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Police force employs 16-year-olds Police force employs 16-year-olds
(about 12 hours later)
Two 16-year-olds have been recruited by a police force to work as community support officers (PCSOs). A police force has defended its decision to recruit two 16-year-olds to work as community support officers.
It means the teenagers could be given powers to guard crime scenes, issue penalty notices or detain suspects until police officers arrive. The move means the teenagers could be given powers to guard crime scenes, issue penalty notices or detain suspects until police officers arrive.
They will also be allowed to confiscate alcohol consumed in public despite being too young to drink and can direct traffic even though they cannot drive. They will also be allowed to confiscate alcohol consumed in public, despite being too young to drink.
They are undergoing training for their new roles, said Thames Valley Police. Thames Valley Police said the two met the standard, but 12 other forces said they did not employ under 18s.
"I can confirm that we have two 16-year-old recruits. This is well within the regulations set out for PCSOs. The teenagers, who are currently undergoing training for their new roles, would also have the authority to direct traffic even though they cannot drive.
They reflect the community in which they serve, that includes all ages, genders and races Thames Valley Police spokesman What we are not trying to create with our community support officers is policing on the cheap ACC Nick Gargan, of Thames Valley Police
"These two young people have passed all the assessments and tests that PCSOs are required to undertake, and are now undergoing their training. Assistant Chief Constable Nick Gargan, of Thames Valley Police, said: "If people have the skills, the ability, the maturity and the aptitudes then we can see no reason why we shouldn't recruit them.
"They reflect the community in which they serve, that includes all ages, genders and races." "We reject thousands of people who want to come and work for Thames Valley Police, but these two are among the lucky ones who've met the standard.
They are undergoing training after passing assessments a police spokesman said. "What we are not trying to create with our community support officers is policing on the cheap."
He added that they were not frontline police officers and as PCSOs were fulfilling a different role. Forces in Hampshire, Sussex, Lancashire, Northumbria, Kent, London, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Cleveland, Durham, Cheshire and Gwent said they did have any under-18s as PCSOs.
Lesser powers Judged on merit
Unlike the police force, which has a minimum age requirement of 18, there is no age limit for PCSOs. A spokesman for Sussex Police said he "couldn't imagine" that his force would recruit anyone so young and that no one aged 16 was working as a police community support officer (PCSO) in the counties it covered.
They are classed as civilians but unlike special constables the role is paid, although they do not have the same powers are regular police officers. Staffordshire Police said age discrimination legislation meant all applicants for PCSO roles had to be judged on merit, but that it did not have any employees below 18.
The government introduced community support officers five years ago to tackle low level crime and anti-social behaviour. They have been criticised as a way of policing on the cheap. Lancashire Police said: "This is a decision made at the interview stage because a lot of the work they do is based on life experiences, and when you're under 18 you haven't got that much."
Northumbria Police said: "Part of their job is to seize alcohol from under 18s, so it would be inappropriate for a 16-year-old to be in possession of something they are not allowed to have."
But a Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "Anyone who is aged 16 can apply to be a PCSO and their application is treated the same as anybody else's."
Anti-social behaviour
Humberside Police said they also had a policy where 16-year-olds could apply to be PCSOs.
A spokeswoman said: "The youngest PCSO we have currently is seventeen-and-a-half years old."
Merseyside Police said it had no age limits on applicants for the role, but it had not received any applications from 16-year-olds to date.
Unlike the police force, which has a minimum age requirement of 18, there is no national age limit for PCSOs.
The government introduced community support officers five years ago to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: "PCSOs are an invaluable addition to the police forces.A Home Office spokeswoman said: "PCSOs are an invaluable addition to the police forces.
"Police staff numbers are historically high and this, among other measures, has led to crime falling by a third over the last 10 years.""Police staff numbers are historically high and this, among other measures, has led to crime falling by a third over the last 10 years."