Reporter Guy Boswell Tavistock joined a community policing patrol in the town as West Devon borough and Tavistock town councillors consider expanding the authority of the police to control anti-social behaviour to throughout the town with public spaces protection orders (PSPO).
The team at Tavistock Police Station are police community support officers (or PCSOs) who support the regular police officers.
While PCSOs do not have all the same legal powers, they share many responsibilities with fully trained police officers such as issuing penalties and their major role tackling anti-social behaviour.
I joined PCSOs Kevin Williams, Debbie Hollinson, Jenny Mashford and James Luke in Tavistock Police Station and their boss Sgt Tom Ottley on their morning shift last Wednesday.
The immediate incident on the overnight log was that of a soldier who had gone missing while training on Dartmoor. The Tavistock team were on standby, but not needed after the soldier was found unharmed near Princetown.
After that brief alert, I went out on foot patrol in the town centre with PCSOs Kevin Williams and Debbie Hollinson to perform one of their most important roles, to be high profile and accessible among the community.
Debbie said: “We make sure we’re out and about every day in the town centre. It’s important that we fulfil what the people want and they have consistently said they want to have a visible police presence on the streets because it reassures them that we are keeping an eye open for them. That suits us because we have joined to meet the public and help keep the streets safe. By stopping and talking to businesses and passers-by we’re also listening to what’s important and worrying them.”
One of the first people they speak to asks them where he can get car spares, while the next is the Big Issue seller Kev outside Superdrug. It turns out Kevin Williams has made a small but significant difference to the homeless man’s life, by helping him get a temporary roof over his head - a respite from his normal life in his roadside tent.
Kev thanks his namesake. PCSO Kev said: “This shows we’re not just crime fighters, but also social workers and tourism guides. But I joined to make a difference and improve people’s quality of life in Tavistock, so they feel safe whatever time of day they are out and about.”
Kev joined as a PCSO 20 years ago after running his own vehicle repair business.
He is especially successful working with students at Tavistock College and other young people, helping divert them from anti-social behaviour.
He said: “It’s simple changes to people’s lives that can stop anti-social behaviour before it escalates and becomes criminal. I helped set up a Friday football project which virtually stopped all anti-social behaviour. There’s nothing better than being thanked by some of these young people years later for what I’ve said to them which has helped divert them to a better future. Another tool is the use of PSPOs (public spaces protection orders) which have proved very effective in stopping assaults and drink-related anti-social behaviour in the Meadows. We hope these can be used more extensively.”
