New Police Community Support Officers boost neighbourhood policing teams

Neighbourhood policing teams across Northamptonshire have received a welcome boost after eight new Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) completed their initial training.

The new recruits successfully completed their initial seven weeks of training in the classroom earlier this month (June) and have now joined their new neighbourhood policing team colleagues on patrol across the county.

The training covered an understanding of the law and legislation, the role of the neighbourhood policing team, the use of police IT systems and first aid, as well as information on specialist policing areas and external partners and agencies.

Over the next four weeks, they’ll be putting what they’ve learned into practice in their communities under the guidance of their tutor, as they start to understand the issues which matter the most to local residents.

PCSOs Dan Skevington and Rea Abbott-Huckin will be serving Northampton town centre and joining them on the West Local Policing Area are Danni Morgan and Chris Dudley, who will be based at Brackley and Towcester respectively.

Joining the North Local Policing Area are Kev Rowlatt and Adam Ross who will be based in Wellingborough, Linda Green joins the East Northamptonshire team and Hannah Smith will be serving the communities of Kettering.

Prior to joining the Force, the PCSOs worked in a variety of jobs such as funeral director, security officer, marketing co-ordinator, food production operative, retail assistant and swimming coach, as well as a call handler in the Force Control Room and a special constable.

However, despite their different backgrounds, their reason for becoming a PCSO is the same – wanting to make a difference to the communities they will be serving and giving victims a voice.

PCSO Danni Morgan said: “The neighbourhood policing team provides a vital link between the Force and our local communities. Being more visible and accessible in the community means residents get to know us and we can often be a friendly, familiar face for residents to speak to.

“Response officers deal with the immediate incident, whereas as a member of the neighbourhood policing team, we can spend more time addressing the underlying issue, which matter the most to our local communities.”

PCSO Kev Rowlatt added: “I am a former special so working as a PCSO will allow me the time to build these important relationships within the community and in turn make them a safer place to be.”

Local Policing Commander, Chief Superintendent Ash Tuckley said: “Our PCSOs are valued members of our local neighbourhood policing teams and play an important role as they’re our eyes and ears within our local communities.

“Joining the PCSOs will be a number of new recruits and more experienced police officers, who have joined our neighbourhood teams over the last few months, as part of the increase in neighbourhood officers announced earlier this year.”

As well as increasing the number of officers, the neighbourhood teams have been given four new Skoda Octavia patrol cars, to provide greater support and a more visible and accessible service to local communities.

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “People tell me time and again how much they value the work that PCSOs do in their communities.

“PCSOs are a vital part of the new focus on neighbourhood policing that I want to see across Northamptonshire, and I was delighted to meet these new recruits and see their enthusiasm to get stuck into their new roles.”