Police community support officer (PCSO)

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Do you have a passion for helping people and making your neighbourhood a safer place? We’re now recruiting for more Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) to join our team. We need your skills to tackle anti-social behaviour, build trust with residents, and prevent crime. You will be a visible presence in your community and engage with people from all walks of life, building relationships and offering support. Whether you're a recent graduate, someone looking for a career change, or simply passionate about your community,

Police community support officers (PCSOs) are a vital part of the police frontline. They have particular designated powers, but (unlike police officers) they do not have the power of arrest.

As a PCSO you work in the community and carry out a wide range of duties to support our mission of keeping people safe.

People join the police as a PCSO because they want to help people. It’s a hands-on job where no two days are the same. You’ll face new challenges all the time, but you’ll also end each day knowing that you’ve made a positive difference to someone’s life or to a community.

For many people, being a PCSO is a 'destination career', and they stay in the role, becoming experts in their area, with a wide network of local contacts. Others use their experience as a PCSO as a stepping-stone to a career as a police officer.

As a PCSO, you will:

wear a uniform and work 37 hours a week, in eight hour shifts
go out on patrol in your area, to provide support and reassurance in the community
take action to tackle problems (such as disorder and anti-social behaviour) that affect people’s quality of life
be a point of contact for people in the community, using your communication skills to build strong, positive relationships between different groups, individuals and the police
work on crime prevention initiatives, and give advice and support to victims of crime and vulnerable people
be deployed on incidents and give on-the-ground support to investigations
gather intelligence about what is happening locally

You’ll also work with other organisations, like local councils and housing associations, to tackle issues of concern in the community, with a focus on lower-level crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour. Along the way, you’ll work on projects to address longer-term crime problems, develop relationships with people in the local area and collect information about.

To become a PCSO you must be aged 18 or over, entitled to work in this country, and have been a resident in the UK for the past three years. When we recruit PCSOs, we’re looking for personal qualities rather than qualifications, so here’s what you’ll need to succeed:

Great communication skills: you need to be able to get along with people from all walks of life, listen carefully and communicate clearly and persuasively
The ability to work on your own initiative, and as part of a team, with minimal supervision
Level-headedness: you’ll be able to keep calm and think rationally even in stressful situations
Problem-solving skills
Literacy, numeracy and IT skills, as you will have to use a radio and computer equipment, complete reports and read written briefings
Personal resilience and a positive attitude - policing can be emotionally challenging
A good level of physical fitness as you’ll need to pass a medical and fitness test to join, and you’ll be out on patrol as part of the job
A genuine desire to serve the public, and give your best to help other people

Eligibility:

You must be aged 17 or over at the point of application and must be 18 by the time you are appointed
A British Citizen, an EC / EEA national or a commonwealth citizen, or a foreign national with no restrictions on your stay in the UK
Have had a minimum of three years continuous residency in the UK, with less than 12 months spend abroad in the last three years (with some exceptions for those living on a UK military base)
Pass our Fitness Test, reaching level 5.4 on a 15 metre shuttle run (bleep test)
You must posses a Level 2 Qualification in Maths and English Language (equivalent to GCSE grade A-C or Level 4 or above)
You must also possess a Level 3 qualification within the meaning of Section 3 of the Education and Skills Act

Driving licence - A PCSO may be required to drive various marked police vehicles so it is imperative for them to have a full UK driving licence (or equivalent).

Disabilities - West Midlands Police welcomes applications from people with disabilities as defined by the Equality Act 2010. If you consider yourself to have a disability, please inform us of the type of reasonable adjustments you might need to assist you in participating in the recruitment and selection process. West Midlands Police will make relevant reasonable adjustments as required.

Dyslexia - You can still apply to become a PCSO if you are dyslexic. Should you require reasonable adjustments i.e. extra time during your assessment, you must submit a psychologist’s report which was undertaken when you were aged 16 or over. This must be submitted with your completed application form.

Ongoing medical conditions - You can still apply to become a PCSO if you have an ongoing medical condition. It will depend upon the nature of the medical condition. We require all applicants to pass our medical assessment to ensure you meet the BMI and health standards required. We will look at each case on its merits and take guidance from our Occupational Health Department as part of your individual medical assessment. You will also be required to provide a urine sample whilst at your appointment, which will be tested for any illegal substances.

Height restriction - There is no minimum or maximum height restriction.

Starting salary £28,302
26 days holiday entitlement, increasing to 31 days with length of service
excellent local government pension scheme
membership of ‘my benefits scheme’, a range of exciting benefits to boost mental, physical and financial wellbeing. This includes: lifestyle savings, gym membership, travel and leisure, car scheme, cycle to work and bike shop.
We also promote agile and flexible working (in line with the conditions for each role/team)
training, support and career progression
staff support networks
Unison and Unite – recognised trade union

Being a PCSO is an important and challenging job, so we make sure you have the best possible training and support to prepare you for the role, and develop your talents once you’re out on patrol.

Initial training

Our expert training team will prepare you with classroom learning, practical activities and assessments.

Neighbourhood

You’ll be posted to a neighbourhood where an experienced tutor will supervise you and provide on-the-job training.

Independent patrol

You’re out in the community, with line management support from your Sergeant

End of probation

After twelve months your probation period is complete, Please note that this role carries a tenure agreement – PCSOs are unable to apply for alternative Police Staff roles within West Midlands Police for two years following their start date.

Training location

The majority of your classroom based learning will be delivered at our Training centre Tally Ho.

Working hours during training

Classroom based training will run between the hours of 0800-1600, there may be some deviations depending upon the nature of the training.

Normal working hours

PCSOs work in shift patterns, covering an average of 36.5 hours per week, between eight o’clock in the morning and midnight over seven days a week.

Part-time work

During your initial training programme you will be expected to work full time. Standard working hours for a PCSO are 36.5 hours per week. Flexible working requests to reduce working hours will be considered on an individual case by case basis.

Workplace base

Once you have completed your training period, you will be based within one of our Neighbourhood Policing Teams. You will be posted to where the vacancies are at the time of starting with West Midlands Police. Successful candidates will not be posted to their home Neighbourhood Policing Unit. You should note that you could be based anywhere within the West Midlands area, however we will make every effort to accommodate individual circumstances and requirements. We will balance operational requirements with individual circumstances.

Working on your own

Once you complete your initial training period, you will be classed as independent. Depending upon the work you are undertaking, there may often be a requirement for you to work independently.

Becoming a PCSO will not necessarily lead to a police officer role. It will, however, provide you with invaluable operational experience that will likely assist you in any application to become a regular police officer.

All applicants must:

be confident and approachable
have good communication skills
be able to work on your own or as part of a team
have good problem solving skills
demonstrate a flexible working approach
be in good health
have a Level 2 qualification in English or Maths, or equivalent

Nationality and residency

All applicants must:

be aged 18 or over
be a United Kingdom, European Union or commonwealth citizen, with no restrictions on your stay in the United Kingdom
have resided in the United Kingdom for the 3 years immediately preceding your application (whether or not you were born in the UK)

Background checks

You must:

declare any previous spent and unspent convictions, where asked
submit to substance misuse testing

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