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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Police force employs 16-year-olds | Police force employs 16-year-olds |
| (1 day later) | |
| A police force has defended its decision to recruit two 16-year-olds to work as community support officers. | A police force has defended its decision to recruit two 16-year-olds to work as community support officers. |
| The move 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. | They will also be allowed to confiscate alcohol consumed in public, despite being too young to drink. |
| Thames Valley Police said the two met the standard, but 12 other forces said they did not employ under 18s. | Thames Valley Police said the two met the standard, but 12 other forces said they did not employ under 18s. |
| The teenagers, who are currently undergoing training for their new roles, would also have the authority to direct traffic even though they cannot drive. | The teenagers, who are currently undergoing training for their new roles, would also have the authority to direct traffic even though they cannot drive. |
| What we are not trying to create with our community support officers is policing on the cheap ACC Nick Gargan, of Thames Valley Police | What we are not trying to create with our community support officers is policing on the cheap ACC Nick Gargan, of Thames Valley Police |
| 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. | 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. |
| "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. | "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. |
| "What we are not trying to create with our community support officers is policing on the cheap." | "What we are not trying to create with our community support officers is policing on the cheap." |
| Forces in Hampshire, Sussex, Lancashire, Northumbria, Kent, London, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Cleveland, Durham, Cheshire and Gwent said they did not have any under-18s as PCSOs. | |
| Judged on merit | Judged on merit |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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." | 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." | 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." | 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 | Anti-social behaviour |
| Humberside Police said they also had a policy where 16-year-olds could apply to be PCSOs. | 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." | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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." |