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The 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. 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 km).

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. 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.

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). The RPC was finally abolished as a constabulary in 2006. Between 2004 and 2015, the number of police in the unit was reduced from 160 to 105 officers.

Between 2004 and 2011, the number of crimes recorded in all Royal Parks rose from 916 to 2,373. According to the Metropolitan Police, this was due to more 'proactive policing' for drug offences; the majority of arrests were for cannabis possession.

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.

References

1. "Home | The Met". Cms.met.police.uk. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
2. Ibrahim, Magda (21 August 2008). "Policing the Royal Parks". Horticulture Week. Retrieved 10 October 2024 – via ProQuest.
3. "Policing Richmond Park & Primrose Hill". The Friends of Richmond Park & Primrose Hill. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
4. ^ "Metropolitan Police Authority". Metropolitan Police Authority. 5 March 2004. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
5. ^ "Bad news on policing". Friends of Richmond Park. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
6. Harris, Ed (9 May 2006). "PARKS POLICE IN MERGER WITH THE MET". Evening Standard. Retrieved 10 October 2024 – via ProQuest.
7. ^ "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. Retrieved 10 October 2024 – via ProQuest.

• Metropolitan Police units
• Royal Parks of London