5,000 sick days for county's PCSOs

ESSEX community police officers had nearly 5,000 days off sick in the past year.

Police community support officers (PCSOs) had an average of 6.1 days off sick between October 2007 and October 2008.

The officers, who do not have full police powers and cannot arrest suspects, were most commonly off sick with cold or flu, with 527 days lost to the illness.

The second most common cause of the officers’ sickness was conditions affecting the leg with officers taking 568 days off with the condition on 50 separate occasions. The third top cause of PCSO sickness was sickness or diarrhoea, with 484 days lost to the illness, followed by stress which resulted in officers taking 453 days off.

The figures were revealed in a report to the Essex Police Authority, which requested information on the levels of PCSO sick leave.

But Kevin Kirby, deputy head of Essex Police’s human resources department, said the sickness levels were below the average of other public sector agencies.

He said: “The role of PCSOs is primarily about reassuring public confidence through high-visibility engagement with members of the public. This involves a high proportion of their working day being spent working in all weathers.

“Independent studies on the cause of sickness revealed where an employee’s working environment involves a high proportion of outdoor work and shifts, incidents of sickness tend to be higher compared to the average office worker.”

“In Essex the average number of PCSO working days lost is 10.9. At the DVLA the average number is 18.7 days, Child Support Agency 13.9 days, the Prison Service is 12 days and Job Centre is 11.1 days.”

Thurrock Gazette