"TOO MALE AND TOO WHITE"!

PCSO Steve

Community Support Officer Steve is a uniform costume complete with over-sized police hat, radio, shoes and even a name badge. (Police Mascot)

The character of PCSO Steve is based on a real officer in Sutton, Surrey, and is a regular visitor to primary schools and public events in the capital.

But he has come under fire from ONE Metropolitan Police sergeant who said he fails to represent the communities he serves because PCSO Steve, which is white with blue eyes and blond hair, risks leaving Asian and women officers "isolated".

As a result, police chiefs said they are working to develop a new range of both police constable and community support officer characters, at a cost of over £15,000 !

In a letter to police in-house magazine The Job, the officer criticised the lack of thought behind the character, saying that at a recent event, "An Asian member of our team agreed to fulfil the role of Steve, getting inside the suit."

"However, he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and, because the character is a white, blond-haired male - who would not have dark-skinned arms - it became apparent that the officer would not be able to perform the role."

"Female members of the team also felt isolated, due to the gender issue - I understand the concept of using a mascot. However, why wasn't more thought put into the development of the character?"

However this officer is obviously dedicated more to playing the race card than about REAL police work - why create a problem where none existed before, and precisely why should the taxpayer have to fork out £15,000 to solve a "problem" which only ONE officer had complained about?

Mellissa Dorrell, of the Metropolitan Police, said the success of PCSO Steve in Sutton led to his duties being expanded across the capital: "Having proved a huge success for that team, it was decided the idea would be developed by the central safer neighbourhoods unit and made available to all teams as an 'engagement tool.'"

So what's next - a one legged, gay, transgender, Muslim, Sikh, who has a blind lesbian gilfriend who was once a Metropolitan Police sergeant called PC Dickhead?

DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT - JOIN NAVIGOR TODAY !