Plan to give police patrol role to civilians in North

Civilians could be patrolling the streets of Northern Ireland under plans revealed yesterday.

Civilians could be patrolling the streets of Northern Ireland under plans revealed yesterday.

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are to undertake neighbourhood policing in support of uniformed officers.

The British government insisted the move would not create two-tier policing and added that applicants would be vetted to the same standard as regular police.

PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton said: "It is envisaged that PCSOs will become part of our neighbourhood policing teams across Northern Ireland.

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"They will assist in the delivery of a first-class service to the people of Northern Ireland, thereby helping to make communities safer and reducing fear of crime.

"They are most definitely not viewed as a replacement for full-time or part-time reserve officers or for police officers part-time." Thousands of full-time reserve officers lost their jobs under recommendations in the Patten report on policing.

The cuts were made as part of moves to make way for more Catholic recruits and slim the police service. Critics said this had left the force under-resourced and unprepared for any resurgence of violence.

Mr Leighton added: "As their very title suggests, PCSOs are about supporting the police in dealing more successfully with local community issues and providing greater public reassurance.

"Their introduction is not about creating different levels of policing."

The Northern Ireland Office is to launch a public consultation on policing issues which will also include the introduction of PCSOs. The Northern Ireland Policing Board has also endorsed the initiative.

PCSOs from Merseyside and Lancashire constabularies are visiting the North over the next two days to share their experiences.

Mr Leighton added: "PCSOs will work to address many of the issues that affect the quality of life - and while the powers given to PCSOs will be limited, they will enable them to deal effectively with a number of community issues.

"All PCSOs will be vetted to the same standard as police officers. They will be managed by and fully accountable to district commanders."

Policing board member Pauline McCabe said she supported the development.

"The message the board and district policing partnerships are clearly getting is that everyone in our community wants to see more visible policing and a focus on tackling such issues as anti-social behaviour, under-age drinking, damage to property and vandalism.

Jimmy Spratt, former head of the Police Federation - which represents grassroots officers - criticised the plan.

"It is a halfway house to proper policing. They are underskilled in relation to police officers - they don't have the same legal responsibilities as police officers," the DUP Assembly man said.