“We’re not a replacement for the police. We’re out 100% of the time on patrol. That visibility is key – it’s about being where we’re needed, when we’re needed.”
Jean-Pierre Rossouw is the operations director of Parkguard. But who, or what, is Parkguard, you may wonder?
Well, it is quite possible you have seen its officers out patrolling parks and estates or responding to noise complaints and not realised who they were. But, even if you did already know of Parkguard, what you might not have known is just how much its officers have done to keep our borough safe.
“If residents see us on an estate, we are someone they can speak to when they have a concern,” said Jean-Pierre. “It helps where there’s antisocial behaviour or people feeling unsafe.
“Sometimes, it’s just about getting people to understand why their behaviour is so impactful on others.”
Day in, day out
Parkguard is a contracted service working with Ealing Council since 2013. Officers patrol 7 days a week, from midday to the end of the night, starting from Greenford Depot.
They focus on areas identified by the council’s safer communities team and, last year, completed 3,013 operations across the borough.
In that time, officers spoke to thousands of residents and carried out hundreds of welfare checks. They also issued 875 warnings and, on occasions, told people to leave an area under the boroughwide public spaces protection order (PSPO), often when spotting antisocial behaviour, such as street drinking.
Seen something that isn’t right?
“We are proactive,” said Jean-Pierre. “We like to hire patrol officers who have a natural gift for saying, ‘That doesn’t look right – what’s going on here?’ That instinct helps us spot issues early.”
Parkguard officers are able to issue fines, or detain a person until police arrive. But their work is more often about identifying problems and reporting them to police.
And information from residents is so important. Your information could help keep others safe.
“Reporting is really key,” said Jean-Pierre. “If you see something that isn’t right, report it.”
‘A stop barrier’
In the course of their patrols, the Parkguard team regularly encounter vulnerable residents and intervene to provide support. Sometimes that includes victims of ‘cuckooing’ – when gangs or groups have taken over their home to deal drugs or store weapons.
Jean-Pierre explained: “We’re essentially the stop barrier before the police do the cuckooing visit. We’re there to identify there might be a problem – and that someone needs to take a closer look.”
Making noise less of a nuisance
The service also supports the council’s out-of-hours noise complaints team.
Jean-Pierre said: “What residents get is a call back very quickly. The target time is one hour. We can intervene, knock on the door of the perpetrator, and assess whether the noise is at a nuisance level. That visible presence makes a difference.”
‘Every resident should feel safe…’
Councillor Jasbir Anand, the council’s cabinet member for tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, said: “Every resident should feel safe and respected when they step into a park, street or estate. Parkguard plays a vital role in making that happen – not just through enforcement, but by interacting with people and preventing harm before it escalates.”
To report concerns, visit the council’s website or call 020 8825 5000.
