Policing and protecting the Meadows

Mounted police patrolling the Meadows in August 2025

The Friends of Foots Cray Meadows (FFCM) has for many years been represented on the St Mary’s and St James Ward Police Panel. There, our community meets with officers to review policing within the ward. We raise community concerns about antisocial behaviour, intimidation and crime on the Meadows.

This has resulted in antisocial activity on the Meadows being a regular policing priority agreed by the panel, especially during the summer months. With proportional and often unsung patrols, our local officers engage with suspects and people on the Meadows, challenging bad behaviour and investigating criminal acts.

Our Dedicated Ward Officer PC Ryan Muldoon and his team came along to our Fun Dog Show in June. We were also very pleased that PC Ryan attended our recent committee meeting and briefed us on the summer plan for the Meadows, including mounted police patrols.

He reassured the Friends group that officers are very much aware of the recent terrible injury to the female swan and the understandable outcry from us all. He noted that police are aware of a significant increase in this type of criminal activity in London and that they do have powers from a variety of wildlife and countryside legislation. You can see details of this on the example of the Metropolitan Police poster below.

The FFCM has always encouraged our members and the public to report all instances of crime and antisocial behaviour to the relevant authorities as this identifies the size and nature of the community concern and empowers the authorities to respond accordingly.

We also caution against confrontation and strongly advise people not to put themselves at risk. When you consider a crime is being committed or harm is happening, you should call 999 and ask for help.

We have, as the Friends group, in the past brought all the stakeholders for the Meadows together to 'walk over' this wonderful expanse of grasslands and woodlands when we discuss the management, environment, crime concerns and identify collaborative working together to address these.

The problems this summer – from wildfire risk, jumping off the Five Arch Bridge into the lake and wildlife crime – are reminding us that we must reconvene this partnership.

The Friends with the police are recommending that local people sign up to the new Met Police community online platform MetEngage. There, you can receive up-to-date reports from PC Ryan and his team about policing the Meadows.

The Friends of Foots Cray Meadows are committed to our values to protect the environment along with the challenge of allowing communities to responsibly enjoy the positive wellbeing effect of the Meadows as a wonderful public open space.

FFCM co-chairs Michael Heath and Jacky Turner, August 2025