad name and I'm glad we're getting rid of some of them.

PCSO's all over do good work, but if you want examples you really need to pick forces that give them all the powers and decent equipment. BTP and Notts being 2 examples.

Stressed Out Cop said...

C Confused

Some love the ego boost for sure

Dandelion

He's happy to go to ET with all publicity involved but was more coy in just saying to supervisor what was going on. I would hope that most Supv would deal with the issues properly. Many seeking promotion would love the evidence on their portfolio. At the end of the day he will get a nice payout through keeping Stum.

Anon

Welcome. Very good point you make. All forces are different and authorise different powers.The counties appear to get better value for money.Mainly the Met that gets the worst press.

Dandelion said...

Yes, because the Met are a bunch of corrupt incompetent racists that think it's ok to kill innocent people.

Not a good set-up in a free and fair democracy. They're a danger to the public.

Constable Confused.com said...

Oh god SOC,

you and dandelion should just meet up and get it over with. The tension is unbearable.

Regards to you both.

PS Dandelion, has the issue been resolved yet? Can I visit your blog?

Dandelion said...

I love that comment CoC :-)

No, my issue is still ongoing, but is at least progressing. Thank you for being so understanding.

PCSO VAGAS JACK said...

“the most recent Employment Tribunal involving PCSO Asad Saeed shows they are still flavour of the month with the press "

Not if its a positive story ie PCSO's saving lives, catching armed criminals with their bare hands and yes saving an old man from a freezing river.

We are only “flavour of the month” if its a negative story.