I see both sides, my own two pence is that we are on patrol part as front line policing. No we are not dispatched to dangerous incidents but we do come across them!

“The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.”
Nylon Quilted Vest

What a belter.

ilaya9301 wrote:I have enjoyed reading your articles. It is well written. It looks like you spend a large amount of time and effort in writing the blog. I am appreciating your effort. .

My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!

It WAS delicious, I got to share some of it!!

interesting blog. It would be great if you can provide more details about it.

Thanks for the information, we will add this story to our blog, as we have a audience in this sector that loves reading like this”

I actually enjoyed reading through this posting. Many thanks.

Hi ilaya9301

I too think it is delicious that PCSOs in West Mids don't have stab vests.

I am not really a PCSO, I am a member of the Nigerian Royal Family. Please send me your bank account details and PIN number so that I can make a donation to your fine web site.

Regards,

Prince Arthur.

I have enjoyed reading your articles. It is well written. It looks like you spend a large amount of time and effort in writing the blog. I am appreciating your effort. .

My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!

It WAS delicious, I got to share some of it!!

interesting blog. It would be great if you can provide more details about it.

Thanks for the information, we will add this story to our blog, as we have a audience in this sector that loves reading like this”

I actually enjoyed reading through this posting. Many thanks.


Safety Vests

Issuing Stab Vests or Slash Resistant Clothing to PCSO has to become compulsary, it has to become law everywhere in the UK. I am not saying because I am the Managing Director of ASEO Europe, I say it because I genuinly believe in every employees right to stay safe and be equipped with PPE. It is simply a shame that some authorities and forces seem to want to put a price on human life. I personally have seen too many frontline operatives getting assaulted, with some of these professionals suffering fatal injuries resulting in the death of the person. Unfortunatelly we always seem to believe THIS is not going to happen within our force or authority untill proven wrong.

There seem to be some rather naive opinions on here. 'Paul Scott-Lee a nice guy and if he says we don't need stab vests, fine'. What garbage. This is nothing to do with need, it's an issue of cost. WMP were one of the last forces to issue Specials with stab vests and when they eventually did we had a pool of various sizes rather than personal issue. You took your chance on finding one that was a near fit and hopefully not soaked with someone elses sweat. Those of us who were sensible found one that fitted on the day they arrived and kept it in our locker or took it home. I seem to remember WMP specials were also some of the last to receive decent radios, having to make do with a pool of old Kenwoods whilst our regular colleagues had personal issue Motorola's. All very well if you patrol the minimum 4 hours a month but I was regularly booking 25 hours a week and often patroled with two or three spare batteries in my pocket as they went flat after a couple of hours use.

My wife is a WMP PCSO who is happy in her role and quite content to operate within the imposed limitations. However, on several occasions she has been sent to back-up her regular colleagues in drug arrests, assist in searches and guard murder scenes late at night. She also regularly has to patrol alone in an area which I would personally have refused to go had I not been issued with CS, baton, cuffs and eventually a stab vest. Anyone who believes that the role of PCSO in none confrontational is living in Cloud Cuckoo Land. The very presence of a Police badge on the uniform is an invitation for confrontation. Even local authority street wardens get stab vests, and more powers, as it happens..

self29 wrote: Secondly, can you choose where you want to work, as I don't want to patrol in Newcastle, I want to look after my own neighbourhood.

You may or may not; it'll depend on the force's requirements at the time. And don't forget they can redeploy you elsewhere at a later date.

As far as I'm aware there are no current PCSO vacancies in the Northumbria area at this time.
The best thing to do would be to ring recruitment at H.Q. as they should be able to give you more information.
As you'll have to wait until April next year, there will be plenty of time for you to prepare.

Hi, I live in quite a safe community , however recently there has been a lot of crime in my area, mainly ASBOs. Once, at a friends house, we were having a party and some local lads demanded to come in, we didn't (obviously) allow them in but then they started throwing rocks through the window, we phoned the Police, but because the Station in the village is never open it took absolutely ages for a officer to arrive.

It is because of this, and for my desire to join the Police after University, that I want to become a PCSO in my community. Not being modest at all, but I believe I have the personal qualities, I can speak German and Spanish fluently and I am a quite stocky 6ft 1 rugby player. However, I have three questions;

Firstly, I am only 17 years old, turning 18 in April, will this affect my application because I have been told there is no minimum age on becoming a PCSO. Secondly, can you choose where you want to work, as I don't want to patrol in Newcastle, I want to look after my own neighbourhood. And finally, does anyone know where you can sign up for a PCSO place at Northumbria? I've been looking all over their website and all they provide is an application form for a Special Constable, but because of my age I cannot obviously join that sector.

Thanks,
self29

This is the second incident were a PCSO has been stabbed and it was only last week that a traffic warden was kick half to death over issuing a ticket. Any one who works within law enforcement in this day and age that’s dealing with the public should be issued vests. No one can predict another human beings behaviour. Let’s face it the world is a crazy place with a lot of harm done to a lot of innocent people. If we fail to prepare we prepare to fail!

Danny

so so so sad but so so so true

Anonymous wrote:Will we ever get vests? That is the question!

NO... not until a PCSO in the West Mids is stabbed and killed oh and he/she will need to be stabbed in a place that a vest would of covered...or thet will say the wearing of a vests would not of prevented the injury...

now theres a pcso been stabed in the met, what can we do if they still cant see we need protection.#

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6264686.stm

Will we ever get vests? That is the question!