Birmingham Parks Police
Encyclopedia
Birmingham Parks Police was a small police force maintained by Birmingham Corporation
to police the parks and open spaces of Birmingham
, United Kingdom
. They were first formed in 1912 and were disbanded in 1962, when they were replaced with Park Rangers
.
. In the 1880s, the Parks Committee of the Corporation applied to Worcestershire Constabulary for additional officers to patrol Cannon Hill Park
, because whilst the park was maintained by the Corporation, it was mainly used by ratepayers of Worcestershire
.In 1883, the Birmingham Corporation (Consolidation) Act permitted the Corporation to appoint park keepers as constables. They were required to take the oath
that a constable of the regular city police took under the Municipal Corporations Act 1882
. They then had the "powers, authorities and privileges" of such a constable within the corporation's parks, whether within the limits of the city or not. In the late 1880s, reports in the Birmingham Daily Post
show that both Cannon Hill Park and Calthorpe Park had become the location for sexual assault
s on both adults and children, and the Parks Committee was keen to have more police to patrol Cannon Hill Park.
Minutes of the Parks Committee from 1907 suggest that the Committee thought that the levels of policing in the parks were insufficient, and that ordinary park employees were often left to deal with situations themselves. It was reported that:
Birmingham Parks Police was founded in 1912, and went on to patrol the parks until 1962, when they were replaced by Park Rangers. After their creation, the Committee noted that criminal proceedings had been started against several people for "indecent exposure and indecent conduct with young girls in the parks".
As with many occupations, women were first appointed to the Parks Police during World War I
- partly to replace conscripted men, but also to assist in the supervision of children who used the parks. After the war, it was also thought that female police officers might help to prevent indecent exposure and sexual assaults on children. The National Council of Women presented an appeal to the Parks Committee in 1924 for more police, particularly women police officers "in the interests of public morality and decency and particularly for the safeguarding of little children", complaining that the supervision of parks was inadequate, and citing several recent cases of "misconduct and indecency", particularly at Warley, Cannon Hill, Swanshurst and Sparkhill parks.
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
to police the parks and open spaces of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. They were first formed in 1912 and were disbanded in 1962, when they were replaced with Park Rangers
Park ranger
A park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
.
History
The parks of Birmingham were, at first, patrolled by Birmingham City PoliceBirmingham City Police
Birmingham City Police was a police force responsible for policing the city of Birmingham in the West Midlands of England until 1974, when it was amalgamated under the Local Government Act 1972 with West Midlands Constabulary and parts of other forces to form the West Midlands Police. The police...
. In the 1880s, the Parks Committee of the Corporation applied to Worcestershire Constabulary for additional officers to patrol Cannon Hill Park
Cannon Hill Park
Cannon Hill Park is a park located in south Birmingham, England. It is the most popular park in the city, covering consisting of formal, conservation, woodland and sports areas...
, because whilst the park was maintained by the Corporation, it was mainly used by ratepayers of Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
.In 1883, the Birmingham Corporation (Consolidation) Act permitted the Corporation to appoint park keepers as constables. They were required to take the oath
Police Oath
It is usual for Police officers take an oath to uphold the law. The following is a selection from different countries.- Hong Kong :English version according to Chapter 232, schedule 1, Laws of Hong KongI, .. ....
that a constable of the regular city police took under the Municipal Corporations Act 1882
Municipal Corporations Act 1882
The Municipal Corporations Act 1882 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It replaced existing legislation governing municipal boroughs in England and Wales, and gave the corporations powers to make byelaws and to acquire land and buildings. Municipal boroughs continued to be...
. They then had the "powers, authorities and privileges" of such a constable within the corporation's parks, whether within the limits of the city or not. In the late 1880s, reports in the Birmingham Daily Post
Birmingham Post
The Birmingham Post newspaper was originally published under the name Daily Post in Birmingham, England, in 1857 by John Frederick Feeney. It was the largest selling broadsheet in the West Midlands, though it faced little if any competition in this category. It changed to tabloid size in 2008...
show that both Cannon Hill Park and Calthorpe Park had become the location for sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
s on both adults and children, and the Parks Committee was keen to have more police to patrol Cannon Hill Park.
Minutes of the Parks Committee from 1907 suggest that the Committee thought that the levels of policing in the parks were insufficient, and that ordinary park employees were often left to deal with situations themselves. It was reported that:
Birmingham Parks Police was founded in 1912, and went on to patrol the parks until 1962, when they were replaced by Park Rangers. After their creation, the Committee noted that criminal proceedings had been started against several people for "indecent exposure and indecent conduct with young girls in the parks".
As with many occupations, women were first appointed to the Parks Police during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
- partly to replace conscripted men, but also to assist in the supervision of children who used the parks. After the war, it was also thought that female police officers might help to prevent indecent exposure and sexual assaults on children. The National Council of Women presented an appeal to the Parks Committee in 1924 for more police, particularly women police officers "in the interests of public morality and decency and particularly for the safeguarding of little children", complaining that the supervision of parks was inadequate, and citing several recent cases of "misconduct and indecency", particularly at Warley, Cannon Hill, Swanshurst and Sparkhill parks.
See also
- Law enforcement in the United Kingdom
- List of defunct law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom