A POLICE project designed to deny, detect and deter criminal and terrorist activity in crowded places has passed its first milestone.

North Yorkshire Police launched Project Servator in April this year in a bid to cut crime in towns and cities across the region.

The project has now reached its 50th deployment and the force has released a short film to mark the milestone.

The film demonstrates how teams of both highly visible and covert police officers work together to crack crime.

It highlights the contribution of other resources such as dogs, firearms, air support, mounted officers and CCTV cameras.

The film also features key partners such as York Minster Police, the Royal Military Police and local businesses’ security teams who help enhance the police’s tactics.

Superintendent Mark Grange, who appears in the film and is a leader of Project Servator, said: “For those who are not aware of it, the film also aims to introduce businesses and the local community to the concept of Project Servator to help to explain the vital role that they have to play.

“Today marks our 50th Project Servator deployment and demonstrates our commitment to continue rolling it out on a regular, but unpredictable basis, to keep our county safe and secure.”

The project has already given officers more opportunities to engage with the public which has also seen an increase in reports of suspicious activity from both businesses and communities where it has been deployed.

Deployment decisions are intelligence-led and have resulted in arrests being made for thefts and drug offences during patrols and vehicle checks.

One of the keys to the success of Project Servator is the support of people living, working and visiting the county to be extra eyes and ears for the police.

Chief Inspector Fiona Willey, of North Yorkshire Police’s Proactive Policing Command and the project’s tactical lead, said: “We hope that the new Project Servator film reassures the public that we are working together with partners, businesses and the communities that we serve to deny, detect and deter a broad spectrum of criminality, everything from pickpocketing to terrorism.”

The film, and other policing information, can be viewed online at northyorkshire.police.uk/servator