Who deserves to be protected on our streets?

May 31 2007 By Jonathan Walker Political Editor, Birmingham Post

The Home Office is to intervene in the row over West Midlands Police's refusal to supply body armour to Police Community Support Officers.

Police Minister Tony McNulty is to write to Paul Scott-Lee, the force's Chief Constable, asking for an explanation.

Civilian officers have been told they cannot use stab-proof vests on the streets of Birmingham and other inner-city areas covered by the West Midlands force.

But their colleagues in neighbouring rural forces such as Warwickshire and West Mercia have been issued with the protective clothing.

Ministers have been forced to step in following pressure from MPs, who complained that forces were operating "a postcode lottery in safety".

Until now, the Government has insisted it is a matter for individual forces and it will not get involved.

The discrepancy in the way Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are treated was uncovered by Black Country MP Tom Watson (Lab West Bromwich East).

He used the Freedom of Information Act to discover which forces provided body armour, after Ministers told him the information was not available.

It emerged that four out of England's 39 forces - including West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police and Surrey Police - failed to provide vests.

The role of PCSOs focuses on reassuring the public rather than confronting criminals, but they can still face violence.

Last year there were 272 assaults on PCSOs across the country, according to the Home Office.

And West Midlands Police, which employs 498 PCSOs, has reported 48 assaults since they were introduced in 2003.

Trade union Unison is expected to demand a uniform system across the country to ensure every PCSO receives the same equipment, when it holds its annual conference in the summer.

Annette Mansell-Green, branch secretary of Unison's West Midlands Police branch, said: "Just a few weeks ago a PCSO was punched in the face in Birmingham City Centre.

"People don't read the small print on the uniform and don't differentiate between a PCSO and a police officer.

"To someone who has an aggressive attitude towards the police, you are a target."

She said it was not the role of PCSOs to confront criminals or suspects.

"But this doesn't stop them being vulnerable and the number of assaults speaks for itself."

PCSOs were introduced by the Police Reform Act 2002, partly in an effort to create a more visible law-enforcement presence on the streets.

They are civilians, rather than police officers, with limited powers to detain and fine people.

Mr Watson said: "I have written to the Chief Constable and to Police Minister Tony McNulty highlighting my concerns.

"The Minister's office has phoned me personally to say they under-stand the seriousness of the issue and will be writing to Chief Constables asking them to explain the anomaly."

West Midlands Police yesterday refused to comment about the equipment provided to PCSOs.

"Police Community Support Officers work alongside the police in a supporting role and provide a visible presence in the community, dealing with minor incidents and helping to reassure the public," a spokeswoman said.

"They perform many jobs and functions such as dealing with anti-social behaviour, under-age drinking and abandoned vehicles. This helps to free up highly trained police officers to work on other policing priorities."

The powers of PCSOs in the West Midlands were set to be reviewed, she said.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police, which does provide body armour for PCSOs, said: "West Mercia Constabulary took the decision to issue all of its community support officers with protective body armour after a risk assessment was carried out on their role."