SIR – James Savage reports that although there are 60 community support officers in the south Worcestershire division of West Mercia Police, none have issued fixed penalty notices in 12 months.
They have powers to do so for offences such as dog fouling, littering or cycling on footpaths as well as traffic offences. Notices can also be served for graffiti or fly posting and they can also confiscate drugs, alcohol and tobacco. They can also issue notices for throwing fireworks, shoplifting or being drunk and disorderly.
Is this anomaly partly due to CSOs only being permitted to issue fixed penalties to over-16s or do we live in utopia?
PHIL PEGLAR
Worcester
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