No	No Preference	Yes
505	11	10

Dear Colleague

The National Federation is considering allowing non – sworn staff the opportunity to join the ‘The Police Federation’.

Simply put this would allow PCSO’s to join the Federation if they so wish.

Manchester Police Federation, at the moment, is of the view that to do so is wrong. The rational behind this stance is that we believe that the use of PCSO’s to patrol our streets is fundamentally wrong and the office of ‘Constable’ should be retained for all that are empowered to “Police” our community.

We also believe that to allow membership into a staff association that has previously only been for ‘the office of Constable’ is to give a green light to the Government plan to have 25,000 PCSO’s nationwide. Given that at present we have around 135,000 ‘Constables’ the above figure must and very probably has already has meant a reduction in the numbers of Constables. However, we intend to be most verbal in our resistance to the inclusion of non-sworn staff into the Federation and ever mindful that we must represent your views, I would ask you to register your support for inclusion of PSCO’s or your support against such inclusion. Please vote above to register your views. Please discuss this debate with your colleagues and ask them to vote so their opinion can also be taken into account.

Finally – This is not in anyway an attack or criticism of the men & women that have chosen to be PCSO’s either in Manchester or elsewhere.

In relatively small numbers they do not pose any threat to the nature of policing in the U.K. and of the many I have met they have all been fine individuals, but I do note that several would prefer to be ‘Constables’ but due to financial constraints we have been allowing applications in PCSO’s whilst we have until recently not been processing new applicants to be Constables so they have chosen to become PCSO’s.

I also note that some PCSO’s have now joined the ranks of Constable and of course they are most welcome.

Whilst this is not an election or audited pole we will publish the results and take fully into account your views when we are asked for our opinions in relation to this issue nationally.

Stay Safe

Paul Kelly
Chair
GMP, Joint Branch Board