Study casts doubt on community police role

There is only "limited evidence" the Government's controversial Community Support Officers have helped reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, a Home Office report said today.

The report came on the day ministers gave the go-ahead for all CSOs to have the power to detain suspects.

Although CSOs first took to the streets over two years ago to back up police officers, the analysis of their impact was inconclusive. In a survey in Leeds and Bradford, a fifth of people were confused about CSOs, with some mistaking them for traffic wardens.

The interim study said: "Currently, there is limited evidence as to whether the presence of CSOs has an impact on crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour."

In five forces, police officers initially treated CSOs with suspicion. While support had grown over time, it actually fell in the Westminster area in the first year of CSOs (to September 2003).

Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "The Government shouldn't be extending CSOs across the country when much of the research suggests they are ineffective and confusing to the public."