NEW POWERS FOR POLICE SUPPORT OFFICERS

Community Support Officers (CSOs) are soon to be given more powers to tackle low level crime. Lots of local residents gave us their views that these officers were active but with "one hand tied behind their back", so to speak, because of their limited powers.

Your local councillors, Mike, Joe and myself, passed on your views together with our own to the Leader of the Council, Marie Rimmer. We also made representations to Merseyside Police and finally to Government Ministers who were very sympathetic to our views.

Previously, CSOs powers varied from force to force and were governed by the respective Chief Constables. Soon legislation will allow all CSOs to carry more powers to help police local communities. Some of the new powers are: Issue fixed penalty notices for anti social acts such as drawing graffiti and dropping litter and powers to confiscate drugs and alcohol:

CSOs will also be responsible for conducting "truancy sweeps" to round up young people absent from school without good reason. We welcome these new measures which will help to make Rainhill Village a better place to live by tackling these low-level crime issues head on. Further details will be posted when known, watch this space!!

posted by Cllr. Steve Glover at 4:48 pm