Project Servator

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Project Servator police deployments were originally introduced by the City of London Police in February 2014 as "New policing tactics to deter and detect criminal and terrorist activity, as well as to reassure the general public.^[1] " Project Servator has since been adopted by British Transport Police, Police Scotland, Essex Police, Ministry of Defence Police the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police. The police have used Project Servator tactics in London, on the national rail network and at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, V Festival and shopping centres.^[2][3][4][5]

Project Servator is an inclusive collaborative community strategy that relies on local people and businesses to be the eyes and ears for the police.^[6] It encourages residents and staff to be vigilant and to be the eyes and ears for the police and to ensure safety and security.^[7] The police have used information campaigns to support these deployments. These exercises are based on highly visible police patrols designed to identify and deter potential criminal activity, ranging from pickpocketing or theft to more serious crimes, including terrorism. Project Servator deployments are characterized by the use a range of policing assets - dogs, mounted branch, firearms, plain clothes – in an unpredictable way.^[8] Research indicates that visible policing makes the public feel more reassured and Project Servator arrest figures show it has been effective in identifying criminals.^[9]