Lyme's first PCSO to become police officer (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Lyme's first PCSO to become police officer

11:48am Thursday 5th November 2009

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LYME’S first police community support officer Martin Case is leaving the town to patrol a new beat as a fully-fledged officer.

PCSO Case will work his last shift at the end of this month before beginning his training to become a police constable.

The 26-year-old became the first PCSO in Lyme Regis when he arrived in April 2007 to join the new safer neighbourhood team.

Being a PCSO has encouraged him to sign up as a police officer and he said his experiences in Lyme contributed to his successful entry into the force.

PCSO Case said: “Becoming a police officer was in the back of my mind, but I came into being a PCSO with a bit of an open mind, not really knowing if I was going to progress. Just from seeing the job and working alongside police officers made me want to do it. No two days are the same and you are always going to different jobs.

“Contrary to belief there is no direct benefit in being a PCSO when you are applying – they don’t fast-track your application – but doing the job has really helped me.”

PCSO Case, who lives near Dorchester, will spend six months training before becoming a uniformed response officer, although he does not know yet where he will be based.

“Everyone is asking if I will come back to Lyme as a PC, and the answer is no because vacancies here are extremely rare,” he said.

“I am gutted to be leaving because Lyme Regis is such a nice place. From a PCSO’s point of view you couldn’t ask for a better place to be posted than Lyme Regis.”

PCSO Case, a former security worker, arrived in the resort two-and-a-half years ago and he leaves feeling confident he has made a difference, together with community beat manager PC Richard Winward and PCSO John Burton.

He said: “Everyone was really welcoming and glad to see me when I came here. I can do one good job and it can really impact on the community.

“I think there is less crime than ever, less anti-social behaviour and less incidents.”

PCSO Case has re-established the RadioLink in the town, providing a direct contact between police and local businesses, and helped establish the Partners and Communities Together (Pact) process.

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