New career path for PCSOs to become investigators
Police community support investigators (PCSIs) have been introduced at Dorset Police following public feedback that the force was not responding to crimes in a “timely and efficient” manner.
Thirty-one PCSIs will be based in police stations in Poole, Bournemouth, Blandford, Weymouth, Ferndown, Wareham and Bridport.
Dorset Police said the introduction of the new post creates an unprecedented career path for police community support officers (PCSOs) to progress into investigation roles.
On top of the initial nine weeks training to be a PCSO, the new PCSIs must undertake a further eight-week intensive training programme, involving four weeks of classroom learning and four weeks of shadowing police constables.
The investigators will attend appointments at a pre-agreed time and location to deal with incidents where there is lower harm and risk, including assaults, criminal damage and harassment.
They will carry out the initial investigation, checking CCTV and taking statements, and provide reassurance and crime prevention advice to the victim.
Assistant Chief Constable Julie Fielding said the new initiative reflects the modern demands the force faces, such as online crime and child sexual exploitation.
She added: “As has been sen in other parts of the country, policing numbers have reduced over the last five years and we must constantly evolve how we operate to ensure we best meet the needs of Dorset residents.
“This is an exciting time for our PCSIs who have been recruited from our existing PCSOs. They bring with them a range of skills and years of policing experience which will be very useful in their new roles.
“We have been able to invest in increasing resources in areas where we experience significant demand by retraining and redeploying PCSOs from our neighbourhood policing teams, whilst still enabling them to carry out some of their more traditional responsibilities wherever and whenever it is appropriate in a more flexible role.
“Neighbourhood policing is still at the centre of everything we do in Dorset and we remain committed to supporting local communities who expect and deserve a visible policing presence. We will continue to have police officers and PCSOs working as part of our neighbourhood policing teams across the county.”
Police and crime commissioner Martyn Underhill said: “Now more than ever, we need to be making best use of available resources. Giving PCSOs an opportunity to diversify their careers is important if we are to retain skilled individuals with a solid understanding of local needs.
“But beyond this, with PCSIs taking on the initial investigatory work in relation to low threat crimes, our PCSOs will be better able to fulfil their core community engagement role while police officers will have more time to tackle high risk crimes in Dorset.
“I am confident this will improve experiences of policing for residents and I am pleased that my decision to raise the precept will support ongoing work such as this to meet the changing demands we face.”
PCSI Cheryl Belfield added: “I’ve been a police community support officer now for eight years, but having the opportunity to progress my career within policing was an opportunity I jumped at.
“We all join policing to help people and in this new role, I can really put my problem solving and investigative skills into practice and have an even greater impact on supporting victims and vulnerable members of our community.”