Police Community Support Officers (PCSO)

PCSO’s spend almost their entire time patrolling on foot or pedal cycle in order to meet with and be seen by the public. They work with the lead officers to undertake local problem solving in conjunction with partners and the public and are crucial in obtaining information about crime and disorder from the community. For example, they are heavily involved in Local Action Teams and our constant battle to reduce anti social behaviour. PCSO’s are able to deal with the following offences:

In the event of a PCSO attending a Road Traffic Accident they have the following powers:

• Non-Injury (damage only) – to apply a risk assessment to the situation, ascertain that everyone is injury free, remove obstructions to allow free passage of other road or foot traffic, ensure that all parties have exchanged details, identify any potential witnesses.
• Injury Road Traffic Crash – to apply a risk assessment to the situation, ascertain injuries and apply first aid if appropriate, preserve the scene, obtain police and ambulance assistance, establish witness identities, direct traffic accordingly and maintain security around the scene.

Offences for which the PCSO is empowered to make decisions regarding action are:

• Issue of Fixed Penalty Notice ( FPN ) for dog fouling, littering and riding on footpaths.
• Power to request name and address for FPN offences, and offences that cause injury, alarm and distress to another person or damage or loss to another persons property.
• Power to request the name and address of a person acting in an antisocial manner.
• Power to request a person to stop drinking in a designated public area and to surrender containers of alcohol.
• Power to confiscate alcohol from young persons.
• Power to confiscate cigarettes and tobacco products from young people.
• Power of entry to premises to save life or limb, or to prevent serious damage to property. - Power to seize vehicles used to cause alarm and distress.
• Power to require removal of abandoned vehicles.
• Power to stop a vehicle for emissions testing.
• Power to regulate traffic for purpose of escorting abnormal loads.
• Power to stop vehicles for purpose of road check (in presence of police officer in uniform only)
• Power to maintain and enforce a cordoned area established under the Terrorism Act.
• Driving elsewhere than a road for more than 15 yards (Fixed Penalty Notice or verbal warning)
• Failing to Exhibit Excise Licence (Fixed Penalty Notice)
• Unnecessary Obstruction of Highway (Fixed Penalty Notice)
• Waiting where prohibited (loading and unloading) (Fixed Penalty Notice)
• Limited waiting (Fixed Penalty Notice)
• Parking an HGV on the Footpath or Verge (Fixed Penalty Notice)

For Information on contacting PCSOs visit the following website:

Sussex Police

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Last revised 5th March 2007