The last group of PCSOs funded by the Welsh Government are due to start their patrols today.
More than £50m has been provided by the Welsh Government to employ 500 extra Community Support officers across Wales.
Of those 118 officers were for the Gwent Police force area. The final 11 of those are due to pass out at a parade in Cwmbran today.
Deputy Chief Constable, Jeff Farrar will lead the service.
He said: “I have seen for myself the difference these CSOs are making in communities across Gwent. From Drybridge in Monmouth, to Twyn Carno in the Rhymney Valley the additional CSOs have had a positive impact on our communities.
“They patrol their areas and engage with local residents about any issues they may have. They have been involved in consulting the public as part of our new accessibility project, and they staff our mobile police stations as we work even closer with local residents .
“We welcome our new colleagues wholeheartedly, and once again welcome the Welsh Government funding which has made these new appointments possible.”
Minister for Local Government and Communities Carl Sargeant added: “As of September 1 over 300 CSOs have either been deployed or are in training across Wales. I am pleased that the deployment and training of the 500 Welsh Government funded CSOs is well ahead of schedule and is already resulting in benefits being delivered to communities across Wales at a much earlier stage.
“By September 2013 all of the additional 500 Welsh Government funded CSOs are expected to be deployed. The extra CSOs represent a significant expansion in numbers which will make a real difference to our communities in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.”
One of the new Welsh Government funded PCSOs is Lana Rees based at Bedwas.
She said: “In Bedwas we are working with partner agencies on several initiatives which are making a real difference in the quality of people’s lives. I enjoy problem solving and helping to sort out issues which are causing people problems. Seeing the positive effect my work and that of partners is having on the community is very satisfying. I know my new colleagues who are passing out tomorrow will enjoy the variety of the job as much as I do.”
Any such news of increased law enforcement on the streets is welcome in communities up and down Wales, and I am sure Lana and her new colleagues will do their very best to serve the public in their new roles.
And any new Welsh funds for employing Law Enforcement Officers in Wales has to supported.
There are a number of things which concerns me here, for instance, as law enforcement is NOT a devolved issues, on what authority does the Assembly Minister for Local Government and Communities Carl Sargeant spend the money on these low level law enforcement people??? Where does he get the money from to do so, and, considering there `appears` to be no legal, devolved ability, for the Welsh Assembly to spend this money on such provisions, on what authority does the Chief Constable of Gwent then go on to ` accredit` the work of these people on the streets of our towns????.
I think this may be a matter for the Wales Audit Office, and of course, depending on how these people perform in their ` duty` there could be challenges through the courts to any actions these people may take in interfering with a person freedoms and liberties, including the legality of any fixed penalty tickets etc they may issue, for any offences, they will have to tread very carefully I think when they come into contact with any member of the public in the future.
I also notice, during the recent Cycle Race through Caerphilly, that Caerphilly Council street wardens were trying to control the flow of traffic in the town, they have no legal authority to do so, and no training, and, certainly on this occasion that was shown by the utter chaos they were causing on our streets, the town centre was gridlocked for at least two hours, if not three, AFTER the race had finished and much of this was down to the complete absence of knowledge in relation to traffic issues by these people who overstepped their low level civic roles. Any feel good factor the race may have generated, (and there was lots of that), certainly dissipated amongst motorists in the aftermath, much due to the inability of the Street Wardens to undertake a task for which they have had no training and have no lawful authority to carry out, the situation would have been better served by asking a couple of local pub customers to do it, and, depending the level of inebriation would have enjoyed causing so much mayhem on the town.