A CAMPAIGN recognising Police Community Support Officers and the value they add to policing in Wales is being celebrated for its second year this week (December 10-14).

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) work on the front line providing a visible and reassuring presence on streets throughout the country.

The campaign, called #ThoseInBlue, is being supported by Dyfed-Powys Police and all week they will be showcasing the work of their PCSOs and recognising the vital role they play.

PCSOs are the eyes and ears of police in communities – building trust and gathering information that is crucial to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.

Typical among those is PCSO Matthew Kieboom, a former Army officer who has been a PCSO for five-and-a-half years. He is stationed at Cardigan Police Station, covering the rural villages and along the coast.

“I live in the middle of the community that I support,” said Matt.

“When I first moved here it became very obvious that there were strong communities and my wife Debbie and I were quickly welcomed. I wanted to help support and improve/protect those communities. With a uniformed background, when I saw the job advertised, it just called out to me.”

Matt has a management degree at Lancaster University followed by 12 years as a British Army officer.

“I’ve been on numerous operational tours specialising in major medical incidents, helped build refugee camps and provided military aid to a civil authority in York floods in 2000 and foot and mouth crisis in 2001,” he said.

“Following medical discharge from the Army I had the pleasure of working at Help for Heroes as they first formed as volunteers and were a large part of my recovery process. It took me some five years before I was ready for full time employment.

“I am a first aid instructor with experience of dealing with trauma – there’s nothing I can’t do with a spoon! I’m a Blue Light Mind Champion, LGBT Liaison Officer and major incident trained, specialising in major medical incidents.”

Matt's medical training certainly paid dividends earlier this year in Cardigan when he used a spoon and belt to create an improvised tourniquet to help save the life of a man who had suffered serious injuries and was bleeding heavily.

Matt says his best moment in the job came when hearing the stories from members of the communities who had nominated him for the #WeCare awards – which he won.

“That was very emotional. We go out and do the best we can to support and protect people and often we don’t really know if we are getting it right,” he said.

“I am really content with the difference I am currently making as a PCSO and the support in my role that the communities give me.

“The work a PC does is immense and their opportunities to specialise in different roles and go up the ranks of promotion does appeal, but I have had a successful career in the British Army already and am getting a bit long in the tooth to be competing directly against people half my age or less!

Dyfed-Powys Police’s Temporary Deputy Chief Constable, Richard Lewis, said: “PCSOs are an integral part of the police family. It is different to being a warranted police officer, and is a job in its own right.

“PCSOs are not only the eyes and ears in our communities, but also help tackle problems which cause the most concern for people living in Wales.

“PCSOs bring a wide range of skills and experience to the role and in the Dyfed-Powys area we have specialist PCSOs tackling rural crime, cyber crime and anti-social behaviour, and crime reduction experts.

“This Christmas, PCSOs will be a reassuring presence for some of the most vulnerable people living in towns, cities and villages across Wales.”

As part of the campaign, Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Officers will be heading ‘back to the floor’ - going on patrol with PCSOs working across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

All week PCSOs across Wales will be using #TweetMyWeek on Twitter to showcase the work they do every day that helps keep people safe. Follow the hashtag or keep up with the campaign on Dyfed-Powys Police’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

If you have concerns about crime or antisocial behaviour in your community speak to a PCSO or call 101.