| Stop and Search ...
Posted: 10/10/2008 5:17:52 AM |
so does anyone actually know if a PCSO can stop and search random people on the street ? A good question... I had a look at the Home Office web site, if you look under Publications and Community Policing there are some very interesting matrix's that list the PCSO's powers. It gets complex as it seems that powers allowed under the Police Reform Act have to then be specifically granted by Chief Constables within the different policing areas, resulting in differing powers in differing regions!
Looking at those lists it would seem that PCSO's only have powers of stop and search in authorised areas under the Terrorism Act. So the short answer would seem to be no. | |
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| Stop and Search ...
Posted: 10/10/2008 5:34:10 AM |
I hate to bring to bear my own personal prejudices, but the "If you have nothing to hide" rhetoric is complete rubbish. Privacy is a right to which we are all entitled and arguing away that right is, in my opinion, a crime against humanity.
I wholeheartedly agree. I can say with great conviction that I have nothing to hide. I have never so much as nicked sweets from Woolies, taken pens from work or mugged anyone. (I may have exceeded the speed limit now and again and even that I've tried to curb) I'd object in the strongest possible terms to being stopped on a whim. | |
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| Stop and Search ...
Posted: 10/10/2008 9:37:37 AM | perhaps the lady in question was 'known' to the police as a local prolific offender and the PCSO had been briefed with colleagues at the beginning of shift if this person was seen to do a search. Who knows...none of us.
If 10 stop and searches resulted in one weapon being taken off the streets it's worth it. That could be the knife/gun that could have wounded/killed you or yours. It is a useful tool in dealing with knife crime...but as controversial as ever.
Weighing it up I prefer stop and searches to continue. | |
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| Stop and Search ...
Posted: 10/12/2008 8:55:18 AM | | I think its a good idea and works in some circumstances, however in other cases you are stopped and searched because of a number of reasons area you live in, if you fit a particular profile, if they think your acting suspiciously, or the way you are dressed etc. I say if you've got nothing to hide you shouldn’t have a problem with it, having said that I would be a little annoyed if I was stopped and searched based on some of the above! | |
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| Stop and Search ...
Posted: 10/12/2008 9:12:36 AM | | I've been stopped and searched a few times when I was younger. The reason....... myself and a friend were stood outside his house having a chat and a cigarette as we were not allowed to smoke in his house. This happened almost every night that I was round his. He lived in quite a rich area of town and there were regular police patrols. A mile away, where another friend lived in a run down area full of criminals (I knew most of them so I'm not generalising here), we could happily stand out in the street getting drunk and stoned all night every night without seeing a single police officer. They'd turn up a couple of days later if something was actually reported from that area (including a stabbing). | |
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| Stop and Search ...
Posted: 10/12/2008 3:11:52 PM | Are PCSO's able to carry out these S&S's?
No, PCSOs are civilian dogooders and - they are not permitted to stop and search. They have no real powers other than nicking cigs and booze off of kids, and ticketing you for dropping litter. Their only real purpose for being is that they have to wear a uniform, so provide something of a visual deterrent or serve as a reassurance that Police are on the streets.
If you were mistaken (?) and it wasn't a PCSO, the girl in question would have had the exact reason for the search explained to her anyway, as that is a requirement of the Stop and Search procedure.
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| Stop and Search ...
Posted: 10/12/2008 4:06:39 PM | i completly agree with SanToki.
i used to work as a cctv operator for a major retailor, and i delt with both the police and PCSO's on an almost daily basis.
one thing to keep in mind is, the role of the PCSO is different depending on district, so you would have to check with the courts in your area to see if a bye-law has been passed to allow extra powers.
A PCSO is basically a civilian who has been trained with extra local knowledge to assist police officers in their day to day duties. they have to sign off on all the same secrecy acts as security personell and the police do, but essentially they are civilians in a uniform to make them identifiable, and have a direct link to 'real' officers via direct link radio's.
In normal curcimstances, they have exactly the same rights as other civilians, nothing more. Any civilian can 'arrest' an individual if they are 100% certain they have committed a crime, and can prove it beyond reasonable doubt.
No civilian can search another civilian without their consent. (someone will mention pub doormen, but i believe their is a course they can take to stop and search, but again, if permission is refused, they have to have a good reason to DETAIN this person till the police arrive. otherwise they just refuse admission)
Another thing worth mentioning is, even as a security officer, if i asked someone if i could search them, i still would not be able to physically touch them, except when using reasonable force to restrain. Even to the point of looking thru bags, i was not allowed to touch the bags insides, i had to ask the 'customer' to show me rather than me go thru it myself.
Anyone who searches anyone any other way is leaving themselves wide open for being sue'd.
the last point i'll make is this: even with the womans permission, only a FEMALE officer can bodily search a female. this male PCSO was leaving himself wide open if he was physically searching her with no witnesses there to back him up.
The only way a male officer can physically search a female is with another female present. at least, thats the rules i was taught during my training, in my district. By-laws can be different elswhere.
Please note, this is my interpritation of the training material i was iven, and passed. Theres a chance i'm wrong on fine details ;) | |
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| Stop and Search ...
Posted: 10/12/2008 6:04:37 PM | raphael do you think that only ethnics cause crimes?
but yes i do agree with stop and searches as a deterent to crimes be caused but that should go for all | |
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