PCSOs

[colin1]

PCSOs get no respect from the public and no respect from police officers, but I tend to think this is a shame, as I have the idea they give a bit of an authority presence and can sort out little things that are too minor for police.

I have a police officer friend who has nothing but contempt for them and thinks it would be far better to fire 4 pcsos and hire one police officer. I tend to think this is a bit harsh.

I happened to be walking up the high street behind two of them, and got a bit curious as to what they actually do. I overheard something on the radio about sorting something to do with 4 indian women. I was thinking thoughts of how they are sort of a bit useful, and whatever call that was would be too minor for a police officer. About 30 seconds later, someone walking down the street gave a friendly greeting to the one PCSO, and when he had walked past, didnt exactly say "wanker get a proper job", but something a bit similar and had a laugh at the guys expense as he had gone past. I thought its a shame they have to put up with this kind of thing.

The one PCSO was a mild mannered looking chap the sort who wouldnt look out of place as a parking attendant or postman. The other guy looked more like a wannabe policeman or squaddie.

I lost interest in the PCSOs and crossed the street to go look in a shop. About a minute late, I turn round, as the squaddie pcso, is getting cross with someone and is following them to their van. He said something like "you were staring at me, what were you staring at me for, that's breach of the peace." He then stands next to the guy who has now got into his van who is waiting to drive off when the traffic has cleared. The PCSO is still making an issue of things and demanding to know the man's name.
This wasnt the guy who wound him up earlier but someone else. It must be the earlier guy made him super-sensitive.

I walk over and watch this a bit thinking the pcso is going to calm down. His colleague is watching from a bit further up the street.

I'm not normally one to intervene in this sort of thing, but the guy in the van is getting a little distressed as he knows he isnt in the wrong but this guy is shouting at him that he has to give him his details as if he has committed a crime.

I step forward and say something like, "well I'm looking at you now, is that an offence too ?". I step back again though as if this guy feels crowded who knows what he would do. They have ridiculously big torches metal on their belt which they could use as a weapon if they wanted.

Some would have backed down at this stage, but no. The van driver thanks me for my input as although he knows hes not in the wrong, with someone shouting at him hes starting to question his own mind.

I realise I'm not going to talk sense into the PCSO as he is still demanding the drivers details, so tell the van driver that he doesnt have to give his details. Which I believe to be correct.

The colleague has walked down by now, and is hovering but not intervening. I go over and say something like "I'm not sure if you have noticed, but your colleague is getting a bit het up over there."

In a rather world weary manner, he says "yes I know", which suggests he doesnt approve but cant really intervene and that this isn't the first time.

I was quite outraged at this kind of harrassment. I know it must be difficult for them, as they are the object of ridicule ant they cant throw someone in the cells for being cheeky, the way a copper can, but I think he was way out of line. The other guy being more easy going just accepts this and doesnt go looking for confrontation. I dont actually think the guy he got cross with had actually done anything cheeky, but was just an easier target, after someone else unconnected had just wound him up.

I've made a note of his badge number or whatever they call it, off his lapel and I'm thinking of making a complaint. I probably wont though.

So I've gone from thinking they are much maligned and serve a useful service, to thinking one or two are little hitlers and need to understand they can not try to bully people into respecting them.
____________________
colin1 is officially faster than god

[Ariel Badger]

Most of them are OK and some of the chicks are quite hot although they get upset if you show them your genital piercings outside of ASDA.
____________________
Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[colin1]

Now surely that is an offence. I hope you dont do that sort of thing often.
____________________
colin1 is officially faster than god

[carlosthejack...]

[deleted111]

colin1 wrote:

PCSOs get no respect from the public and no respect from police officers, but I tend to think this is a shame, as I have the idea they give a bit of an authority presence and can sort out little things that are too minor for police.

I agree with this. They were genuinely really helpful to me today and it's a problem that I'd not want 'proper' (for want of a better word) Policemen to do due to it being something so minor and would potentially take up their time which they could be spending doing more worthwhile things.

Was riding my pedal bike down a 2 way road on my way home, only to be smacked in the back of the arm and sent flying by the wing mirror of a land rover.

PCSO just happened to be behind said land rover. They asked me if I was okay, took my details and then went about hunting the car down as he was speeding and had a whole lane to overtake me on, but chose not to and hit me.

Now, if I was critical or something ridiculously bad had come of it, I'd want the 'real' (see above) police to sort it, but because I was relatively unscathed, these guys were just the trick.

Overall, whilst many of them do seem to abuse the minor powers they have and think they're 'it', some of these guys really do deserve a bit more respect than they get.

Cheers,

Steve.
Please ignore any possible incoherency and general 'what the fvck is he on about?' as I'm pretty tired and haven't read through what I've typed.

[Hetzer]

I had one of the twats step out in the road in front of me and start giving me lip for verbally abusing a female traffic-warden (she'd pulled him and lied, all I said was "why don't you get a real job instead of harrassing motorists who are clearly causing zero obstruction?"). It was only because I was in a particularly good mood that I didn't get out of the car and punch him in the face. About 20 years old, spotty-faced and drunk on what he percieved to be his AUTHORITAH! I wound him up to the point of apoplexy by responding to just about everything he said with "Uhuh.." Though I did also explain to him why some people might regard the warden, who was listening in, as a useless cunt...but I never would.

I'm sure they're occasionally useful...people do, on occasion, need directions to the nearest toilets. But other than that sort of tosh they're an utter waste of space. Inadequate wee pricks who have taken the job for all the wrong reasons..."Weeee! A uniform! And a radio! and AUTHORITAH!!!"
____________________
"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[colin1]

Yeah I guess that its two sides of the same coin, they can be helpful, they can be little Hitlers.
____________________
colin1 is officially faster than god

[imanupstart]

All the ones I've encountered have been sound, they were more helpful and interested when my DRZ was nicked than the fully fledged pigs were Gave us a load of smartwater stuff and helped push for a new decent metal fence to be put up next to our house, not really got a bad word to say about them.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Just like the gov's petitions website, they give the illusion that something's being done and that more uniforms are out on the street.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[The Artist]

[tutton]

I dont give them that much hassle, as far as i was aware to become a proper officer you need to do some pcso work kinda like work experiance before being allowed to a full officer these days?

Had one the other day try pull me over with no lights, was hilarious, he gave up pretty fast mind.
____________________
Past: '05 Peugeot XPS '99 Aprillia RS125 '94 FZR600R
Current: '02 ZX636 A1P '51 CCM R30

[MarJay]

[The999Kid]

[Kickstart]

Hi

At least real motorway police have the decency to cruise along well under the speed limit to minimise the delay they cause. The wombles tend to cruise close to 70 to maximise the delay while people crawl past 1mph faster.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Phoenix]

You've gotta be pretty thick to not know what a Highways Agency 4x4 is, it even says it on the rear bumper and the lights are amber which is a bit of a giveaway, but yes people do sit at 70 as they crawl past, just goes to show what a sea of mongs there are on the roads. I even had some idiot brake and swerve in behind a speed camera van driving along the A5 (dual carriageway) on Sunday....it was a camera van, did he think it was going to give chase or snap him on the move?

[The View Askew]

The girls are either kind and helpful or fat lonely losers full of the big book of the law, the men are either a bit simple but meaning well, and kind and helpful, or just jobsworths on a power trip.

It's such a 50/50 I really can't judge.
____________________
"Do what you always did, get what you always got"

[colin1]

[Poseidon]