PCSOs are nicknamed "plastic police" here. They are part of the police force but are not "real" police officers. Their powers are limited, they can't arrest people for example, but they can detain you for half an hour while an actual police officer arrives. They are not actually allowed to physically restrain you though, so you can run away. I imagine there are certain cases where they would be authorised to use physical force for detainment though.
They deal with small disturbances and are kind of like scouts, patrolling around areas for no reason in particular. So I think they are similar to what you're describing.
Similar in some ways. But where yours are used for general 'low-level policing'. Ours are strictly by-law. They can write fines, but have no police powers or duties.
They handle parking infractions, noise complaints, and other minor ticketable, but not criminal, offenses.
So we're never taking law enforcement away from real crime to deal with by-laws. Just mobilized bean-counters.
We also have 'community officers', they are real cops but work as a community liaison.
Similar, but distinctly different.
Interesting. I actually don't know how speeding, parking tickets etc. are handled here because I don't drive, but I do know it is not handled by the police force.
This probably explains PCSOs better than I can.
They don't even give them cars or anything, I remember driving home with my dad once and seeing one riding a bike. He knocked on our door an hour later to ask questions about a car accident that happened near our house lmao
That might be another difference. By-law is not usually handled by police here. There are by-law enforcement people, similar to meter-maids, that deal with it.
They are particularity effective against businesses, as fines scale up exponentially, and failure to pay results in the loss of a business license.
Considering it is very effective, with a net cost of little to nothing (fines in largely cover operational costs), I'm very surprised you don't have the same.
Unless that's what you mean by 'community support officer'. We have a similar named position, but I don't think it's the same thing.