QUOTE (user23 @ Sep 14 2009, 12:15 PM)
Out of interest, why would someone become a PCSO and not a Special?
QUOTE (GMR @ Sep 14 2009, 12:18 PM)
If I am right 'specials' are voluntary and don't get paid, while PCSO's do get paid. If I am wrong then I am sure somebody can put be right.
QUOTE (ossy1 @ Sep 14 2009, 12:34 PM)
No idea i've done neither, maybe because specials don't get paid!!
A PCSO's role and a Specials role are quite different. I am not an expert on this subject and I hope that I am giving you the right information as I see it.
The role of the Special is almost exactly that of a Regular, they have the same powers as a Regular but, a Special is a volunteer Police Officer and therefore does not get paid. As Regulars are usually full-time they have to do more of the paperwork and "nitty gritty" stuff than a Special. Regulars can also 'specialise' as in Armed Response, Traffic, Dog Handlers, CID etc whereas at the moment Specials cannot. Specials usually have a full-time paid civillian job as well and give as much time to the Specials role as they are willing to but there are minmum hours that they are expected to do. Most do in excess of those minimum hours. They are basically almost FREE Policemen for the tax payer.
A Special can have many different reasons as to why they volunteer rather than join the Regulars. It may be that the paid job that they do pays at a greater rate than that of a Regular Police Officer and therefore they cannot afford (due to their financial commitments) to change jobs. Contrary to popular belief Police Officers do not get paid a fortune. They might also want to have a SERIOUS dabble in Policing.
A PCSO's role as you can see above from Ossy1's link is quite different to a Regular Police Officer or a Special Police Officer. It is a full time paid job and they carry out a very important link between the public and the Police. You will probably see them walking the 'beat' more often than you will see a Regular or a Special.
A PCSO might want to do a role similar to a Police officer without having to get in at the 'deep end'. As you know GMR they sometimes decide that they like the look of Regular policing and apply to the regulars.
Hope this answers your questions?