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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Shaun Wilson

Fears of crime surge as Met disbands dedicated Royal Parks police unit

Gangs have targeted deer, pictured here in Richmond Park, using dogs to chase them - (Ben Whitley/PA Wire)

Fears of a crime surge in London's historic Royal Parks are growing after plans emerged to scrap their dedicated policing team as part of sweeping Metropolitan Police budget cuts.

For over 130 years, specialist officers have closely guarded the capital’s iconic green spaces, with around 80 Met officers currently assigned to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour, and patrol high-profile events such as the Changing of the Guard.

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