MDP celebrates fifth anniversary of deploying Project Servator

MDP Project Servator deployments first began at HM Naval Base Portsmouth and the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) sites in Berkshire during March 2017, following an initial trial in 2016. The deployments can now also be seen at Defence HQ in Whitehall, Menwith Hill and the HM Naval Bases at Clyde and Devonport.

The MPD says a “surge capability” is also available where required, for example, to provide support for local and national events.

Superintendent Steffen Morgan-Fisher said: “Project Servator deployments are integral to creating a network of vigilance and a difficult environment for criminals and terrorists to operate within, across the UK.

“In the MDP, we’re proud to serve and protect defence and critical national infrastructure, whilst working as part of the wider national counter terrorism and intelligence gathering context.

“During the coming year we will be expanding our use of Project Servator to other sites that we protect and by the end of April all frontline MDP officers at Whitehall will have completed Project Servator training. This will see an increase in the number of MDP Project Servator deployments in the area.”

Supt Morgan-Fisher added: “Along with our Project Servator deployments, since late 2019 we’ve delivered See Check and Notify (SCaN) training to more than 1,490 people, on how to watch out for signs of potential criminal activity, working with base security teams, partners, stakeholders, local businesses and employers.

“The threat from terrorism to the UK is substantial, meaning an attack is likely and it is now as important as ever that everybody plays a vital role in helping us to protect defence, sites of national importance and surrounding communities, by reporting anything suspicious or that doesn’t seem right.”

Project Servator was first developed and introduced by the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) and City of London Police in 2014 and is now used by a growing number of police forces in the UK, Gibraltar and Australia.

Servator is a Latin word that means ‘watcher’ or ‘observer’, and during policing operations Project Servator officers, in uniform and plain clothes, ‘watch’ and ‘observe’, using their specialist training to spot the tell-tale signs of criminal activity or intent.

MDP says its Project Servator teams have identified criminality ranging from the carrying of knives, weapons and drugs, to shoplifting, immigration and driving offences, together with potential terrorist-related activity, where intelligence is shared with specialist teams for assessment and possible sharing with other policing colleagues.