Three of Devon and Cornwall’s PCSOs - including the officer responsible for East Cornwall - have had the work they do supporting migrant workers commended by the British Academy at a presentation they attended at the House of Commons

The British Academy report discusses social integration of both new and long-settled communities and includes case studies of community projects focused on the integration of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

The projects highlighted include an initiative by Devon and Cornwall Migrant Worker PCSOs Steve Edser from East Cornwall, Bev Faull from West Cornwall and Mel Spiller from Mid Devon.

It is estimated Cornwall has a migrant workforce of up to 25,000, many who are men under the age of 30 from Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Spain and Roma backgrounds, who often need support to understand how to access basic services and integrate into British society.

Police say the group is at risk from threats posed by modern slavery including exploitation by rogue gangmasters, human trafficking and illegal and exploitative working conditions.

Devon and Cornwall Police introduced three migrant worker police community support officers (PCSOs).

It is their role to interact with migrant communities and to change their perception of the police (who are often distrusted in the countries they originate from), to help employers to protect migrants’ rights and to recognise and report crimes; to tackle hate crime and to serve as a bridge between migrants and other services.  

They have created information-based welcome packs; leaflets in various languages explaining our motoring laws and have done drop-ins at places of work to give them a chance to share any concerns they may have.

In Cornwall the PCSOs have built up an active Facebook page with 1,200 followers which enables the police to target advice and reassure migrants and gives migrants an opportunity to report hate crime.