Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has issued guidance to (a) police forces and (b) Police and Crime Commissioners on the powers granted to (i) Police Community Support Officers and (ii) special constables.

Under Section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 as amended by the Policing and Crime Act 2017, chief officers can designate certain powers to any person who is employed by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and is under the direction and control of that chief officer as a Police Community Support Officer. This excludes the most intrusive powers that are available to police officers, such as arrest and stop and search, and powers under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Special Constables are warranted police officers and have the same powers as any other constable.

The Department has not issued guidance to forces or PCCs on these powers. The College of Policing has issued guidance for PCCs, police forces, and anyone else looking to better understand the PSCO role. This is available online PCSO handbook | College of Policing