SWINDON’S first Polish-born Police Community Support Officer has hit the beat – with police chiefs hopeful he’ll help the force better engage with the town’s massive Polish community. 

For 38-year-old Marcin Kozak, being a copper was a childhood dream. But after following his dad into the Polish Army, serving as a tank driver, he fell into carpentry. 

A dozen years after he first arrived in the UK with a suitcase and a carpentry contract, Marcin’s dream stands a chance of coming true.

Last month he began working for Wiltshire Police as one of the force’s newest PCSOs. Unlike police constables, the officers – kitted out in blue tabards – do not have the same powers of arrest. However, they play a valuable role in supporting their constable colleagues and the wider community. 

Although he hopes to one day become a full police constable, for the moment dad-of-two Marcin is content to act as Wiltshire Police’s unofficial liaison with the town’s sizeable Polish community.

Marcin, who joined the police after a career spent driving cabs and buses in Swindon, said: “I always wanted to work for the police. I’m very people orientated. 

“I knew being a PCSO would be the kind of job that brings lots of challenges, but also lots of enjoyment. Being in that position where I could help people was always something I wanted to do. 

“I never expected to be the first Polish PCSO. I’m very proud of it, but I also feel a little bit of pressure because at the moment I represent the police but I also represent the Polish community.”

After English, Polish is the second most commonly spoken language in Swindon. According to the latest census, 1.3 per cent of the town’s population speak it – the equivalent of 2,700 people. 

Marcin told the Swindon Advertiser yesterday: “We’ve got a massive Polish community in Swindon. You’ve got the older community and the young community. Not all of them - especially within the younger community - speak fluent English. That’s one of the things I can do – I can help them with it.”

He said that he had already acted as a translator and would be joining his colleagues at the popular Polish Day fete in June.

Marcin added that one of his “big focuses” would be helping to get more people from ethnic minority backgrounds into Wiltshire Police. 

Marcin himself was supported by the force’s Positive Action group – aimed at recruiting people from diverse backgrounds into Wiltshire Police. 

But as a beat officer for Eldene and Liden, he’ll also have a part to play in the day to day policing in Swindon. 

Marcin’s new boss, South Swindon sergeant David Tippetts said: “We are delighted to welcome a number of new PCSOs to the Swindon South Team, including Marcin whose Polish background will be a great asset for us within the force and the local community.”