{"id":1980,"date":"2015-09-24T09:59:47","date_gmt":"2015-09-24T09:59:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sypfcopperconnection.co.uk\/?p=1980"},"modified":"2015-09-24T09:59:47","modified_gmt":"2015-09-24T09:59:47","slug":"government-plans-more-powers-for-police-staff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sypfcopperconnection.co.uk\/?p=1980","title":{"rendered":"Government plans more powers for police staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

POLICE\u00a0staff and volunteers could be given stronger powers so they can take over roles currently performed by sworn constables.<\/p>\n

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The Home Office has launched a consultation that says it wants chief officers to have the ability to bestow any police power on volunteers \u2013 outside a reserved list of nine.<\/p>\n

See the list\u00a0below\/here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The proposed powers which would be held exclusively by sworn constables are:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 Arrest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 Stop and search.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 Power to act as a custody officer in the absence of a sergeant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 Power to effect entry to property.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 Any power reserved to a police officer of a certain rank or position, e.g. appointment as a custody officer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 All powers under counter-terrorism legislation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 Requesting a warrant to intercept communications and acting as a covert human intelligence source under RIPA.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 Ability to use firearms or\u00a0taser.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Home Secretary Theresa May\u202fsaid: \u201cPolice officers across the country carry out a wide range of duties, keeping the public safe and ensuring justice for the most vulnerable members of society.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe value the essential role they play, but they cannot do this on their own. I believe volunteers can do more, helping forces to create a flexible workforce, bring in new skills, and free up officers\u2019 time to focus on the jobs only they can carry out.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThis government wants to encourage those with skills in particular demand, such as those with specialist IT or accountancy skills, to get involved and help the police to investigate cyber or financial crime, and help officers and staff fight crime more widely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThis government is committed to finishing the job of police reform and we intend to legislate in the upcoming Policing and Criminal Justice Bill.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Will Riches, Vice-Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, told PoliceOracle.com: \u201cThe Police Federation believes the public deserves a properly resourced, highly skilled and fairly remunerated workforce.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThis government\u2019s proposal for a new tier of police volunteers, given new and as yet unspecified powers, sounds like a halfway house between paid, employed PCSOs and Specials.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhile we support any reform that will genuinely improve policing nationally, this proposal comes at a time when core officer numbers are being slashed and budgets cut everywhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhen police officers join the job, they recognise the duty they uphold and the responsibility they have. Most of all, they are professionals.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He added: \u201cThe bottom line here is that however many volunteers are recruited, however keen and willing they may be, however many responsibilities are given to them, unpaid recruits cannot make up for sufficient, properly trained and resourced officers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cRecruiting super-volunteers is no more a solution to the challenges of policing than a nurse putting a little plaster on a patient who is bleeding to death.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n