Gloucestershire Police given training to spot predatory behaviour
Project Vigilant is being trialled in Cheltenham
First launched in Oxford by Thames Valley Police in 2019, the aim of Project Vigilant is to identify and intercept those who may be displaying concerning behaviour, to protect the public and prevent sexual offences from occurring.
To achieve this, specially trained plain-clothed and uniformed police officers patrol public areas outside nightclubs, bars and pubs.
The plain-clothed officers integrate themselves among the public and highlight anyone of concern before their uniformed counterparts take positive action – which may include arrest.
Examples of the predatory behaviour officers are looking out for include sexual comments, inappropriate touching, and loitering.
Superintendent of Gloucestershire Police, Emma McDonald, said: "We're not out here trying to arrest people but if we have to, we absolutely will. It's about education, so that people understand if they are overstepping and not behaving in a way we expect.
"Cheltenham is a safe place to go on a night out and out part is making sure you're safe and able to enjoy yourself. We always have a presence in the night time economy but this is targeted towards safety and preventing things from happening.
"We're educating officers on the behaviour of people who might prey on vulnerable individuals that might have had too much to drink or become isolated from their friends."
What does the officer training involve?
All those who undertake the training for Project Vigilant have volunteered to do so. A two-hour interactive session is delivered directly before a deployment, equipping the officers with an insight into how sexual predators think and behave, and the tools to identify if someone’s behaviour is concerning or could be deemed ‘out of place’.
After the training, officers can take on the role of either plain-clothed or uniformed in all future operations which allows for long-term resourcing flexibility.
What does a Project Vigilant deployment look like?
Once the training is complete, the Behavioural Detection Officers (BDOs) – who always work in pairs – will be assigned a patrol area based on current intelligence. They will make their way into Cheltenham town centre before their uniformed colleagues take up their positions.
Observation will begin once all officers are in place, and the operational supervisor – a sergeant – is positioned in the CCTV control room at the police station, to oversee the deployment and assist with fast-time intelligence checks.
If a BDO observes behaviour that requires intervention, uniformed officers will engage with the person identified and carry out a structured stop-check. If offences or concerns are detected, positive action will be taken.
Potential victims will also be engaged with by uniformed officers, who will assess their welfare, record any offences and/or signpost to support resources.
Before officers complete their shift, they are required to submit details of all stops to allow for intelligence development. A meeting will subsequently be held which involves several departments from across the constabulary, where a review of every individual stopped is carried out against a risk assessment matrix. Following this, long-term ownership is arranged, and long-term risk management strategies put in place.
No person stopped during a deployment is allowed on their way until officers are satisfied that they have recorded accurate information and they do not pose an immediate risk to the public.
Important points
The initiative’s primary aim is to prevent sexual offences being committed against women, but Project Vigilant is there to protect people of all genders.
Only uniformed police officers will approach members of the public, unless there is an immediate threat to life – in which case, plain-clothes officers will intervene if they are first on scene.
Project Vigilant’s uniformed officers are separate resources to their NTE public order colleagues and are therefore ringfenced to deal with stop checks requested by the plain-clothed BDOs.
The deployments are planned according to expected demand and consider key events and dates that are likely to increase the number of visitors to the town centre.
Plain-clothes officers are both male and female, a mixture of ages and from a range of different backgrounds.
The Project Vigilant team works in partnership with venue management, staff and CCTV operators to ensure the safety of those enjoying a night out.