A Liverpool housing association is to pay £200,000 to hire four police community safety officers (PCSOs) for two years.

Liverpool Housing Trust is believed to be the first in the country to foot the entire bill for the officers. The PCSOs’ powers include issuing fixed-penalty notices, demanding the name and address of people committing antisocial behaviour and the right to confiscate alcohol and tobacco.

The officers will still be managed by Merseyside Police, but the trust and the force have agreed that the PCSOs will spend 90% of their time operating within a set North Liverpool patch.

Valentine Mulholland, assistant director for regeneration at Liverpool Housing Trust, announced the move at an antisocial behaviour conference held in Liverpool by Consultation and Research Solutions last week. She said:

“The PCSOs will be starting this month on a two-year contract.

“They have to stay in the area 90% of the time – if not, the agreement will be terminated. We have to be able to say to our board that this is going to safeguard our tenancies.”

Source

Housing Today