Kent Police Federation, object to stab protection for police community support officers!
It seems that Kent Police Federation objects to the issue of stab vest's, in what to me looks like an old 1970s style row over job demarcation, and job differentials. What the spokesman for the Kent Police Federation, seems to ignore is that employers, these days have to do risk assessments as to the likely dangers in the workplace. Employers have a duty of care, every year ambulance, medical staff, firemen and I would guess community support officers are attacked whilst doing non-confrontational jobs so they have to do what is reasonable to protect them.
Spokesperson Ian Pointon, for Kent Police Federation, has made the following comment in support of not giving stab vests to police community support offices "PCSOs were employed as an extra resource, they were supposed to be non-confrontational.
"Once you start to give them equipment, it is very difficult to stop giving them further pieces of equipment.
''Once you start to do that you're in a position where they will replace police officers.
"That's the last thing that we want and I think that the people of Kent want."
Sophie Reymond, PCSO in Maidstone commented "When you have incidents, for example you have children with catapults or BB guns, at least then if we have a stab vest we know that we are more protected."
I find it of some concern that, a representative of any employees organisation, would have any objections whatsoever in colleagues being offered protective clothing, there are many violent and unstable people in this world, who due to their nature can become violent in the most unlikely circumstances and community officers have a right to protection whether the Police Federation like it or not. In many jobs including my own, you are not allowed to work without proper protective clothing, and furthermore this has to be provided by your employer. As to what the people of Kent want, I speak only for myself but I certainly would not begrudge a penny spent on reasonable protection for people doing a worthwhile job on my behalf.
The police are well paid, the Police Federation rightly wishes to maintain that situation, but their leaders should not be looking to compromise safety for their colleagues Police Community support officers.
If PCSO's have to be used then every event will be confrontational regardless of the type of incident
ReplyDeleteTherefore adequate protection should be made available to all officers.
Some people do not take kindly to officialdom and would be more likely to become violent to PCSO's
as they are percieved as civilians.
Exactly Ted
ReplyDeleteYears ago I thought about becoming a police officer and joined the Specials as a way in. They didn't want me but were happy to keep me as a Special so I left. However, back then Specials were not allowed to wear Police Hemets...you had to earn the right to wear a helmet as a regular. Despite what you may think that Specials help only at carnivals and stuff we were often in violent incidents, especially in Margate. At least a helment would protect you more than a flat peaked hat which makes me wonder why women regulars had to wear a silly little hat too which offered no protection. I believe Specials now wear helmets. Strange then that in this day Blunket's Bobbies lack any decent head protection. The Police Federation sound like a load of dinasouars.
ReplyDelete