Lancashire’s longest serving PCSO still helping the community at 75

PCSO Tony Wojnarowski (pictured) was part of the first intake of Police Community Support Officers when the role was established in 2003 and has been based at Leyland for the last 22 years.

At just 16, Tony, who is also Lancashire’s oldest serving PCSO, started as an apprentice at Leyland Motors, eventually working his way up the ladder to management.

However, after being made redundant from his engineering role in 2002 at 53, he was looking for a new challenge and saw a job advert for the PCSO role.

Tony said: “Joining the police was a massive culture shock but I had so many skills that I could transfer into this role and my quality of life improved immediately.

I love all aspects of the job, but I get most of my satisfaction working with young people, helping them to stay on the right track and be good citizens. There have been many times when grown-ups, with their own children, have approached me in the community and said they remember when I gave an input or assembly when they were at primary school. It’s nice to know that people remember and that you have made a difference to break down barriers.”

In the last 22 years, Tony has immersed himself in the local community and has built strong links between the community and the Police service, helping to tackle issues which matter most to the people of South Ribble.

As well as combatting speeding drivers by conducting Community Road Watch activity, signing local residents up to our community messaging service In The Know and interacting with the public, Tony, who is of Polish heritage, also assists officers across the force with translation, which can often be the difference in helping victims build enough trust to report crime.

Tony’s line manager, sergeant Angela Atkinson said: “Tony is an invaluable member of the South Ribble Neighbourhood Policing Team and has a really strong work ethic. His communication skills, which are a really important part of the role of a PCSO are second to none and he will always go above and beyond to help members of the community. We’re really lucky to have him.”

Tony said: Out of all the jobs I have had, this has been the one that has given me the most satisfaction. It is unmeasurable and if I didn’t love it, I would have retired years ago.”