Preventing compulsory redundancies will be a priority
Plans to axe more than half of Suffolk’s police community support officers (PCSOs) would put public safety at risk UNISON has told Suffolk Constabulary. The proposed cuts would see a 78% reduction in the number of PCSOs in the county since 2010.
The number of PCSO posts will be reduced to 48 (this is down from 107 posts in 2016 and 173 in 2010). However, it’s likely that only 38 PCSOs will be retained due to the lack of funding for the match-funded positions (these are posts that rely on partners allocating money).
Branch secretary Mark Trask told us: “We will not stand idly by while the livelihoods of so many staff are put at risk. We will do all we can to prevent compulsory redundancies
“Cutting frontline PCSOs is short-sighted and reckless. PCSOs are not only a reassuring, visible presence in communities, they also gather vital intelligence that prevents crime and protects the public.
“Axing PCSOs means the work they do to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour will either stop altogether, or land on the lap of already overburdened officers and staff.
“Today’s announcement is a desperate response to government cuts, which have had a devastating impact on police budgets. These cutbacks are creating a safe haven for criminals and a growing sense of fear and insecurity in communities. Suffolk Constabulary needs to urgently reverse this ill-thought-out decision, which would damage the police force and local communities.”