Patrolling of Parks and Open Spaces

The patrolling of Parks and Open Spaces, regardless of size, should be conducted and carried out in such a manner as for the Ranger or Warden to be able to fully interact with visitors and other members of the public.

Therefore, ideally, any such patrols should be undertaken, in this author's opinion, on foot and/or, where feasible, also by (patrol) bicycle, where, obviously, patrol cycles are available to officers. Where they are not the acquisition and introduction of such human-powered vehicles might be an idea.

I am well aware of recent stories that some police forces are considering, after only just having gotten their officers back onto bicycles, to stop using cycle patrols because of the fact that risk assessments have shown that officers might be able to fall off their bikes and injure themselves. Obviously, there is no such risk with motorbikes then?!? I doubt we will be hearing that the police is going to stop using motorbikes.

Patrols in cars and vans do NOT allow for the kind of personal direct interaction with the public that is possible with foot- or cycle patrols.

The Ranger on foot patrol, or on a patrol bicycle, appears to be and indeed is far more approachable than the Ranger on patrol driving through a Park in a car or van.



Patrolling on foot or on bicycle gives the Ranger a change to interact on a much more personal level with the public by, already, the simple “good day” acknowledgement when passing (other) users of the Park he or she is patrolling. This gives any visitor an opening to a conversation about the Park and its facilities, or to ask questions, or to even report an incident or such.

While the Ranger patrol in a motorcar, or on a motorbike, is able to respond to specific incidents that may occur during its patrol faster than on foot or even on bicycle the level of interaction that is possible on foot or on bicycle is lost when using car or van.

In my opinion, foot- or cycle patrols, especially with “resident” Rangers and Wardens, and the ideal, according to CABE/Parkforce is the return of the “resident” Park Keeper/-Warden/-Ranger to all individual parks, are superior to any vehicle drive-through patrols, for that is what it mostly only amounts to; namely a drive-through and little more.

In more “wild” parks and open spaces vehicle patrols will never reach many of the “dark”, “hidden” and “out of the way” places and cannot (quietly) approach such places. But it is in such areas that are basically unreachable by car where things happen that need policing.

So, let's here it for foot patrols and the cycle-mounted Ranger.

© Michael Smith, December 2007