POLICE UNIFORMS

Union leaders have called for community support officers (PCSOs) to be given a similar uniform to the one worn by ordinary police officers.

Unison wants a standard uniform for PCSOs to be introduced as soon as possible to end the variations across the UK and encourage greater respect from the public.

It has already suggested a uniform bearing the police force's crest, a blue and white chequerboard hat and a stab vest, to the Home Office. (Police Uniforms)

But their plans were immediately dismissed by the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, as "dangerous and ill-conceived".

The Federation warned that the change could build expectations among the public about the duties of the support staff.

And the Home Office said it was an issue for police forces to decide on.

Around 16,000 PCSOs currently patrol the streets of England and Wales.

Their main aim is to deter criminals and reassure communities with their high-visibility presence but they also help regular officers at crime scenes.

They can also detain a suspect until a police officer arrives, demand an offender's name and address, seize drugs, disperse groups and hand out fixed penalty notices for disorder.

Despite this, more than a third of police forces refuse to allow PCSOs to wear the force crest, while others do not provide them with stab vests.

Unison's national officer Ben Priestley said the community officers wanted the right tools for their job to help make local communities safer.

He added: "The work of PCSOs is often very high-profile, challenging and sometimes dangerous.

"To do the job properly they need the right kit, a uniform that is distinctive, practical, smart and carries the authority of office.

"Unfortunately, some police forces give their PCSOs poor uniforms and inadequate equipment. This puts them at risk and damages the public image of these forces."

A uniform like the one suggested has already already been adopted by some forces, including Sussex, Cambridgeshire and Devon and Cornwall, it said.

The union now wants the Home Office to adopt it for all PCSOs.

However, chairman of the Police Federation, Jan Berry, raised concerns about the suggestion.

She would it serve "no greater purpose than fooling the public into thinking there are more officers on the beat than in reality there are".

She told BBC Radio Four's Today programme: "They're not police officers, so they should be distinct and they should be different - otherwise there are expectations placed on the PCSOs that maybe they don't have the powers, the equipment or the experience to deal with.

"And, likewise, there's confusion for the public, who are expecting the PCSOs to do something."

A Home Office spokesman said: "It is not an issue for the Home Office to decide. This is an issue for the National Police Improvement Agency.

"We believe that individual forces should discuss the issue between themselves."

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