Question: is a high court enforcement officer a bailiff

Answer: No, Unlike a bailiff, who is an officer of a lower court, an HCEO is an officer of the High Court, and consequently has much greater power. No notice is required to the party on which the writ is executed; commercial premises can be broken into by the officer by any means they choose; and once present in a property they cannot be forcibly removed. Obstructing an HCEO in the execution of a writ is considered to amount to a contempt of court, as was historically the case with sheriff's officers.