The fear that the Metropolitan Police is planning to disband the police units in the Royal Parks is growing. Richmond Council have given no publicity to the issue but East Sheen LibDems have organised a petition:

“We are concerned at the recent announcement that due to police cuts policing units within the Royal Parks will be disbanded. Richmond Park and Bushy Park have remained comparatively safe with low levels of anti-social behaviour because of the work and specialist knowledge of the Parks Police stationed there. We call on the Home Office to adequately fund the MET police so this action doesn’t become needed – please sign our petition below.”

You can sign it at this site.

www.trlibdems.org.uk/our-campaigns/richmond-parks-police

The plan is to serve it on the Home Office. Given that we do not know when the decision might be taken this is urgent.

The petition has been initiated in East Sheen but the consequences would be equally dire for Ham, North Kingston, Richmond and Roehampton, and any other visitors who come from Greater London, nationally and internationally.

Think it through, because as far as one can tell the Met has not, in spite of the fact that the Commissioner is a local resident. Perhaps he feels he has a conflict of interest with those taking such decisions from distant places.

The Park could become a centre of lawlessness, adjacent as it is to those large areas of population. The idea that local Safer Neighbourhood Teams could provide a substitute is absurd. At a meeting of the East Sheen Police Liaison Group this week the Police Sergeant, in reply to a question about how they would manage, said with a wry smile that they would carry out their responsibilities.

So they will deal with the increase in drug offences that will necessarily follow. With their extensive knowledge of the Park geography they will be able to trace missing persons. With their expertise in flora and fauna, they will be able to protect a Site of Special Scientific Interest and catch people whoe dogs chase deer. They will be able to catch speeding motorists and deter the Strava Racers from speeding round the Park.

Note that if you have simply responded to the survey circulated by MP Sarah Olney, that has no impact unless she has it in mind to ask a question in the House. Make sure that you sign up for the petition above as well. Contact your local MP. Contact your local councillor.

Circulate the information to your friends and neighbours. Regrettably the Parks Police, the Community Police, the Park Rangers and other Park employees appear to have been told not to comment.

This blog focusses on East Sheen and Mortlake but there can be no less concern for Bushy Park.

www.trlibdems.org.uk/our-campaigns/richmond-parks-police