Frequently asked questions

What is the role of a Police Community Support Officer?

A Police Community Support Officer works as part of a team which includes other police colleagues. They contribute to the policing of neighbourhoods, mainly through high visibility patrol, reassuring the public, dealing with local problems like anti-social behaviour in public places.

They should available to be contactable by local communities and partner agencies. The priority of the role and the powers required to fulfil it are about making the public feel safer and reducing the fear of crime.

PCSOs have powers to deal with anti-social behaviour, alcohol and tobacco offences, some minor parking obstruction offences and, specifically in West Yorkshire, have the power to detain people for up to 30 minutes for certain offences, until a Police Officer arrives.

 

What's the salary?

Salary : £23,100 - £25,353 plus shift allowance.

 

When I join West Yorkshire Police, where will I be posted?

Police Community Support Officers are contracted to work in a specific district. However we take notice of an Officer’s home address when allocating their initial posting. This is primarily to avoid excessive travelling and associated costs.

 

What are the shift patterns that I will be working?

When you join West Yorkshire Police you will be attached to a Neighbourhood Policing Team also known as an NPT and you will work a three week shift pattern (seven days on shift followed by three or four rest days) which keeps on repeating itself throughout the year. The shifts will include weekends and may include Bank Holidays.


What is Neighbourhood Policing?

The purpose of Neighbourhood Policing is to deliver the right people at the right places and in the right numbers to create neighbourhoods that are safe and feel safe. Neighbourhood Policing has three requirements and these are, firstly to provide a consistent presence of dedicated Neighbourhood Teams capable of working with the community to solve local problems; secondly to be led by information and intelligence to identify local community concerns and to promptly and effectively target against those concerns; and finally to work jointly with other agencies, problem solving within the community to improve local environments and the quality of life of people who work, live or visit those areas.

Each team is led by an Inspector and has one to three Sergeants, a number of Police Officers, PCSOs and Special Constables. Each team will have staff working seven days a week, between 7am up to midnight, unless in City Centres where staff can work until 3am.

The teams may operate from a number of different buildings within their area but mainly from police stations. Officers have access to offices in Council premises, hospitals and some schools. You can find out which is your local team and the details of your local Officers by entering your postcode on the NPT pages.

 

How is the training structured?

The PCSO training follows an Apprenticeship Training programme. Apprenticeships offer new opportunities to earn and learn for everyone from college leavers to career changers. As an apprentice PCSO your 15-month training programme will begin with a 12-week classroom-based block of learning where you will learn the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to do your job.  This will incorporate subjects such as information technology systems, health and safety, diversity, basic conflict management training, Officer safety skills, basic policing skills, first aid and PCSO powers. Your training will continue when you join one of our teams based at various locations across West Yorkshire where you will learn ‘on-the-job’.  You will be given time to produce a portfolio of evidence showcasing your progression before your final End Point Assessment at the end of the 15-month programme of study. 

 

Can you explain a Police Community Support Officer's power to detain?

This is a power to require someone to remain with a PCSO for up to 30 minutes pending the arrival of a Police Officer. It is a power available where a person, whom the PCSO believes has committed a relevant offence, fails to provide on request, a name and address or provides one that the PCSO suspects is false or inaccurate. PCSOs in West Yorkshire can also use reasonable force to prevent someone from leaving the scene.

 

Why do Police Officers and PCSOs have different uniforms?

You should be able to identify a PCSO by their uniform and not confuse this with the uniform of a Police Officer. PCSOs should be recognisable to the public as police staff but visibly distinct from regular Police Officers. In order to do this all PCSOs wear a uniform with blue epaulettes on their shoulders, blue hatbands and Police Community Support Officer insignia. All PCSOs are issued with body armour but due to their role have no need for handcuffs, police batons or pava spray, unlike regular officers. Where PCSOs need assistance, they can of course use their radios to call Police Officers to attend. 

 

Page last reviewed November 2023.