PROPOSED changes to police community support officers' uniforms would only hoodwink the public, the chairman of the Dorset Police Federation said today.

Clive Chamberlain said proposals by a public services trade union would confuse the public and could put support officers at more risk.

Unison recently proposed that community support officers throughout the country are given standardised uniforms including reflective jackets, constabulary badges and stab vests.

Mr Chamberlain said: "Community support officers are not police officers so their uniforms should remain distinctive.

"We don't want to start hoodwinking the public into thinking there are more police officers on duty than there are as this raises an integrity issue.

"It would also place individuals who are not trained in the same way as police officers in a position where people might expect them to act under circumstances that are not part of their remit to deal with.

"I support the standardising of PCSO uniforms across the country because I feel that having different uniforms in each force can cause confusion, so I would like to see them have their own uniform that clearly differentiates them from police officers.

"The fact that they work for the police doesn't make them officers and giving them uniforms similar to ours will only serve to confuse the public."

Mr Chamberlain added: "I don't wish to diminish in any way the contribution to communities that PCSOs make but if they are proud to serve their communities in that way they should be proud to wear their own uniforms."

Debi Potter, Unison branch secretary for Dorset Police, said: "Unison is just trying to ensure that PCSOs across the country have the right kit to do the job.

"These proposals are not to make them look like police officers and there are differences in the shirt colour, cap bands and the epaulettes with their collar numbers.

"There is a misconception that we're trying to make PCSOs look like police officers, which is not the case.

"We are proposing these changes to ensure they have the right kit for the job, are safe out on the streets and are easily identifiable to members of the public and the community."