I should know the answer to this as I have read it often enough on the pages of this newspaper but this morning I couldn't remember the difference between your regular police officer, a special or one of the new community support officers.
I could however remember that none of them were anything like a traffic warden or car park attendant. Well not much anyway.
On checking my facts I now know for certain that specials are volunteers with pretty much the same powers as your full-ti
me Bobbies on the Beat and the newest team members are paid full-timers but without the powers.
Their job is to make us feel safer when we see them wandering the streets.
Apparently at the moment we should be able to spot them because their uniform is different, but now they want it to ape that of the officers who are able to do more than hand out fixed penalty notices.
They are fed up with being mixed up with the traffic wardens it seems.
The Force on the other hand wants no more blurring of the thin blue line and is pretty much outraged at the idea the newcomers should be allowed to don a full kit (albeit with a blue instead of black tie).
For once I am with the Constabulary. Let's be honest about who is patrolling the streets and make sure we know who they are. I think they should be wearing brightly coloured combat gear which allows them to stand out in the crowd. How about red or orange?
Don't get me wrong I am all for having more patrols on the streets and a team working with the community to make it safer.
But let's not try to disguise them as something they are not and dress them up as police officers who are the ones who have the training and expertise to fight and prevent crime.
The full article contains 327 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
