Work within a community, building a dialogue and relationships to try to prevent crime.
Overview
This Higher police community support officer apprenticeship standard will provide you with a level 4, qualification. This apprenticeship standard was approved on the 17/05/2018 and typically takes 12 months to complete. However, it is important to note that the duration of the apprenticeship standard stated does not include the End-Point Assessment period.
What the course covers
Distinct from a Police Officer, their primary focus is not to arrest, process or investigate individuals; instead, their role is to liaise with the community. They are supposed to make their presence known to the locality but to provide a sense of safety and comfort, not to make people feel watched. As such, the ability to communicate and support a diverse number of people is essential to succeeding as a Police Community Support Officer apprentice.
Most of the role includes talking to as many members of the community as possible. This entails duties such as attending neighbourhood meetings or working in schools. Therefore, many of the incidents a PCSO will be involved in will not be crime-related. Instead, their role is to improve the condition and comfort of residents. This may include notifying the council about infrastructure repairs, assisting the elderly or discouraging night-time loitering.
Although the role is not supposed to be involved with crime-related incidents, the apprentice’s training will include dealing with such situations. Being present in the community will make such events probable, and so the apprentice will be expected to deescalate and manage situations until an appropriately trained colleague can take over.
Apprentice PCSOs will gather any appropriate information for the police and be able to make reports on any incidents. As with all civil servants, a PCSO must acknowledge and comprehend their duty of care, equality, diversity, value for money and the Code of Ethics.
Careers and jobs associated
- Police Community Support Officer
Visit the police community support officer apprenticeship standard, on the Institute for Apprenticeships site, to find further information on skills and knowledge learnt, assessment methods and more.
