Anna Sabine MP asks why Somerset is seeing largest decrease in community policing, nationwide

Anna Sabine, MP for Frome & East Somerset, is challenging the Government to explain why new figures released by the Home Office show that as many as 60 PCSOs have been taken off the streets of Avon and Somerset in the past year – the highest cut in any police force in England. The figures show the numbers of PCSOs in the area have plummeted from 315 to 255 since September 2023, a loss of almost 20% of the community police officers on the streets.

With a total net loss of 235 PCSOs in the past 12 months, Avon and Somerset’s 60 amounts to over a quarter of the total loss of PCSOs across England and Wales. These statistics come less than two months after the Government announced its new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which included a pledge to recruit additional PCSOs. 

“The new statistics show once again that rural areas are not being taken seriously by the Government and are not being given the resources they need to thrive. I hear time and again about anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and rural crime and PCSOs are absolutely key in fighting these issues.” said Anna Sabine MP for Frome and East Somerset. 

PCSO numbers were ruthlessly slashed under the previous Conservative government - taking over 4,500 PCSOs off the streets since 2015. The new Government have promised to fix this and in light of the recent figures, the Liberal Democrats are highlighting the need for a return to proper community policing with visible and trusted local officers focusing on their local neighbourhoods. 

“I welcome the Government’s pledge to ensure more PCSOs but it has to ensure that proper funding is given to community policing in rural areas and not just metropolitans. Radstock in my constituency is currently facing an issue with anti-social behaviour, but they have seen their number of PCSOs drop from 13 to 6 in the last 18 months. A visible community police force is vital to ensure our communities feel safe and protected too.”

Anna Sabine MP has previously contacted the Minister for Policing Diana Johnson about issues with Rural Crime in the wake of the budget and has recently met with Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Clare Moody and toured Frome with a local PCSO to hear from them in light of concerns raised about the rise of rural crime. 

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Source: Home Office, ‘Police workforce, England and Wales, 30 September 2024: data tables’, Table 3. 

Please use the online version of the police data, accessible here.
Historical data on PCSOs can be found here. 

The College of Policing defines PCSOs as a “key liaison point between local communities and policing. Publicly facing, they provide a visible, accessible and approachable uniformed presence in the community to offer reassurance, defuse situations with threats of conflict, improve confidence and trust, gather information and foster good community relations.”