What Is CSAS? The Community Safety Accreditation Scheme Explained

CSAS is the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. It allows a chief officer of police to give a limited set of police powers to trained staff who are employed by approved organisations, such as councils, transport operators, housing providers and security firms. Once accredited, those staff are known as accredited persons.

The scheme comes from the Police Reform Act 2002, and it exists so that people already patrolling streets, estates, car parks and transport networks can deal with low-level issues on the spot, freeing police time for the things only police can do.

What powers can accredited persons have?

Each chief officer decides which powers to grant, from a list set out in law. Depending on the force and the role, accredited persons may be able to:

• Require a person's name and address for certain offences and anti-social behaviour
• Issue fixed penalty notices for specified offences, such as littering or dog fouling
• Confiscate alcohol from young people or in controlled drinking zones
• Direct and stop traffic, for example at events or road works
• Deal with begging, fly-tipping and other environmental offences

The powers are tailored to the job, which is why good CSAS training is tailored too.

Who can apply?

The employer applies to the police force for accreditation, and each individual is vetted by that force. Typical employers include:

• Council enforcement, parking, housing and community safety teams
• Contractors working on local authority and transport contracts
• Shopping centre, estate and campus security teams
• Rail and transport operators

On the railway, the equivalent is RSAS, the Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme, run with British Transport Police.

What training is needed?

Accredited persons must complete approved training before the force will grant powers. Our CSAS course is the NCFE Award in Community Safety Accreditation, delivered by a PCPA-endorsed provider, and covers:

• The scheme, accredited persons and the powers granted
• Pocket notebook rules, report writing and evidence
• Conflict management and tactical communication
• Diversity, equality and human rights
• Anti-social behaviour, litter, fly-tipping and begging law
• Traffic powers and stopping vehicles, where granted

The course runs over three to five days depending on the powers in use, and the scheme requires refresher training at least every three years.

Why Safe and Trained?

We have delivered CSAS and RSAS for Transport for London since 2015, alongside councils and contractors across the UK. Our trainers are former police officers, and the course is mapped to the powers your people will actually use.

Training one new starter or a whole team? See the CSAS course or call 0333 0523 003.