Clause 32 - Powers of community support officers
Anti-social Behaviour Bill
11:15 am
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire, Conservative)
As the hon. Lady said, the official Opposition opposed the concept of community support officers in the Police Reform Act 2002, and we remain extremely dubious about the wisdom of going down that road. However, CSOs are in place and have settled in remarkably well in some parts of the country. As we said clearly on Second Reading, we do not like the idea that, even though they have been in place for only weeks or months, the Bill will extend their powers.
The hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole is right to ask questions about CSOs' training and ability to deal with difficult situations, but that debate took place during the passage of the 2002 Act. The Government decided to override our concerns, which were shared by the vast majority of police officers, and have gone on to establish CSOs. We have not opposed the clause because we believe that we need a little time for the system to settle down to see whether our concerns prove to be justified. I do not believe that the additional powers will make a dramatic difference to how CSOs work, so I shall not oppose the clause.
However, the Government should not take that to mean that we agree with the principle of community support officers. We believe that it would be better at least to allow chief officers to use the money to employ full-time police officers rather than CSOs if they want, but we must face reality. I leave the marker that it is unwise for the Government, particularly in view of the assurances given during the passage of the 2002 Act, to continue to add to the powers of CSOs when they are still in their infancy and the jury is out on their efficacy.