THE new Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) for Hindhead and Beacon Hill has pledged to work with businesses and residents to keep the area safe. Jessie Rossiter, 21, who is based at Haslemere Police Station, told The Herald although she has only been doing the job for a short time it is "everything I was hoping for". After leaving college Jessie previously worked as a community care assistant, where she looked after people who did not want to go into hospital and were still living at home. She said despite finding the job very rewarding the poor pay and long hours had made it impossible for her to continue. She then took a job as a manager at an Orange mobile phone store in Fleet but said she did not enjoy working in retail and "wanted to do something community based." Jessie first considered a job with the police after a friend, who had just become a PCSO in Woking, encouraged her to apply. After an initial four week training course Jessie was assigned to a Haslemere officer for a further four weeks before starting to work independently, just over three weeks ago. She said: "It's fantastic. I love it and I'm really pleased I got put in Haslemere because I love the station, the people are great and I just love the town. I think it's a really great place to work." Jessie said there is not a day she works when she does not patrol Hindhead, Beacon Hill and Churt on foot and added this had given her the opportunity to speak to residents and business owners. She said: "I try to speak to as many people as possible and get to know them so I can start building relationships in my community in the hope that they will know who I am and that I am an easy point of contact." She went on to say that issues involving anti social behaviour with youths was a "massive part of the job" but said this was not a big problem in the areas she covered. Jessie said she had already created an 'acceptable behaviour contract' with one Beacon Hill teenager and would continue to work with the boy and his family to resolve any future problems. She said another example of recent police action was officers stopping youths causing a disturbance in a Beacon Hill car park after complaints from residents. Jessie said: "The disturbance was cleared and it is not a problem any more. It's nice to see it through from start to finish but other than that there have not been any particular neighbourhood issues." Jessie also told The Herald she was hoping to attend council meetings in her area and visit schools. She defended the importance of the role played by PCSOs, comparing her job to that of the traditional beat officer. She said: "We do not arrest people but that does not mean we are useless. "We have a lot of uses. We are not here as crimebusters but we are here for neighbourhood issues and it has been proved that it works. We are there to give visible reassurance." l Hindhead, Beacon Hill or Churt residents wishing to either report a non-emergency policing matter or contact Jessie Rossiter can call 0845 125 2222 or by visit http://www.surrey.police.uk">www.surrey.police.uk.
