Taxi Cop Patrick Quinton recognised for cross-region licensing and public safety work
- Perry Richardson
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
Avon and Somerset Police has publicly recognised Taxi Compliance Officer PC Patrick Quinton for his work overseeing taxi and private hire vehicle standards across the south west, highlighting his role in licensing enforcement at major events and transport locations.
In a statement shared this week, Avon and Somerset Police said PC Quinton, widely known within the trade as “The Taxi Cop”, has built a reputation for sustained compliance work focused on passenger safety, licensing standards and collaboration with operators and local authorities.
The force said Quinton’s work spans multiple regions rather than a single local authority area, reflecting the increasingly cross-border nature of taxi and private hire operations. His remit has included oversight linked to high-volume events and transport hubs, where demand for licensed vehicles rises sharply and enforcement pressures increase.
In November, Quinton was named a finalist for the Institute of Licensing’s Jeremy Allen Award, an annual recognition given to individuals judged to have gone beyond routine duties in licensing and regulatory work. The award is administered by the Institute of Licensing, which represents local authority licensing professionals across England and Wales.
According to the police statement, Quinton has been active at locations including Glastonbury Festival, Cheltenham Racecourse and Bristol Airport. These sites present recurring challenges for taxi and private hire compliance, particularly around vehicle licensing, out-of-area working and safeguarding obligations.
Police said Quinton has focused on building operational relationships with local licensing officers, fellow police colleagues and both private hire and hackney carriage operators. Such coordination is seen by forces and councils as increasingly important as enforcement resources tighten and taxi markets continue to fragment across licensing boundaries.
Taxi and private hire licensing has remained under scrutiny nationally, with concerns raised by councils and police forces over enforcement capacity, illegal plying for hire and passenger safety at large events. Officers with specialist knowledge of the sector are often deployed across wider regions to address these risks.
An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson said: “Today we're celebrating Taxi Compliance Officer PC Patrick Quinton, known to many across the south-west as 'The Taxi Cop', a title he has earned through years of dedication, innovation, and tireless commitment to public safety and licensing standards.
“In November, he was recognised as a finalist for the Institute of Licensing's Jeremy Allen Award, awarded to those who consistently go above and beyond.
“Patrick works across multiple regions encompassing locations and events such as Glastonbury Festival, racing at Cheltenham Racecourse and Bristol Airport, where he has built strong relationships with licensing officers, police colleagues, and private hire/hackney carriage operators.”
