POLICING in Lancaster and Morecambe received a major boost this week - with the arrival of eight new Community Support Officers.

They will have minor ticketing powers and will be in constant touch with officers through radios.

Their main role, however, will be to reassure the public and provide a visible police presence on the streets.

Sup't Jerry Graham says: "The vast majority of calls we get are about quality of life issues, anti-social behaviour, that type of thing. The primary role of the CSOs will be to address these things things that the police would like to do but, for various reasons, cannot."

The community support officers scheme was piloted last year in Bulk Ward and Lancashire police successfully bid for Home Office funding to extend the scheme across the city and into Morecambe.

PCOs will wear highly visible uniforms, distinct from those worn by police officers, and will spend time getting to know their local patch', working alongside community beat managers.

They will be able to give out minors tickets for offences such as dog fouling and riding cycles on pavements, but Sup't Graham says their main influence will be in providing a police presence'.

Dr Ruth Henig, chairman of Lancashire police authority, says: "This is the end of a two year campaign, which started with the pioneers - traffic wardens who became community officers. That had a big impact on the Home Office."

The new officers will work in Westgate, Heysham and Carnforth in the Morecambe policing area and the Marsh estate, Ryelands and Hala in Lancaster.

February 13, 2003 09:00