The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police and informally as the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard, is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in the Metropolitan Police District, which currently consists of the 32 London boroughs. The MPD does not include the "square mile" of the City of London, which is policed by the much smaller City of London Police.
Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the legal systems of the United Kingdom: England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Most law enforcement is carried out by police officers serving in regional police services within one of those jurisdictions. These regional services are complemented by UK-wide agencies, such as the National Crime Agency and the national specialist units of certain territorial police forces, such as the Specialist Operations directorate of the Metropolitan Police.
The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, including the Middle and Inner Temples. The force responsible for law enforcement within the remainder of the London region, outside the City, is the much larger Metropolitan Police Service, a separate organisation. The City of London, which is now primarily a financial business district with a small resident population but a large commuting workforce, is the historic core of London, and has an administrative history distinct from that of the rest of the metropolis, of which its separate police force is one manifestation.
Most of the police forces of the United Kingdom use a standardised set of ranks, with a slight variation in the most senior ranks for the Metropolitan Police Service and City of London Police. Most of the British police ranks that exist today were chosen by Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel, the founder of the Metropolitan Police, enacted under the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829. The ranks at that time were deliberately chosen so that they did not correspond with military ranking, because of fears of a paramilitary force.
Durham Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of County Durham and the unitary authority of Darlington. The force covers the 2,232 km² of the county which has a resident population of 595,308. It is one of the smaller forces of the 43 territorial police forces that service England and Wales. Durham is Home Office force 11.
Newham Community Constabulary, formerly called Newham Parks Constabulary, was a very small non-Home Office constabulary responsible for patrolling the 52 parks and open spaces covering 1.63 square miles in the London Borough of Newham.
The Kew Constabulary is a very small, specialised constabulary responsible for policing the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Richmond-upon-Thames, England.
Wandsworth Parks and Events Police is a Wandsworth Borough Council service responsible for the routine patrolling of the parks, commons, and open spaces within the London Borough of Wandsworth, which has more green spaces than any other inner London borough. It also enforces byelaws, dog control orders, and other park regulations, and provides policing for special events. Its lineage may be traced to a 1984 foundation, although the present body dates from 2012, and was rebranded in 2015 with its current name and responsibilities.
Barking and Dagenham Parks Constabulary was a small constabulary responsible for policing the parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
The Hammersmith and Fulham Parks Constabulary is a small constabulary responsible for policing the parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. In 2013, it merged with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police to form the Parks Police Service. In July 2019 The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police moved away from The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Parks Constabulary once again becoming a single service
Haringey Parks Constabulary was a small constabulary that patrolled parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Haringey to enforce by-laws and parks regulations.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police is a body of constables responsible for policing the parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. In 2013, it merged with the Hammersmith and Fulham Parks Constabulary to form the Parks Police Service. In July 2019 The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police moved away from The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Parks Constabulary once again becoming a single service.
Hillingdon Parks Patrol Service is a small patrol body, responsible for policing the parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Hillingdon, England.
The London Borough of Redbridge Parks Police Service was a body of constables responsible for policing the parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Redbridge. The service was headed by Chief Officer John Boylin, the former Metropolitan Police Borough Commander for Redbridge. Policing was provided by two shifts, each consisting of one sergeant and six constables. On 31 October 2011, the service was disbanded and replaced by a Council-funded team of Metropolitan Police officers known as the "Redbridge Community Police Team".
The history of law enforcement in the United Kingdom charts the development of law enforcement in the United Kingdom.
Liverpool Parks Police was a police force maintained by the Corporation of Liverpool to police the parks and open spaces owned by the city. The first record of "park constables" in Liverpool is from 1832, although members of the force were not sworn in as constables in their own right until 1882. The force was disbanded in 1972.
Brent Parks Constabulary was a small, specialised constabulary responsible for patrolling the parks and open spaces parks and open spaces of the London Borough of Brent. Staff of the Borough Security Department were sworn in as constables from 1979, though the title "Brent Parks Constabulary" was adopted around 1993. In 1993, the constabulary consisted of 17 constables and 2 supervisors. They did not receive any formal police training, which "caused some concern" in the Metropolitan Police.
Brighton Parks Police was a park police force maintained by Brighton Borough Council for the borough of Brighton, England.
The Parks Police Service is a small constabulary responsible for policing 87 parks and open spaces in the boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham. The police force was created through the merger of Hammersmith and Fulham Parks Constabulary and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police in 2013.