Epping Forest Keepers
The Epping Forest Keepers are an ancient and historical body of people who are employed by the City of London, who in return are responsible, as the Conservators, for the management and care of Epping Forest, which covers approximately ten square miles of forest, bridleway, woodland and recreational space stretching from Forest Gate in east London, north to North Weald in Essex. The horse mounted section was disbanded in 2009. The forest is managed by the City of London Corporation and is one of many open spaces that comes under their control, even though Epping Forest and the others are a considerable distance from the Square Mile. [1]
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Powers [edit]
The powers to swear in constables come from the Epping Forest Act 1878. This gives the Conservators of the forest the power to swear in reeves, assistant reeves, bailiffs or other officers appointed by them for 'securing the better execution' of the Act and their bylaws.[2] Epping Forest keepers are sworn as constables under section 43 of the Act, giving them all the powers and privileges of a constable inside the forest.[2] They are sworn in before a Justice of the Peace for Essex.[2] Assaulting or resisting a constable is an offence.[2]
If a constable sees or finds a person committing an offence against the bylaws, or if they have reasonable suspicion to believe that a person has committed an offence against the byelaws, they may stop and detain them, and if their name and address are unknown, they may 'stop and apprehend' them instead - presumably meaning arrest.[2] They also have the power to stop, detain and examine vehicles or things to which the offence, or suspected offence, relates.[2]
Epping Forest is not a separate police area, the statutory responsibility for policing the forest rests either with the Metropolitan Police for parts of the forest within the Metropolitan Police District or Essex Police for the remainder of the forest located in the Essex police area.
Role [edit]
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This section does not cite any references or sources. (May 2011) |
There are currently twelve such constables - this is much lower than is historically listed as there have been as many as twenty one forest keepers in the past. However, the level of acquired knowledge within the Forest Keeper section means that they are acutely atuned to everyday activities on the forest. Generally the forest keepers act as forest rangers and very rarely use their powers as a constable. Policing issues are mainly left to the local territorial police forces, Essex Police or Metropolitan Police Service. However, there are times when the local police forces do not have geographical knowledge and that is where the forest keeper is most useful.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
External links [edit]
- City of London: Open Spaces
- Map of Epping Forest
- A Keeper's Tale by Fred J Speakman describes the life of forest keeper Sidney Butt ISBN 0-85115-224-4 (1962)George Bell & Sons
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