Letter: Are CSOs Labour’s policing on cheap?
Friday 27th November 2009, 7:00AM GMT.
Letter: Alan Johnson has stated that all victims of crime should be visited by the police – another ill-thought out idea from Labour.
Unfortunately whether it has been deliberate or not when Labour or some areas of the press mention the police they are actually talking about CSOs.
The CSO is a basic security guard with little power and who has a low level of training. The CSO is Labour’s dream of policing on the cheap, they have seen it as a quick-fix to the UK crime problem.
When Alan Johnson says every victim of crime should be visited by the police does he actually mean a police officer or CSO as I am sure many victims would be a little miffed if visited by a CSO.
We could get one fully and highly trained police officer for two or three CSOs which as a tax-payer I would see as a good use of tax-payers’ money, a CSO is not.
Questions need to be asked – How many police officers are needed to oversee CSOs? How much police time has been taken up dealing with incidents where the CSOs are out of their depth? What is the morale amongst trained police officers with the over-reliance on CSOs?
Perhaps Alan Johnson should ensure the punishments dealt out by the courts to the perpetrators of crime are severe, have the desired effect and satisfy the victim.
Andrew Finch
Shrewsbury
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I once had a CSO ask me to ‘desite’ from an activity that some busy body didn’t like me doing.
I just said no and my behaviour was legal – in fact it was not a criminal matter, as the CSO ccepted.
But having said that, he was courteous, unlike Police Officers I have dealt with, and I no longer continue this behaviour after dwelling on his remarks.
Therefore,I would suggest that the lack of ‘power’ of CSO develops a better community attitude and so achieves more than the arrogant attitude of police officers.
I think because CSOs aren’t see smashing in doors on dawn raids their contribution is overlooked.
Fact is, if I had been spoken to by an arrogant police officer in this instance, I would still be continuing the legal activity that upset some busy body.
CSO’s seem to me, to be to providing the community policing that regular officers don’t want to provide.
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Lucy is off again. Never miss an opportunity to “have a go” at the Police do you?
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Charlie Duck, merely sharing a real experience that compliments the CSO in case. Do you have any real-life experiences to share?
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Lucy,
my point A cso IS providing community policing but they are not sudo police officers AND SHOULD NOT BE DOING IT.
I would also add who has ever said the regular does not want to provide community policing?? it is not provided as money has been spent on giving us policing on the cheap with a cso.
I would also add that a cso is by no means well paid however the salary is actualy 3 1/2 – 4 k over what they should be paid, ie with regards to the role they play and the work they do as they are ONLY a presence on the streets nothing more.
Hence my complaint they are not value for money for the tax payer.
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I think the answer to ‘how many officers does it take to supervise the CSO’s ?’, is about one to every two or three.
I suspect we are only just around the corner from having senior CSO’s who get paid to supervise and/or train their like.
Before you know it there will be a whole new rank structure and have their very own minister in the cabinet.
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The realistic position is that very large numbers of experienced officers will leave the Police Service in next 2 years due to mass recruitment in the early 80′s. They are not being replaced, there is little recruitment so money can be saved.
The numbers are being supplemented by recruiting the CSO’s. As well stated the CSO has very little power and is very very limited in what they can deal with. Its great filling the newspaper’s with “puppy in the hat” pictures but it is at a price. Forces have to deal with serious and organised criminals, and also the threat posed by terrorists. Im afraid the CSO role can only assist with these in a very, very minimal way.
The wheel will fall off ( it always does ) and everyone will be wondering how we got ourselves into this mess.
Oh, and Lucie..there is vacancy at the moment in Cumbria where a brave PC gave his life to save others…A CSO would not be allowed within 10 mile of that situation…Perhaps you will be applaying ?
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I feel both CSO’s and police officers have their own roles which contribute. No a CSO cannot deal with more serious crimes but they get involved within in the community with a view to reducing/eradicating anti social type activities. If I’ve been attacked I want to see a police officer who trained to investigate such a serious offence, if I’ve got a complaint about kids kicking footballs into my garden a CSO will suffice. The problem seems to be that crimes are not categorised properly so you’ve got CSO’s trying to deal with robberies and trained police officers being sent to deal with unruly kids in the street. It’s all a bit back to front. They both run risks though because we all know the streets aren’t safe for anyone to walk around anymore.
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The only difference between a CSO and a police officer seems to be the respect they recieve from the general public and people such as Andrew Finch who call them ” security guards “. Perhaps if mr Finch started to show these hard working professionals a little respect then it may start to catch on..
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Spencer, This is my point they are not professionals . The wage they are paid reflects the duty they perform for the general public and there professional staus. what concerns me is the fact some cso may start to see themselves as the police which they are not.
As for the comments from s fowller I understand her view however trouble hot spots are exactly that hotspots and could have been dealt with by zero tolerance by our current police force.In shrewsbury the police know the trouble hotspots , a community warden job could have been created provided with a mobile hut they could have been introduced in to that area to report back to the police any trouble no matter how low level crime is crime again zero tolerance in these areas.What we have however is cso’s patrolling shrewsbury streets on mass NOT acceptable if trouble flares up the public will look to a police officer for help but only see a powerless cso standing there that is when they will see the results of policing on the cheap.
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