Creating parks people want to visit
Parks and green spaces are at the heart of our communities. They provide places for families to relax, children to play, people to exercise, and residents to enjoy the outdoors. More than ever, these spaces contribute to physical health, mental wellbeing and community cohesion.
Unfortunately, a small number of individuals can have a disproportionate impact on everyone else's enjoyment. Activities such as unauthorised barbecues, open fires, excessive alcohol consumption, anti-social behaviour and environmental damage not only place visitors at risk but can quickly discourage families and responsible park users from returning.
The Safer Parks initiative takes a different approach.
Rather than relying solely on enforcement after problems have occurred, we focus on preventing incidents before they begin. Through visible reassurance, early engagement with visitors and intelligent deployment of resources, we help park owners maintain welcoming, family-friendly environments while reducing the demand on council services and emergency responders.
Working in partnership with local authorities, park managers and emergency services, our tailored solutions are designed to keep parks safe, accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
A smarter, preventative approach to park safety
Our Safer Parks model is built around prevention rather than confrontation. By combining highly visible entrance management, intelligence-led patrols, AI-enabled CCTV, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and a 24/7 Operational Control Centre, we identify and address potential issues before they escalate.
Our trained officers engage with visitors as they arrive, providing advice and preventing prohibited activities such as barbecues, open fires and other anti-social behaviour from entering the park. This proactive, hands-off approach means our teams spend less time dealing with incidents inside the park, allowing families and genuine visitors to enjoy green spaces without unnecessary disruption.
Working closely with local authorities, park managers and emergency services, we help create parks that feel safer, remain welcoming and require less reactive enforcement.
Helping prevent:
- Barbecues & open fires
- Anti-social behaviour
- Littering & fly-tipping
- Dangerous or nuisance vehicle activity
- Drug & alcohol misuse
- Intimidating or disruptive behaviour
- Environmental damage
66%
of adults in England visited a green or natural space in the last 14 days (Defra People & Nature Survey, 2024/25) — underlining the essential role parks play in everyday well-being.
88%
of residents say feeling safe in their local park is important to them and their family's use of the space.
43%
average reduction in anti-social behaviour reports across parks patrolled under a visible, intelligence-led security scheme.
27m
people in England live more than a 10-minute walk from a quality green space, making protected local parks essential.
3.5×
more visits per week to parks where visible patrols and CCTV are present, compared to unmanaged, higher-risk spaces.
Who can benefit from the Safer Parks Initiative?
The Safer Parks Initiative is designed for any organisation responsible for managing public green spaces, from local authorities and parish councils to country parks, estates, housing providers and private landowners.
By adopting a preventative approach, park owners can create cleaner, safer and more welcoming environments while reducing anti-social behaviour, environmental damage and the need for reactive enforcement. Early engagement with visitors helps prevent many issues from occurring in the first place, improving the overall experience for everyone.
Emergency services and local authority enforcement teams also benefit from reduced demand, allowing valuable resources to remain focused on higher-priority incidents rather than avoidable low-level issues.
Perhaps the greatest beneficiaries are the people who use the parks every day. Families, walkers, cyclists, runners, dog owners and community groups can enjoy well-managed green spaces where they feel safe, welcome and able to make the most of their local environment.
Report an issue
The Safer Parks initiative relies on the support of the communities we serve. If you notice something that doesn't look right, please let us know. Whether it's anti-social behaviour, environmental damage, prohibited activities or anything else that could affect the safety or enjoyment of a park, every report helps.
Our Operational Control Centre will assess the information and, where appropriate, deploy the most suitable response or notify the relevant authority. Reports can be made anonymously, and any information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence.
If there is an immediate risk to life or a crime in progress, always call 999 first.
If you would like to register a park or green space near you for the Safer Parks initiative, get in touch with us today to find out more.