Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO)?
Are PCSO’s replacing police officers?
Are PCSO’s like Special Constables?
Why is Cambridgeshire Constabulary employing PCSO’s?
Where will PCSO’s work?
What powers do PCSO’s have?
How can PCSO’s be effective without full police powers?
Why can’t Cambridgeshire Constabulary just employ more police constables?
How are PCSO’s accountable?
How can you tell a PCSO from a police officer?
What equipment do PCSO’s carry?
Will I have to work shifts as a PCSO?
Are there opportunities to work part-time and flexible hours as a PCSO?
How old do I have to be to apply to become a PCSO?
Can I apply with criminal convictions?
Do I have to be a British Citizen?
If I am female, or a member of a minority group, will my application be discriminated against?
Can I apply if I have tattoos?
What qualifications do I need to become a PCSO?
If I am unsuccessful at any stage of the recruitment process, when can I re-apply?
Do I have to be tall to be a PCSO?
Can I wear religious clothing?
How long is my probationary period?
What happens in a medical examination?
What happens in a drugs test?
What is a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO)?
PCSO’s are members of support staff employed, directed and managed by Cambridgeshire Constabulary. They work alongside police officers to provide a visible and accessible uniformed presence to improve the quality of life in the community and offer greater public reassurance.
Are PCSO’s replacing police officers?
No, PCSO’s are in addition to existing police officers
Are PCSO’s like Special Constables?
No, PCSO’s have a unique role designed purely to tackle anti-social behaviour and quality of life issues. While Special Constables are unpaid volunteers with similar powers to that of regular full time police officers, PCSO’s are paid Support Staff employees with their own unique powers.
Why is Cambridgeshire Constabulary employing PCSO’s?
Public demand for visible patrol has never been greater. We have taken advantage of new opportunities arising from Government reform of policing to increase our capacity to meet this demand and deliver the service our communities expect and deserve.
PCSO’s are employed in all of our Basic Command Units (BCU’s). Cambridgeshire Constabulary is made up of 3 BCU’s with Northern Division covering Peterborough, Central Division covering Huntingdon, St Neots, St Ives, March, Chatteris and Wisbech and Southern Division covering Cambridge, Ely, Sawston and Histon.
All PCSO’s have the following powers:
- Issuing fixed penalty notices (e.g. riding on footpaths, dog fouling and litter).
- Confiscating alcohol and tobacco.
- Enter property to save life or prevent damage.
- Demand the name and address of a person acting in an anti-social manner.
- Remove abandoned vehicles.
- Seize vehicles being used to cause alarm or distress.
How can PCSO’s be effective without full police powers?
PCSO’s are not police officers. Their main role is to deal with quality of life issues that do not always require the presence of a police officer. All PCSO’s will be given full training to enable them to take appropriate action in the event of difficult circumstances. They will be supervised by police officers and will carry radios to enable them to call for assistance, should it be required.
Why can’t Cambridgeshire Constabulary just employ more police constables?
We continue to employ as many police officers as Government funding allows. However, we need to provide a more visible and accessible uniformed foot patrol and tackle quality of life issues. These tasks do not always require the powers or experience of police officers, but often take them away from more appropriate duties.
PCSO’s are full members of Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s police staff and have been recruited to ensure they meet the high levels of integrity we expect of all staff. They are subject to internal and external discipline and complaints procedures so they are fully accountable for their actions. PCSO’s are subject to the same level of standards and scrutiny as other staff and are fully accountable to their Line Managers.
How can you tell a PCSO from a police officer?
PCSO’s have their own style of uniform which makes it easier to tell the difference between them and police officers. PCSO’s have blue bands around their hats, blue ties, and blue epaulettes on their shoulders. On the back of their coat or jacket it says POLICE COMMUNITY SUPPORT OFFICER. All PCSO’s carry personal identification and if you are in any doubt about a person’s identity, ask them to show you their identification card.
What equipment do PCSO’s carry?
PCSO’s will wear protective vests, but will not carry other personal protection equipment such as CS spray or batons. They will all have a personal radio that provides immediate access to police communications and support.
Will I have to work shifts as a PCSO?
Yes, the shift system covers the hours between 8am and midnight, including weekends and public holidays.
Are there opportunities to work part-time and flexible hours as a PCSO?
Yes, part-time and flexible hours will be considered.
How old do I have to be to apply to become a PCSO?
At present, you can apply to become a PCSO at the age of 18.
Can I apply with criminal convictions?
You may be eligible to join with minor convictions or cautions, but this depends on how old you were at the time and what the conviction or caution was for. There are certain types of offences which will lead to instant rejection, such as murder, manslaughter, death by reckless driving, rape, kidnapping, firearms offences, gross indecency, hostage taking, hi-jacking or torture.
Do I have to be a British Citizen?
To be eligible for appointment you must be a British Citizen or an EC or EEA national or a Commonwealth Citizen or Foreign National with no restrictions on your stay in the UK. You must have also lived in the UK for a minimum of 3 years prior to your application.
If I am female, or a member of a minority group, will my application be discriminated against?
No, Cambridgeshire Constabulary particularly welcome and encourage applications from female and ethnic minority groups as they are under represented. The principles of fair and open competition apply and appointments will be made on merit.
Can I apply if I have tattoos?
Yes, as long as your tattoo will not cause offence to members of the public or your colleagues.
What qualifications do I need to become a PCSO?
There are no formal educational requirements to become a PCSO, but applicants must undergo a written test at the assessment centre. Therefore a reasonable standard of English is required.
If I am unsuccessful at any stage of the recruitment process, when can I re-apply?
If you are unsucessful at any stage of the process, you will not have to wait any length of time before you can re-apply. However, we recruit at certain times and you can only re-apply if we are recruiting.
Do I have to be tall to be a PCSO?
No, there are no height restrictions in place.
Can I wear religious clothing?
Cambridgeshire Constabulary respects individuals needs, particularly religious or cultural needs. A number of our officers wear a turban whilst on duty. We will also try wherever possible to accommodate other forms of religious clothing.
How long is my probationary period?
The probationary period for PCSO’s is 12 months.
What happens in a medical examination?
All applicants for PCSO will undergo a medical examination as part of the selection process.
The examination will take approximately 30 minutes and will be carried out by the Occupational Health Nurse Adviser.
With the OHNA
- Previous medical history and whether you have been exposed at any time to Occupational hazards.
- Height and weight
- Urine testing for which you will need to produce a fresh urine sample (please do not bring one with you). It is tested for sugar and protein to identify underlying health problems and evidence of substance misuse.
- Audiogram, which is a hearing test. The result of this test are better if you have avoided loud noises over the preceding 48 hours – e.g. Nightclubs and parties, DIY with drills/saws, use of personal stereo.
- Spirometry, which is a test for lung function.
- Simple eye testing including the colour blindness plates.
You MUST bring
Spectacles if you wear them. If you wear contact lenses, please bring solution and storage pot. Record of vaccinations, particularly if you have been vaccinated for Hepatitis B. Any medication you are taking.
Female Candidates
Should you feel more comfortable during the medical examination with another female present, please speak to the OH Nurse or Administration Manager who will arrange for someone to ‘chaperon’
Queries
If you have any further queries please contact the Occupational Health Unit on: 01480 422632
Please read 'What happens in a medical examination?'
