Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst has welcomed the announcement that Kent’s Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have received new powers to protect communities.
The changes come following Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott’s election pledge in May last year. A review was conducted of Kent’s delegated powers and the Chief Constable gave the green light last month for additional powers. As of 12 September 2017, PCSOs across Kent were designated the powers to:
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Require a name and address for certain licensing offences, including selling or obtaining alcohol for a person who is drunk, selling alcohol to a child, and sending a child to obtain alcohol.
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To remove truant or excluded pupils found in a specified area to designated premises or to the school from which they are absent.
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To close licensed premises which are consistently selling alcohol to children.
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To disperse persons from a specified area under a dispersal order, and to confiscate any items that could be used to commit antisocial behaviour, crime or disorder.
There are also plans to allow PCSOs to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for parking in a restricted area outside of a school, which may come into force by the end of the year.
Kelly said,
“PCSOs perform a hugely important service to local communities, helping to uphold our respect for law and order and do a great deal towards providing a local reassuring presence.
“That is why I am also in close contact with Kent Police to ensure we have an appropriate presence across all areas, particularly in the more rural areas of the Hoo Peninsula where antisocial behaviour has been on the rise.
“These increased powers are an important step forward in combating antisocial behaviour across Medway and Kent and I am looking forward to continuing the push to get more officers on streets using these powers.”