Petition launched over 8pm finish proposal for Police Community Support Officers
A petition has been launched against proposals for Police Community Support Officers to finish shifts at 8pm.
The plan for the shift changes was revealed earlier this year, with the proposal criticised by councillors.
West Mercia Police said that the move is part of a plan to save £350,000 without cutting staff.
Telford's Labour MP, Shaun Davies, has now launched a petition protesting the plan, saying Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) 'play a crucial role'.
He warned that limiting their hours could impact safety in Telford.
He said: "People deserve to know where this money is going instead. Residents have shared their concerns with me, highlighting that they have not been given an opportunity to voice their views on the issue.
"Our PCSOs play a crucial role in offering visible reassurance to residents and deterring crime, especially in the evenings when incidents of anti-social behaviour tend to rise.
"By limiting their working hours, we risk undoing the progress made in making Telford a safer place for all.”
Mr Davies said he wanted West Mercia's Police and Crime Commissioner to 'justify' the decision, calling for savings to be made in 'administrative expenses' instead.
West Mercia Police has stressed that the move is intended to meet cost-cutting plans without losing staff.
Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing, Grant Wills, said: “We have a proposal which suggests that PCSOs end their shifts at 8pm instead of the current 10pm, which would see a reduction in unsocial hours payments and would be a way of contributing to necessary savings without removing posts. We have considered the key times when PCSOs can be most effective and visible for our communities and have consulted with our PCSOs and to seek their views on this proposal.
“Over the last 12 months we have invested significantly in Neighbourhood Policing with, amongst other things, the introduction of 10 new town centre teams focused on visible policing, tackling crime, and reducing anti-social behaviour. It is also important to note that neighbourhood patrols are carried out 24/7/365 by officers, in addition to PCSO patrols.”
