Chief Officer Speaks Out In Support Of PCSOs

OXFORDSHIRE’S top police officer has spoken out in support of Police Community Support Officers following a report in the Oxford Mail that PCSOs have not solved any crimes in Oxfordshire.
Chief Supt. Morley said: “The article today (30/8), which reports that PCSOs do not solve crimes, is misleading and is based on a misunderstanding of the role and the work that PCSOs do.
“Many people play a part in solving crime. Only the named police officer, who is the investigator, is formally credited with detecting that crime. It is like accusing forensic officers of not solving a crime, when in fact they play a vital part in the process.
“PCSOs contribute significantly to crime detection through their community work. Only last week in Witney, a PCSO stopped a man for cycling on the footpath. Inquiries revealed the bicycle was stolen and that the man was already wanted for a recall to prison. The PCSO called in a police officer and the man was arrested. PCSOs do not have the power of arrest, so it follows that arrests they have instigated are attributed to the arresting officer.
“I am extremely proud of the work that my PCSOs have done across Oxfordshire. Their community work is invaluable and cannot be quantified in crime detection figures.”

See the Oxford Mail’s original article. Link