The civilian patrol officers will be given batons, handcuffs, CS gas spray, and body armour, and trained up to join the thin blue line in West Berkshire and beyond, to raise the police presence on the streets.

Also known as Blunkett’s bobbies, the officers will have powers to tackle drinking in the street, remove dumped cars, stop and search suspected terrorists, and fine cyclists who break our road laws.

Assistant Chief Constable Michael Page said: “CSOs will play a vital part in the drive towards neighbourhood policing, which we are implementing across the force under the Challenge and Change programme.

“They will be working closely with officers and will be tasked through the intelligence process, which means we will send them to the areas where problems have been identified through crime and community intelligence.

“These extra 60 PCSOs will be used to continue the good work that has already begun.”

There are only 19 CSOs working in Thames Valley, including some at Burghfield, with another 30 being trained up. However, the 60 is far below the 193 bid for, and police said they were “disappointed”.

It is not known how many of the extra officers will be reinforcing West Berkshire, where crime is a third of the national average.