Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) support policing with targeted visible patrols, public engagement and reassurance to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and make people feel safer in their communities. They are not intended to directly target serious and organised crime.

PCSOs do not have a fixed set of powers in law. Their powers are designated locally by Chief Officers under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002. A wide range of powers can be designated to PCSOs, but this does not include statutorily excluded powers such as arrest, stop and search or powers set out in terrorism and national security legislation. Those more intrusive and complex powers are available to warranted police constables, who are trained and held accountable for their safe and appropriate use.

This Government remains firmly committed to tackling serious and organised crime and the threat it poses to communities across the UK. We ensure that law enforcement agencies have the powers and capabilities they need to disrupt and prevent serious and organised criminal activity.