Met Police considers disbanding Royal Parks unit, prompting charity warnings of ’serious consequences’
Senior Metropolitan Police officers have held talks with the Royal Parks Charity Board to discuss "key considerations and risks".
LBC can reveal that the Metropolitan Police are actively considering closing their Royal Parks Operational Command Unit (OCU) due to police budgets, with a Royal Parks spokesperson saying cuts could have a "dramatic impact" and lead to "serious consequences".
Last week, there was a meeting between Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, and the Chairman of the Royal Parks Charity Board, Sir Loyd Grossman, to discuss the key considerations, risks and impacts.
Criminal incidents reported in the Royal Parks increased from 2022/23 to 2023/24, from 76 reported incidents to 101.
The Westminster Labour Party claim there has also been an increase in broader incidents, near misses and accidents.
LBC understands that many of the roles within the Royal Parks OCU will be migrated into other roles, and that one Police Constable has confirmed they will resign as a result, with another police Police Sergeant signalling their intention to retire if the posts are removed, rather than be redeployed.
The Royal Parks Police in the capital are currently made up of around 80 officers, who patrol the 11 royal parks in London, addressing issues from wildlife protection to more serious crime. The OCU was formerly the Royal Parks Constabulary before it was merged by the Met Police in 2004, and enforces action in iconic locations such as Hyde Park, St James’s Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill and Bushy Park.
A Royal Parks spokesperson pleaded with the Metropolitan Police to reconsider.
They told LBC: "Any reduction in policing of our 5,000 acres of important landscapes in London will have a dramatic impact on the safety, security and wellbeing of the 77 million visitors we attract each year. There could be serious consequences as a result of this drop in funding and resources"
"We rely heavily on the skill, expertise and resilience of our exceptional policing colleagues, and would urge that they reconsider their plans. Only the MPS can enforce the Royal Parks Regulations”.
"The Royal Parks Operational Command Unit (OCU) and its predecessors have been a massive part of the rich history of the parks in London. We are deeply disappointed to hear that there could be severe cuts to policing of our parks".
Senior politicians have also called on the government to protect the Royal Parks OCU. Labour MP’s Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) and Joe Powell (Kensington and Bayswater) said: “We believe that the Royal Parks Police should be shielded from any cuts... ensure that London’s world-class green spaces remain accessible and open to all.”
Meanwhile Richmond Council, which is home to two Royal Parks - Richmond Park and Bushy Park - have urged the government to reconsider. The council’s leader Gareth Roberts warned that losing the police "would put the safety of Richmond Park and Bushy Park at serious risk... Without dedicated police teams, both people and animals would be left vulnerable to crime and anti-social behaviour."
Planned cuts form part of the "tough choices" that the Met Police are having to make after the £450m funding gap with the Home Office.
In response, a Met spokesperson conceded that cuts were being considered. They told LBC: “As expected we are carefully planning for any tough choices we may have to make to ensure we live within the means of our future budget, but no final decisions have been made.”
They added: "We have been clear on the financial challenges we face and continue to have productive discussions with The Mayor and Home Office to ensure we have the resources to police London effectively."
Last week, the Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said that he was "worried" about the organisation’s future funding.
He told Nick Ferrari on LBC: "I won’t know the final budget position until February... There will still be some budgetary problems".
Asked if individual Met police units that are at risk, Sir Mark said: "We are going to have to make some difficult choices. I wish I wasn’t making these choices but we’re going to have to."
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