Wandsworth Parks Police
Encyclopedia
Wandsworth Parks Police is the name given to the body of Constables run by Wandsworth Borough Council since 1984, and which is primarily concerned in patrolling parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Wandsworth
to enforce by-laws and other enactments relating to parks and open spaces. The constabulary works closely with the Metropolitan Police Service
, with whom there is a history of mutual co-operation, the two forces often assisting each other with arrests, ASBO
s, and other operational matters.
These Constables are first and foremost council officers and are referred to by Wandsworth Council as 'Parks Police Constables', or 'Constables'.
As each London Borough Council
is independent, the police powers exercised by Wandsworth's Police Constables differ from those exercised by Constables from other London Boroughs. However, this is down to local policy and interpretation of the legislation that the constables attested under.
In April 2011 Wandsworth Council announced that it was proposing to take advantage of a Metropolitan Police Authority
funding scheme that would result in the set up of a team of 16 police officers from the Metropolitan Police dedicated to policing the parks and open spaces of the borough. The council believes the move would save £800,000 a year as well as securing a team of officers with higher levels of training and greater powers. Such a move would mean the abolishment of the Wandsworth Parks Police. There is opposition to this proposal, and several aspects remain unclear, such as the future of current WPP staff.
Confirmation (Greater London Parks and Open Spaces) Act 1967. This states that:
This gives the powers of a Constable whilst enforcing open space law, including bye-laws and regulations. This includes the power under the Road Traffic Act 1988 to stop a vehicle, driving onto common land. Other powers used by the Constables are set out in Sections 24 and 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
(PACE) as amended by section 110 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
.
When on or off duty and they see an offence being committed that is not in breach of the open spaces laws, they may only arrest using 'other person powers' (commonly known as citizen's arrest
) given under Section 24a of PACE.
Wandsworth council's opinions on the stop and search powers of Parks Police constables differs. One report states they have no such powers, where as a later report says they have search powers only upon arrest for breach of bylaws, under Section 1 of PACE.
Regardless of their status as Constables, they are also Council Officers and as such can enforce legislation which only Local Authority Officers are able to enforce for prosecution.
warning their members not to carry them.
The Constables of Wandsworth Parks Police are trained to Home Office standard to carry Monadnock
batons
. Wandsworth Council received their own legal opinion
in November 2001 stating that carrying such equipment was legal. However, a report for Newham Council and a legal opinion for Barking and Dagenham Council contradicts this. This opinion states that there is no "lawful authority" for parks constables to carry batons.
Other equipment Home Office trained for and carried are the Rigid Handcuff
The motorvehicles used by their Constables are fully fitted with blue flashing strobe lights, alternating headlamps and sirens. Wandsworth Council state that their use is legal under the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, as amended. These regulations permit blue lights to be fitted to emergency vehicles that are used for police purposes.
, Police (Scotland) Act 1967
or the acts that set up the British Transport or Ministry of Defence Police. This view is supported by an independent opinion for Barking and Dagenham Council.
They however provide a Police Service http://www.wandsworthlgbt.org.uk/3.html both in plain clothes and uniform. They enforce bye-laws and other enactments relating to open spaces.
General purpose Police dogs are: German Shepherds, Bouvier des Flandres and Malinois.
Drug search dogs are: Border Collie and Labradors.
qualified instructors. The service also holds Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee Medal as Police Officers.
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
to enforce by-laws and other enactments relating to parks and open spaces. The constabulary works closely with the Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
, with whom there is a history of mutual co-operation, the two forces often assisting each other with arrests, ASBO
Åsbo
Åsbo can refer to:*Åsbo Northern Hundred, a hundred in Scania*Åsbo Southern Hundred, a hundred in Scania...
s, and other operational matters.
These Constables are first and foremost council officers and are referred to by Wandsworth Council as 'Parks Police Constables', or 'Constables'.
As each London Borough Council
London borough
The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
is independent, the police powers exercised by Wandsworth's Police Constables differ from those exercised by Constables from other London Boroughs. However, this is down to local policy and interpretation of the legislation that the constables attested under.
In April 2011 Wandsworth Council announced that it was proposing to take advantage of a Metropolitan Police Authority
Metropolitan Police Authority
The Metropolitan Police Authority is the police authority responsible for supervising the Metropolitan Police Service, the police force for Greater London ....
funding scheme that would result in the set up of a team of 16 police officers from the Metropolitan Police dedicated to policing the parks and open spaces of the borough. The council believes the move would save £800,000 a year as well as securing a team of officers with higher levels of training and greater powers. Such a move would mean the abolishment of the Wandsworth Parks Police. There is opposition to this proposal, and several aspects remain unclear, such as the future of current WPP staff.
Legal status
These Constables are sworn in under Article 18 of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government Provisional OrderConfirmation (Greater London Parks and Open Spaces) Act 1967. This states that:
This gives the powers of a Constable whilst enforcing open space law, including bye-laws and regulations. This includes the power under the Road Traffic Act 1988 to stop a vehicle, driving onto common land. Other powers used by the Constables are set out in Sections 24 and 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 is an Act of Parliament which instituted a legislative framework for the powers of police officers in England and Wales to combat crime, as well as providing codes of practice for the exercise of those powers. Part VI of PACE required the Home Secretary...
(PACE) as amended by section 110 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
The Serious Organized Crime and Police Act 2005 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom aimed primarily at creating the Serious Organised Crime Agency, it also significantly extended and simplified the powers of arrest of a constable and introduced restrictions on protests in the...
.
When on or off duty and they see an offence being committed that is not in breach of the open spaces laws, they may only arrest using 'other person powers' (commonly known as citizen's arrest
Citizen's arrest
A citizen's arrest is an arrest made by a person who is not acting as a sworn law-enforcement official. In common law jurisdictions, the practice dates back to medieval Britain and the English common law, in which sheriffs encouraged ordinary citizens to help apprehend law breakers.Despite the...
) given under Section 24a of PACE.
Wandsworth council's opinions on the stop and search powers of Parks Police constables differs. One report states they have no such powers, where as a later report says they have search powers only upon arrest for breach of bylaws, under Section 1 of PACE.
Regardless of their status as Constables, they are also Council Officers and as such can enforce legislation which only Local Authority Officers are able to enforce for prosecution.
Equipment
The powers of parks constables to carry batons has been questioned by the British media, with the trade union UNISONUNISON
UNISON is the largest trade union in the United Kingdom with over 1.3 million members.The union was formed in 1993 when three public sector trade unions, the National and Local Government Officers Association , the National Union of Public Employees and the Confederation of Health Service...
warning their members not to carry them.
The Constables of Wandsworth Parks Police are trained to Home Office standard to carry Monadnock
Monadnock Lifetime Products
Monadnock Lifetime Products, Inc. is a weapons manufacturer providing equipment to law enforcement and private security companies. Monadnock is well known for several models of police baton they produce.-Company products:...
batons
Baton (law enforcement)
A truncheon or baton is essentially a club of less than arm's length made of wood, plastic, or metal...
. Wandsworth Council received their own legal opinion
Legal opinion
In law, an opinion is usually a written explanation by a judge or group of judges that accompanies an order or ruling in a case, laying out the rationale and legal principles for the ruling....
in November 2001 stating that carrying such equipment was legal. However, a report for Newham Council and a legal opinion for Barking and Dagenham Council contradicts this. This opinion states that there is no "lawful authority" for parks constables to carry batons.
Other equipment Home Office trained for and carried are the Rigid Handcuff
The motorvehicles used by their Constables are fully fitted with blue flashing strobe lights, alternating headlamps and sirens. Wandsworth Council state that their use is legal under the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, as amended. These regulations permit blue lights to be fitted to emergency vehicles that are used for police purposes.
Terminology
They are not a "police force", because they are not a body constituted under acts such as the Police Act 1996Police Act 1996
The Police Act 1996 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which defined the current police areas, constituted the current police authorities and set out the relationship between the Home Secretary and the territorial police forces. It replaced the Police and Magistrates Courts Act...
, Police (Scotland) Act 1967
Police (Scotland) Act 1967
The Police Act 1967 is an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament which provides the current framework within which the territorial police forces in Scotland operate...
or the acts that set up the British Transport or Ministry of Defence Police. This view is supported by an independent opinion for Barking and Dagenham Council.
They however provide a Police Service http://www.wandsworthlgbt.org.uk/3.html both in plain clothes and uniform. They enforce bye-laws and other enactments relating to open spaces.
Other duties
- Key holding and response to building alarmsBurglar alarmBurglar , alarms are systems designed to detect unauthorized entry into a building or area. They consist of an array of sensors, a control panel and alerting system, and interconnections...
by day and night, including the search of premises with Police Dogs when alarms are activated. - On site security and protection of Council staff, particularly in the Town Hall.
- Serving legal documentation on behalf of the Council and the Courts.
- Policing and co-ordinating events, both Council and non-Council, particularly those in Battersea ParkBattersea ParkBattersea Park is a 200 acre green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in England. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, and was opened in 1858....
and supporting their P.P.S.O. and Reserve P.P.S.O at said events. - Working together with other Council departments, the Metropolitan Police ServiceMetropolitan Police ServiceThe Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
and the other emergency services in emergency managementEmergency managementEmergency management is the generic name of an interdisciplinary field dealing with the strategic organizational management processes used to protect critical assets of an organization from hazard risks that can cause events like disasters or catastrophes and to ensure the continuance of the...
and civil defenseCivil defenseCivil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
.
Police Dog Section
Police dogs they have a vital role in the work of the Wandsworth Parks Police, assisting police officers in routine work.General purpose Police dogs are: German Shepherds, Bouvier des Flandres and Malinois.
Drug search dogs are: Border Collie and Labradors.
Headquarters
The Headquarters of the Police Service are located in Battersea Park, and include both the office of the Chief Officer, and the modern operations and control centre, manned 24 hours per day. The headquarters is also home to administrative staff and Home OfficeHome Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
qualified instructors. The service also holds Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee Medal as Police Officers.
See also
- Wandsworth parks and open spacesWandsworth parks and open spacesThe inner London borough of Wandsworth contains some 670ha of green space in the form of parks, commons, allotments and cemeteries, which is the largest proportion for any London borough....
- The Wandsworth Parks Police website.