Highly visible police project launches in Stratford

WARWICKSHIRE Police are working in partnership with Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands and West Midlands Police to pilot Project Servator in Stratford-upon-Avon over the summer.

Project Servator is a national project that runs in a number of police forces across the country and can be seen in Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and other locations within the West Midlands.

Project Servator is a highly visible policing tactic that aims to disrupt a range of criminal activity, including terrorism, while providing a reassuring presence for the public.

The approach relies on building a network of vigilance made up of business and community partners and the general public. Project Servator is different to traditional policing, as officers involved are specially-trained to spot tell-tale signs that someone may be carrying out hostile reconnaissance – information gathering that may help them plan or prepare to commit a crime.

Residents and visitors to the town will see highly visible uniformed police officers and other specialist resources pop up at unpredictable times and engage with the public. Deployments will also use less visible measures such as CCTV monitoring and plain clothes officers to detect criminal activity and create a difficult place for criminals to operate.

Superintendent Darren Webster from Warwickshire Police said: “Stratford is one of the top tourist destinations outside of London for visitors, so being able to pilot this collaboration with West Midlands Police and Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands is a real positive for us, and the town.

“Although deployments are different to normal police operations, they’re designed to reassure the public and not cause alarm. Project Servator officers will speak to the public and local businesses to explain why they’re there, and what to do if they spot something that doesn’t feel right or looks suspicious.”

Superintendent Nick Rowe from Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands said: “We’re pleased to be working together with local policing partners to maximise safety and security in Stratford-upon-Avon.

“Although there’s no intelligence of an increased threat to the area, every year thousands of people travel to visit the town during the summer months, so we want to help keep them and local residents and businesses safe.

“If you head into Stratford and see police officers in the town - there’s nothing to worry about. Our friendly officers will always be happy to chat to you about why they are there. They might pop up when you weren’t expecting them to so don’t be alarmed, they are on-hand to reassure visitors and local communities and help to keep the town safe.”

If you see something that doesn’t feel right, speak to officers or call 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.