Project Servator Aims to Disrupt Criminality at Southport Events

If you visited Southport Food & Drink Festival at the weekend you may have seen #ProjectServator deployments in the area around Victoria Park.

Although these patrols are different to normal police operations, if you see one, don't worry – it's all about disrupting criminality, including terrorism, and providing a reassuring presence to the public. The tactic is regularly part of our protective security measures for large events, which are planned for many months, such as the Food and Drink Festival, Southport Air Show and The Open golf championship, among others.

The deployments are deliberately unpredictable and use uniformed and plain-clothes officers who are specially trained to spot the tell-tale signs that someone may have criminal intent such as gathering information to help them plan or prepare to commit a crime.

During deployments, the officers will also speak with members of the public and liaise with staff to encourage vigilance and the reporting of suspicious activity. Thank you to everyone that spoke with officers – there was a fabulous atmosphere at the festival and lots of visitors mentioned how much they enjoyed it!

For more information about Project Servator and how you can help us keep people safe, search the Merseyside Police website for 'Project Servator'