The UNISON Centre in London was the venue for a special conference and awards ceremony recently to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the creation of Police Community Support Officers.

PCSOs were first introduced by the then Labour Government as part of the 2002 Police Reform Act, and have been the visible presence of the Police in communities right across Wales since 2003.

The event was jointly organised between UNISON, National Police Chiefs Council and the College of Policing. Nominations for the 8 PCSO award categories were canvassed back in the summer of last year and there was a fantastic response from forces and UNISON branches.

There were 32 finalists in the eight categories of the awards - with two of the finalists Dyfed-Powys Police PCSOs.

PCSO Johanna Kelham, who is the ASB Coordinator for Radnorshire, was a finalist in the Innovation category.

PCSO Graham Jennings from the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Newtown was a finalist in the Lifetime Achievement award.

The event was an opportunity to highlight the very special work which PCSOs carry out in their communities.

Dyfed-Powys Police Deputy Chief Constable Claire Parmenter, and NPCC Lead for Neighbourhood Policing paid tribute to the immense contribution they make:

“I extend my congratulations to all the worthy winners, as well as to all the runners up – but particularly so to our very own Johanna and Graham. It’s fantastic recognition that they were worthy finalists on this national stage.

“PCSOs are the absolute backbone of neighbourhood policing. We couldn’t do what we do in our communities without them. The engagement work, problem-solving with partners and intelligence they obtain is invaluable.

“They play a key role in making our communities safer. They lead in our work with anti-social behaviour, step in to protect crime scenes and attend serious incidents, and I regularly hear how PCSOs have apprehended violent offenders, saved members of the public, found high-risk missing people, or engaged with vulnerable children and adults. Every day they make a difference to the public and local communities. It was an honour to celebrate their dedication and commitment.

“I know how valued they are and the fantastic work they do to prevent crime and reassure our communities across Wales. The four Welsh forces are supported by Welsh Government who fund a proportion of the PCSOs across Wales. This assists in maintaining this important resource at a time when Police forces have many competing funding demands.”

By forming close working relationships with local bodies and individuals, resolving disputes, and providing support to policing operations, PCSOs help to deter crime and promote community cohesion. They are involved in tackling a multitude of issues including hate crimes, anti-social behaviour, and criminal damage. They also look out for vulnerable people such as the elderly and those in danger of radicalisation.