Royal Parks Constabulary: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The Royal Parks Constabulary (RPC) is the police force responsible for the eight Royal Parks of London and a number of other locations in London, England.

The force was created in 1872 as the Royal Parks Keepers; keepers were given full police powers within the parks. They took their present name in 1974.

Unlike most other police forces in the UK, the Royal Parks Constabulary does not report to the Home Office; but instead to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, who provide funding for it through the Royal Parks Agency.

Discussions are ongoing about the merging of the Constabulary with the Metropolitan Police Service (the Met); which provides policing for most of the rest of Greater London. As part of this, the Met has set up a specific division, Royal Parks Operational Command Unit, to work with the RPC in policing the Royal Parks. This unit includes police officers and police community support officers. As part of the on-going merger talks, most RPC officers transferred to the Met in July 2004.

The RPC will be disbanded by an act of parliament in the near future.