§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police areas have(a) agreed and (b) not agreed to introduce community support officers. [105823]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthTwenty seven police forces have already introduced 1,281 community support officers (CSO) they are
Avon and Somerset, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cleveland, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, Dorset, Durham, Essex, Greater Manchester, Gwent, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire, West Mercia, West Yorkshire, and Wiltshire.A second funding round for CSOs for 2003–04 is currently taking place but the bidding process is not yet complete. Whilst we are anticipating that more forces will recruit CSOs this year, it is not yet possible to say which forces.