Community Police Officers (CPO)

[Kev]

I don't know whether these have any impact on local communities but I can't help giggle when I see them walking together with their uniforms with a hint of blue.

Every day I see at least 4 from the drive from the top of Lodge Lane to the bottom going about their business.

Yet the long drive along Aigburth Rd, you don't see any.

What's your experience of them?

[SteH]

Do you want to become one Kev, here's how.

[Kev]

No chance mate

[lindylou]

They are a common sight around Anfield. They are always walking around here.
The local asbos goad them.

[SteH]

Joking aside, you see them all over the place and they seem to have replaced the regular beat bobbies who now cruise round in patrol cars. Thats all very well if they can be effective, but they have no power of arrest and once the local local scallies get wind of that their lives must be hell.

[Kev]

Its funny how their faces just don't seem to fit in to the local areas they are put in.

[iain]

Although they've not got powers of arrest, they free up the time of the "real" police to go and arrest the scallies, by taking on the "community support" role (does exactly what it says on the tin ), making and maintaining links with people and businesses (saw some in Tesco tonight), doing talks, visiting schools, rescuing-the-cat-from-the-tree kind of stuff. They can deal with minor things, like dropping litter, by way of fixed penalties too.

Unfortunately cos they're not sent intentionally to confrontational situations (they're left to the constables) they're not always as fully equipped when it comes to body armour, but to a scally who hates the police, CSO or Constable makes no difference...

[WilliamBrown]

Ah! times change. In bygone days the local beat copper was also the community copper. (See an article in Scottie Press, St Josephs Parish). No armour - just a baton and whistle. Baton never used - or hardly ever. They knew their local people (scallies or otherwise - and the otherwise meant the really great people of the Pool - mostly the poor). Local coppers all had nicknames. When a copper was in trouble - many locals would phone for help from the nearest red telephone box, and even sometimes pitch in. Coppers walked the beat "as laid down" - going through a strict routine to be where they were supposed to be at any given time. This was for their saftey: no radio and quick call for 'back-up'. Only at night could you hear the THREE WHISTLE BLASTS from a copper in trouble. Community Policing -not a new idea. I'm surpised to hear of their limited powers. The old Special Constable had, at least a power of arrest. Although it was often a pain in the neck. No intent to disparage the contribution of the Specials in the Pool.

[John_142]

Ah! times change. In bygone days the local beat copper was also the community copper. (See an article in Scottie Press, St Josephs Parish). No armour - just a baton and whistle. Baton never used - or hardly ever. They knew their local people (scallies or otherwise - and the otherwise meant the really great people of the Pool - mostly the poor). Local coppers all had nicknames. When a copper was in trouble - many locals would phone for help from the nearest red telephone box, and even sometimes pitch in. Coppers walked the beat "as laid down" - going through a strict routine to be where they were supposed to be at any given time. This was for their saftey: no radio and quick call for 'back-up'. Only at night could you hear the THREE WHISTLE BLASTS from a copper in trouble. Community Policing -not a new idea. I'm surpised to hear of their limited powers. The old Special Constable had, at least a power of arrest. Although it was often a pain in the neck. No intent to disparage the contribution of the Specials in the Pool.

Specials only have the powe of citizeens arrest!

[SteH]

CSOs on Merseyside have now been given the power to disperse youths and seize motor vehicles.

http://www.merseyside.police.uk/html...cso-powers.htm

[Kev]

Yet they'll still plod along in twos in some weird alternative universe, head in the clouds etc.

[John(Zappa)]

Yet they'll still plod along in twos in some weird alternative universe, head in the clouds etc.

And doing bugger all else Kev,

[GingerTheCat]

CSOs on Merseyside have now been given the power to disperse youths and seize motor vehicles.

http://www.merseyside.police.uk/html...cso-powers.htm

Does anyone know what the 2 discretionary powers are. On their website they say there are 20 standard powers and a number of discretionary powers, 2 of which have been awarded in Merseyside.

One of them is probably the "Power to disperse groups and remove persons under 16 to their place of residence" but what is the other one?

I don't think its the "seize motor vehicles" one as that is in the standard 20.

[John_142]

Joking aside, you see them all over the place and they seem to have replaced the regular beat bobbies who now cruise round in patrol cars. Thats all very well if they can be effective, but they have no power of arrest and once the local local scallies get wind of that their lives must be hell.

They don't have Powers of Arrest but they do have the Power to detain people upto 30mins untill a patrol Arrives .

[Kev]

Saw two of them again at the bottom of Lode Lane, honestly they looked like they were in a world of their smiling and chatting to each other, I thought they were skipping holding hands at one point.