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Royal Parks Operational Command Unit
View on WikipediaThe Royal Parks Operational Command Unit, also known as the Royal Parks Police, is a unit of the Metropolitan Police which has responsibility for policing the Royal Parks found in central London.[1][2][3] Core police teams patrol the 17 royal parks, gardens and other open spaces within the Metropolitan Police District – an area in excess of 6,000 acres (24 km2).[4]
Spread across the five boroughs in which the various Parks are located, the pan-London service given by the Royal Parks Operational Command Unit is in addition to that provided by local borough police. The unit is currently commanded by a Superintendent.[citation needed] While the focus of the unit across most of London is policing crime and disorder, certain parks such as Richmond Park emphasise 'environmental policing' for breaches of park regulations.[5]
The OCU began to take over policing responsibility for the parks in April 2004 during a period of transfer of functions from the Royal Parks Constabulary (RPC).[5] The RPC was finally abolished as a constabulary in 2006.[6][4] Between 2004 and 2015, the number of police in the unit was reduced from 160 to 105 officers.[5]
Between 2004 and 2011, the number of crimes recorded in all Royal Parks rose from 916 to 2,373.[7] According to the Metropolitan Police, this was due to more 'proactive policing' for drug offences; the majority of arrests were for cannabis possession.[7]
The OCU is responsible for policing Abingdon Street Garden; the Barge Walk Hampton Court; Brompton Cemetery; Bushy Park; the Longford River, and those parts of its banks which are for the time being under the control of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; Greenwich Park; Grosvenor Square Gardens; Hyde Park; Kensington Gardens; Primrose Hill; Regent's Park; Richmond Park; St. James's Park; Green Park; Victoria Tower Gardens.[citation needed]
In April 2025, the Metropolitan Police announced plans to disband the Royal Parks Police by 1 November 2025 due to its portion of the police's national £260 million funding gap.[8][9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Home | The Met". Cms.met.police.uk. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- ^ Ibrahim, Magda (21 August 2008). "Policing the Royal Parks". Horticulture Week. ProQuest 225415590. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ "Policing Richmond Park & Primrose Hill". The Friends of Richmond Park & Primrose Hill. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Metropolitan Police Authority". Metropolitan Police Authority. 5 March 2004. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "Bad news on policing". Friends of Richmond Park. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Harris, Ed (9 May 2006). "Parks Police In Merger With The Met". Evening Standard. ProQuest 225415590. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Police chiefs have been accused of snubbing Royal Parks after new figures revealed the number of recorded crimes have rocketed in the last few years". Ham & High. Hampstead, London. 26 July 2012. ProQuest 1112421977. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Cook, Shannon (3 May 2025). "Royal Parks police unit to be 'disbanded' after 150 years despite charity's warning of 'serious consequences'". LBC. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ Sawer, Patrick (3 May 2025). "Royal Parks police scrapped after 150 years". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 3 May 2025.