POLICE presence is set to be significantly increased in a North Yorkshire town in the run-up to Christmas as part of an ongoing operation.

Project Servator is a tactic using the unpredictable deployment of both highly visible and covert police officers alongside other resources such as police dogs, Automatic Number Plate Recognition, firearms officers, and CCTV in busy areas such as town centres.

These deployments can pop up at any time with officers specially trained to deter, disrupt and detect a range of crimes from pickpockets to terrorism.

North Yorkshire Police first launched Project Servator in York in April 2017 and has since been rolled out in Catterick and Scarborough where it is now “business as usual”.

These deployments have resulted in arrests being made for thefts and drug offences.

It is now set to be a regular sight in Harrogate.

Key to the success of Project Servator is the support of people living, working and visiting the area to be extra eyes and ears for the police, reporting any suspicious behaviour to help make it even harder for criminals to succeed.

Acting Superintendent John Wilkinson of the County Command area, which includes Harrogate, said: “Building on the success of Servator across the rest of the force, I’m delighted to be able to roll out this highly effective policing tactic in Harrogate.

“Our officers have been engaging with businesses and the local community over the last month to introduce them to the Project Servator concept and explain the vital role they have to play.

“Don’t be surprised or alarmed if you see a heavy police presence in key shopping or tourist areas, these are simply to prevent crime and engage with shoppers, visitors and businesses."

To mark the 50th deployment of Project Servator in North Yorkshire in April, North Yorkshire Police released a film showing how it worked.

Chief Inspector Fiona Willey, of North Yorkshire Police’s Proactive Policing Command and Tactical Lead for Project Servator, 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.”

To view the film visit northyorkshire.police.uk/servator.

To report suspicious activity call the police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.