PCSO funding cuts!?!

Avon and Somerset Police is to lose a third of its Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) according to the Home Office. The number of PCSOs across the Constabulary is to be reduced from 541 to 346.

We are appalled to hear that the funding for a third of the PCSOs has been withdrawn by the Labour government. We have always supported the PCSO scheme as a way of helping the Police engage with the local community.

PCSOs have been at work in Bath for a few months now and the benefits are already being felt. I am afraid that this decision will put our PCSOs at risk in the future. By taking this decision the Labour government is putting pressure on local authorities to come up with extra money to continue the scheme – Labour have gone back on their promises again.