New move on community police powers

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Ms Smith, speaking to reporters in her Redditch constituency, also revealed that the minimum age for PCSOs will be raised from 16 to 18 next month.

Approximately 16,000 community support officers in England and Wales are currently given powers at the discretion of chief constables, but will be governed by 20 standardised powers from December 1.

Launching a staunch defence of the role of PCSOs since their introduction five years ago, Ms Smith said the officers were at the heart of neighbourhood policing and had made a major impact with local people.

In a joint statement with the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Home Secretary also revealed that a project has been set up to examine ways of giving PCSOs across England and Wales a common uniform and common equipment.

The new regulations will ensure that PCSOs' minimum powers to support other officers are consistent across the country.

PCSOs will also be able to draw on a further 20 powers at the discretion of their Chief Constable, including rights to detain those suspected of offences, issue fixed penalty notices for disorder, and to search those suspected of carrying dangerous items.

Asked about criticism in some quarters of PCSOs, Ms Smith said: "The public are very clear about the value of Police Community Support Officers.

"Across the country, Police Community Support Officers have been welcomed and it's important that we get behind the brilliant job they are doing."

A survey published last week found that half of Britons do not feel safer with PCSOs patrolling the streets. PCSOs were dubbed "plastic policemen" and "Blunkett's bouncers" after they were introduced by the then home secretary David Blunkett in 2002.