What is it like being one of our newest PCSOs #20years

As we continue to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the role of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) we meet one of our newest PCSOs – 21-year-old Lauren Lyall who is based in Rutland.

Lauren became a Police Community Support Officers after finishing her ‘A’ levels. “My parents were in the police. My step-Dad, Mum and Dad so I grew up listening to their police stories at the dinner table but when I left school I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, then Covid hit. I saw the Police Community Support Officer application form on the Leicestershire Police website so I threw my hat into the ring and thought what am I going to lose if I don’t apply? I applied and got in and have been here ever since.

Lauren joined the force in July 2022 and hopes one day to be a police officer. “I love it.  I love talking to people and helping people out and essentially making it a safer and better place for people to live. Here in Rutland and Oakham it is a completely different setting from the city because back up is not always immediate so you need to be able to think on your feet which is what I love. The variety of the jobs that I get to do here in Oakham is so much broader than what you’d get in the city.

Lauren features in the force's new film about the reflections of one of our longest serving Police Community Support Officer and one of our newest. 

“My day starts at 8am but I get in a bit earlier than that to make sure I am ready for briefing and then see what I get tasked to do. I love getting out of the station and into the town and talking to people.  We also have neighbourhood priorities so if I am not tasked with anything specific I look to see if there is any work I can do on tackling those.

“I often go out with the police officers on station and feel fully supported by them – we are a great team. They know that I don’t have the same safety equipment as them so they make sure I am safe as well.

Lauren enjoys posting on the Neighbourhood Policing Area (NPA) social media accounts on Facebook (Rutland Police) and Twitter (@LP_Rutland) “People like to see us on social media, they like to know what we are doing and that we are out and about.  It’s a huge reassurance as well for members of the public to know that we are out and about even if they haven’t seen us. 

“Here in Oakham and Rutland people love to see me they like to see a police presence and I think as well that people can feel quite anxious when they see a police officer so when they see a Police Community Support Officer they respond quite differently because they see us as a friendlier figure.

“I’d highly recommend being a Police Community Support Officer and if you want to be a police officer then this is definitely a good route to get in because you can get a feel for it to see if you do like it or not.”

The force is currently looking for more Police Community Support Officers and recruitment is open at the moment.