Force axes PCSOs to save cash

THEY were introduced as a way of saving money while increasing the uniformed presence on our streets.

But 15 years on, Norfolk Police has become the first to scrap its police community support officers.

The force said ditching its 150 PCSOs is necessary to save money after budgets had been cut and resources needed to be focused on ‘complex’ offences like child abuse and cyber crime. The move in 2002 to replace traditional officers with PCSOs caused uproar among many who accused Labour of ‘policing on the cheap’.

But despite not having full powers of arrest, Norfolk’s Chief Constable Simon Bailey said the average cost of PCSOs compared to frontline officers is ‘no longer significantly different’.

The move will take effect from April next year and is expected to save £10million over the next three years.

Critics slammed the decision and accused the force of removing ‘eyes and ears’ from the neighbourhoods.