With police units assigned to protect London's Royal Parks facing the axe, we have tallied up the staggering number of sexual offences recorded in these tourist hotspots in one month.
The shocking statistics come after London Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed on Wednesday that around 80 of them would be disbanded as part of a massive cost-cutting drive to plug a £260million shortfall.
To manage the deficit, Scotland Yard is planning to cut around 1,700 positions, including police officers, staff, and community support officers. The removal of dedicated Royal Parks units is part of these cost-saving measures.
The Royal Parks OCU has been responsible for policing London's eight iconic Royal Parks, which include Hyde Park, Green Park, Richmond Park and Bushy Park — for over 150 years.
Their duties include ensuring public safety, enforcing park regulations, protecting wildlife, and overseeing ceremonial events such as the Changing of the Guard.
Hundreds of violent and sexual offences were recorded in London's Royal Parks in February, our analysis shows
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The move has been branded a "huge mistake" that would make parks unsafe for tourists and residents.
Richmond Council leader Gareth Roberts said: “At a time when residents are already concerned about the visibility of policing, this decision will do nothing to reassure them.
“The loss of the specialist policing team would leave them more vulnerable to crime and anti-social behaviour.”
Roberts added: "The Royal Parks Police provide a vital service, ensuring our parks remain safe and well-managed. Their work includes enforcing park regulations and responding to incidents quickly and effectively. Losing this specialist team places an additional burden on already overstretched local policing resources and risks leaving our parks unprotected.
"Our parks are essential for residents’ health and wellbeing. They must remain safe, and we will continue to push for the resources needed to protect them."
Does he have a point?
Using Metropolitan Police crime data, we have calculated the total number of violent and sexual offences recorded in the eight parks in February, the latest data for which data is available.
The data, drawn from local forces, only gives a loose idea of where the crimes happened. Actual locations and details of crimes are kept anonymous.
Adjusting for these variables, we found that there were 378 violent and sexual offences recorded in the proximity of these parks in February alone.
There were wide disparities within the offending rate, with St James’s Park and Green Park recording the highest number with 196 offences recorded, followed by the Hyde Park area, which recorded 55.
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There were wide disparities within the offending rate, with St James’s Park and Green Park recording the highest number of violent and sexual offences
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The Regent's Park & Primrose Hill area was home to 49 sexual and violent offences while Greenwich Park where six officers are facing the chop, recorded 35.
Here's the full breakdown of recorded sexual and violent offences in February:
Khan blamed the funding crisis on the previous Conservative government.
“The previous government chronically underfunded the Met,” he said in a statement, adding: “That’s why I’m announcing a record £1.16 billion annual investment in the police from City Hall.
“This historic increase will protect neighbourhood policing in our communities and significantly reduce the level of cuts the Met had been planning.”
The London Mayor said that he was “under no illusions about the challenges ahead”.