Merseyside Police celebrates six years of Project Servator which aims to protect the city region from terrorism

This week marks the sixth anniversary of Merseyside Police adopting the specialist policing tactic, Project Servator. The tactic aims to disrupt a range of criminal activity, including terrorism, while providing a reassuring presence for the public.

In Merseyside, these specialist deployments began in 2018 when the tactic was launched at Royal Albert Dock. Since then, the deployments have been expanded to a range of locations including Pier Head, St George’s Hall, ACC Liverpool and most recently, Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Deployments can also be seen in the run-up to and during large-scale events such as the Labour Party Conference, music festivals and city-centre parades.

Servator is a Latin word that means ‘watcher’ or ‘observer’, and the deployments use specially trained uniform and plain-clothes officers to spot the tell-tale signs that someone may be gathering information to help them plan or prepare to commit a crime. These officers will also encourage the public, including people working in local businesses, to be extra eyes and ears, and report suspicious activity. The aim is to build a network of vigilance made up of business and community partners and the general public.

Project Servator was first developed and introduced by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and City of London Police in 2014 and is now used by a growing number of police forces. In the last six years, Project Servator officers in Merseyside have detected various crimes, been instrumental in sending fugitives back to jail and gathered intelligence vital to keeping our communities safe.

Sergeant Danny Cheevers, Force Coordinator for Project Servator at Merseyside Police said:

“These highly visible deployments are planned to be deliberately unpredictable, with officers arriving at various locations at any time. We are supported by a range of police resources and technology, including police dogs, horses, armed officers and live-monitored CCTV.

“Additionally, our Counter Terrorism Security Advisors (CTSAs) support us in the delivery of See, Check and Notify (SCaN) training to security personnel and other staff in local businesses and venues. This free training helps staff spot suspicious activity and ensure they know what to do when encountering it.”

Debbie Lacy-May, Head of Security at Liverpool John Lennon Airport said:

“Safety and security is paramount at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. We work closely with our security colleagues, government bodies and Merseyside Police to ensure that our security operation is robust. We continue to roll out SCaN training to all of our colleagues working on site and ensure a good security culture between all organisations. Project Servator is a key link between our teams and Merseyside Police helping us maintain security vigilance and focus, ensuring our airport staff and visitors remain safe.”

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:

“The partnership with Merseyside Police is invaluable and being part of the Project Servator community means we can ensure the safety of members of the public in the run up to and during events we stage in the city. From giants and Eurovision, right through to Taylor Town and Christmas Markets, our staff utilise this initiative to keep millions of visitors safe at all times. 

“As one of the leading cities in the world when it comes to staging major events, this Team Liverpool approach is vital and means we can play a part in disrupting criminal activity.”

Sergeant Cheevers added: “The assistance of our community partners and members of the public in reporting suspicious activity helps us to keep Merseyside safe for those who live, work, and visit here. Thank you to everyone who stops to speak with our officers during deployments – together, we’ve got it covered.”

Remember, if you see something that doesn’t feel right, tell a member of staff or a police officer. Don’t assume someone else will do it. However insignificant you think something may be, trust your instincts and report it.

To report suspicious activity, call the police on 101. Suspicious activity is anything that seems out of place, unusual or does not seem to fit in with day-to-day life. If it is an emergency, always call 999.

Guidance on how to help, including what suspicious activity to look out for, and confidential reporting is available at www.gov.uk/act.

Get the latest for Liverpool City Region HERE.