PCSO funding plea 'unfair' (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

PCSO funding plea 'unfair'

BUSINESSES have been asked to provide funding for police community support officers .

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) aid the police in controlling issues like anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

Wiltshire Police say that government funding is about to be cut for PCSOs and they are looking to future partnerships between local communities, councils and the private sector to provide the money.

John Drinkwater, president of the Westbury Chamber of Commerce, said the request was unfair for firms.

"The businesses are a bit shocked to be asked because the fundamental problem is that PCSOs only work for the community, we could not have one helping on the business estate," he said. "To ask for funding for policing measures which cannot specifically help them seems a bit silly."

At a meeting of the Five Towns Initiative, which includes the district and town councils as well as the chambers, it was decided to write a letter lobbying the Home Office to continue funding.