Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 08/02/2019 15:52

On Friday 8 February Cornwall’s Emergency Services and Local Authority celebrated eight further Tri-Service Safety Officers (TSSO) become officially operational. The new TSSO’s will join the existing officers who are currently based in Liskeard and Bude, making a total of 10 across Cornwall and will be visible across towns and villages from 1 April 2019.

The additional officers will be located in: St Just, Hayle, St. Ives, Fowey and Polruan, Perranporth, St. Dennis, Looe, Lostwithiel.

The TSSO is an innovative, ever changing, adaptable and flexible role which integrates within the emergency services family. Purpose being to provide a ‘supportive link’ between Devon and Cornwall Police (DCP), Cornwall Fire, Rescue and Community Safety Service (CFRCS) Service, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) and Cornwall Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team.

The role has a number of additional responsibilities such as; Safeguarding Advocate, Youth Intervention/ mentorship. The role is not a single element of the areas described above, it provides a unique and innovative approach to resolving community safety matters.

The role targets and aligns with all of the agencies priorities in relation to protection, prevention, firefighter, medical responder and police incidents including challenging and tackling anti-social behaviour. The development of the ‘TSSO’ role builds sustainable and strong working relationships with partner agencies.

The role integrates within the Police Neighbourhood Team and assists with completing neighbourhood enquiries (101 calls made to police – non emergency). These enquiries afford the TSSO with the opportunity to identify additional areas of concern together with fire safety, safeguarding, anti-social behaviour, protection matters, youth intervention and health difficulties. This provides opportunities for an officer to assist with making agency referrals and arranging multi-agency meetings.

The role is jointly funded by all three emergencies services and is fully supported by Portfolio Holders Cllr Sue James, Cllr Edwinna Hanniford as well as the full cabinet at Cornwall Council.

In addition Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Alison Hernandez, part-funded the development of the role as a direct result of the £12 increase paid by council tax payers for policing.

OPCC Alison Hernandez: “A huge amount of work has gone into making these roles a reality. Tri-Service Safety Officers make sense for the emergency services when it comes to covering rural areas, and more importantly a lot of sense to the communities across Cornwall who are welcoming them with open arms. This shows how innovative work in collaboration with others can deliver real opportunities to keep communities safe and put extra boots on the ground. Last year the public backed my plans to invest in new ways for our communities to become safer.
I promised people that if they paid more they would get more in return and the roll-out of Tri-Service Safety Officers across Cornwall is the start of that, as is the development of community responders in Devon. I expect to see more of both being deployed in the future.”

Paul Walker, Chief Fire Officer from Cornwall Fire, Rescue & Community Safety Service said: “I am immensely proud of what our new Tri-Service Safety Officers have achieved throughout their training. They all recognise the significant difference they can make in rural areas, the benefits of understanding rural communities, the risks, the geography and the people.
Adopting and embracing flexible ways to work, engaging with vulnerable people and supporting community needs in a 999 and Safeguarding context is a challenging, worthwhile and rewarding role. We have the right people passing out here today to make a genuine difference, I look forward to monitoring their progress and wish them all every success with their new careers.”

For more information about the TSSO role please visit: www.cornwall.gov.uk/triserviceofficer

Don’t forget to follow them on Twitter!
@HayleTriService – Adrian Hart
@LostwithielTSSO – Jack Wellington
@LooeTSSO – Philip Whittingham
@StDennisTSSO – David Halford
@StIvesTSSO – Tarryn Brown
@FoweyPolruan – Myghal Larter
@stjustTSSO – Mesha Wardman
@PerranporthTSSO – Philip Graham

Related item: www.cornwall.gov.uk/triserviceofficer