Royal Parks police scrapped after 150 years
The Metropolitan Police has announced that the specialist unit will be disbanded from November 1 and its officers moved to local teams in a bid to help cope with a £260 million funding shortfall.
Around 77 officers and 17 special constables are currently responsible for responding to serious crimes, protecting wildlife and policing events, such as the Changing of the Guard, across 5,000 acres of London's royal parkland, including Hyde Park, Regent's Park, Richmond Park, Greenwich Park and Bushy Park.
The decision to scrap the unit has drawn criticism, with warnings that criminals will take advantage of the move to target walkers, cyclists and families enjoying the parks' facilities.
Criminal incidents reported in the parks have already risen by around a third from 76 in the year between 2022 and 2023 to 101 in between 2023 and 2024, according to the Royal Parks' latest annual report.
These include cyclists being forced off their bikes with threats of violence, sexual offences, mobile phone thefts and drug dealing.
Other incidents have included gangs chasing deer with dogs at night to remove their antlers and sell them online.
The dedicated Royal Parks policing unit has existed since 2004, taking over from the Royal Parks Constabulary, which was set up in 1974. Before that, park keepers were responsible for policing the areas since 1872.
In a letter announcing the decision, Metropolitan Police Commander Owain Richards stated: 'It is with regret that we have taken the tough decision to no longer have a dedicated Royal Parks policing team.'
The Royal Parks charity, which spends around £65 million a year managing and maintaining the historic parkland, has expressed its 'disappointment' and has pledged to work with the Met in a bid to ensure public safety.
Gareth Roberts, the Liberal Democrat leader of Richmond Council and a member of the London Assembly, warned that a rise in crime was 'almost inevitable', with an area the combined size of Heathrow and Gatwick airports being left 'largely unpoliced'.
Mr Roberts, who is also a Royal Parks trustee, said: 'This is a huge mistake. At a time when residents are already concerned about the visibility of policing, this decision will do nothing to reassure them. The loss of the specialist policing team would leave them more vulnerable to crime and anti-social behaviour.
'Decisions like this undermine public confidence in local policing. Losing this specialist team places an additional burden on already overstretched local policing resources and risks leaving our parks unprotected.'
Rachel Blake, the Labour MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, said she was 'deeply concerned' by the move.
She told Sky News: 'With crime in the parks rising, removing a dedicated and experienced police presence is a serious mistake. These officers have specialist knowledge that cannot simply be replaced by a small number of overstretched neighbourhood officers.
'At a time when both the Government and the mayor are investing in policing, I am calling for the Metropolitan Police to provide a like-for-like replacement of Royal Parks officers to protect the safety of everyone who uses these vital green spaces.'
A spokesman for the Royal Parks said: 'We are disappointed with the Metropolitan Police Service's decision to close its dedicated Royal Parks police unit.
'We want to reassure the public that we are working closely with the police over the next six months to ensure a plan is put in place to maintain public safety once the unit is fully disbanded.'
Dr Tina Challacombe, chairwoman of the Friends of Greenwich Park committee, said: 'We are very sad and disappointed to lose the parks' police. We are concerned for the future safety and security of visitors to the park and also the enforcement of traffic regulations.'
The Yard's funding shortfall has led to a reduction in 1,700 police, staff and community support officers.
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, blamed the cuts on 'chronic underfunding' of the Met by the previous Conservative government and said the reductions had been made to protect neighbourhood policing.
A Met spokesman said: 'Park users and partners can be reassured the Met will continue to respond to emergency calls, patrol hotspot areas, investigate crimes, and support events in Royal Parks across London.
'The Met is prioritising neighbourhood policing and sees this as a positive opportunity to integrate the Royal Parks into local community crime-fighting plans and ensure a wider pool of officers understand the unique requirements of parks policing.'
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