Meet our Park Enforcement Officers who help to keep Milton Keynes’ parks safe and enjoyable for all
In response to rising levels of anti-social behaviour including littering, dog fouling, and graffiti we have just recruited three Park Enforcement Officers to help our current Ranger team keep the parks safe and enjoyable for everyone.
The Parks Trust is an independent charity that looks after over 6,000 acres of parks and green spaces in Milton Keynes and is working in partnership with Thames Valley Police and Milton Keynes Council on the scheme. The Trust is the first non-local authority to apply for such roles which have the authority to issue fixed penalty notices for offences such as littering and dog fouling, assigned to them from Milton Keynes Council and Thames Valley Police. The fines are administered by Milton Keynes Council and any income is reinvested in community safety initiatives – no profit is made from the fines.
The officers will be trained by Thames Valley Police as part of the community safety accreditation scheme (CSAS). The scheme helps to create a greater presence of security to reduce local issues through partnership working with the police. The Park Enforcement Officers will wear a Parks Trust uniform and will carry a CSAS identification badge. Body worn cameras will also be used to capture evidence when issuing fixed penalty notices. The use of the cameras will be covered by The Trust’s privacy policy which protects the data of individuals.
Rob Riekie, Operations Director of The Parks Trust said; “The new Park Enforcement Officers are an important addition to our team. We want all visitors to have a pleasant and enjoyable time visiting our parks. As the parks become ever busier, we want to keep on top of anti-social behaviour. The aim is for the new officers, who will work alongside our Rangers and other site teams, to ensure that the parks are being used responsibly and that we are protecting our beautiful green spaces for the enjoyment of all.
Just the issue of litter alone costs The Trust over £350,000 a year and as a self-financing charity we want this money to be better spent on care, maintenance and improvement of the parks for the benefit of the whole community.”
Superintendent Marc Tarbit, Commander for Milton Keynes local policing area, said: “I’m pleased that we have been able to work with The Parks Trust and Milton Keynes Council to create these new roles to help us all tackle anti-social behaviour. There are some brilliant open spaces in Milton Keynes for local communities to enjoy and we look forward to working alongside the Park Enforcement Officers to ensure these remain safe for all who want to enjoy them.”
Cabinet Member for Public Realm, Cllr Lauren Townsend said; “The new Park Enforcement Officers will create a better family friendly environment in our parks. There is never any excuse to litter or engage in any other anti-social behaviour. We want people to be able to enjoy open spaces in MK without any nuisance and won’t hesitate in fining people if necessary.”
Pictured above: Our Park Enforcement Officers, The Parks Trust's Landscape & Operations Director, Rob Riekie and Superintendent Marc Tarbit from Thames Valley Police.
