Community Safety Accreditation Scheme

Community Safety Accreditation Schemes are a means by which the Chief Constable of a police force in the United Kingdom may grant a limited range of police powers to employees of non-police organisations who contribute towards community safety. Community Safety Accreditation Schemes were created under section 40 of the Police Reform Act 2002. Individuals who have been granted these powers are known under the Act as Accredited Persons.

A Chief Constable may grant some or all of the following powers to an Accredited Person as part of a Community Safety Accreditation Scheme:

The powers available to individuals accredited under a Community Safety Accreditation Scheme are similar to those of a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO), although PCSOs are designated with powers by the Chief Constable, opposed to being accredited with them as non-employees.

The Act also makes it a criminal offence to assault, resist or obstruct an Accredited Person in the execution of their duty, or impersonate an Accredited Person.

A person accredited under a Community Safety Accreditation Scheme has to be assessed as suitable to exercise the powers, trained by an ACPO approved provider in their use, and vetting to a national standard. The Act also requires that the organisation employing an accredited person must be 'fit and proper' and that they must have a satisfactory complaints procedure in place.

An accredited person remains under the control of their normal employer, and is not managed or tasked by the police force. Some Accredited Persons are tasked by their respective police force to conduct patrols, attend incidents and gather intell, such as the Community Protection Officers of Nottingham City Council who work with Nottinghamshire Police. These officers carry police Airwave radios and are dispatched to incidents by the force control room.

Accredited Persons must wear a uniform approved by the police when exercising their powers, and carry an ID card which also shows the powers they are authorised to use. Some forces print the powers on the back of the ID card, while others give the employees a separate powers card specifically for this.

Common examples of employees granted powers under a Community Safety Accreditation Scheme include security guards, community, parish, park and dog wardens, trading standards officers, and housing association staff.

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