Officers in Chester launch campaign to keep people safe in the city this summer

Officers in Chester have kicked off their summer campaign to help keep people safe in the city this summer.

On Tuesday 7 May, officers from Chester LPU, as well as from the Constabulary’s specialist units, launched a summer campaign which will focus on deterring criminality and continuing to keep people safe as the city sees higher footfall during the summer months.

A number of different policing tactics were utilised throughout the day across Chester, highlighting the resources available to officers.

Several partner agencies were also in attendance to learn more about how we can work together to keep people safe. These included Cheshire West and Chester Council, University of Chester, Grosvenor Shopping Centre, Chester Residents Association Group, Chester BID, Chester Cathedral, City Centre Manager, Chester Against Business Crime, and Storyhouse.

A drugs dog visited Chester Train Station, as well as colleagues from British Transport Police, to help disrupt cross-border criminality and people who may be looking to travel into Chester via the rail network to commit crime. The drugs dog was also deployed into the city centre.

Officers from the RCU (Roads and Crime Unit) were on the lookout for anyone not abiding by the rules of the road, including anti-social or dangerous driving.

One of Cheshire Police’s Safety Buses was parked up in the city centre to spread awareness about how it helps vulnerable people. These buses provide a safe space in areas where there are high levels of night life, staffed by police officers and community safety specialists to ensure anyone in need of help is cared for until they can get home safely.

Specialist police drone operators assisted officers from the sky near the River Dee, showcasing the force’s capabilities in covering a wider area more efficiently than foot patrols alone. The River Dee also saw officers in the Underwater Search Team talk to members of the public about water safety ahead of warmer weather. In addition, they patrolled the river by boat to deter anti-social behaviour.

A number of Project Servator deployments took place at various locations across the city. Project Servator aims to disrupt a range of criminality and sees the deployment of both highly visible and plain-clothed police officers. These are supported by other resources, such as live-monitored CCTV, or armed officers, for example.

The deployments are unpredictable; they can happen anywhere, at any time, and officers are specially-trained to spot the tell-tale signs that someone may be carrying out hostile reconnaissance – information gathering that may help them plan or prepare to commit a crime.

Project Servator officers also engaged with members of the public, security staff, and local businesses to encourage them to report anything which doesn’t feel right.

The day resulted in a number of arrests, including one arrest for robbery, one for possession of a controlled drug, and one for retail theft. A further 26 stop searches were carried out, as well as Out of Court Disposals issued.

Chief Inspector Paul Fegan said:

“I am pleased that we were able to successfully launch our summer campaign and set the tone for the rest of the summer months.

“We must stress that these resources we showcased in the city are part of our everyday policing tactics, as we continually work to keep residents and visitors to Chester safe.

“However, we are keen to reassure members of the public that we will do everything we can to keep people safe during the many events which are taking place in the city this summer.

“We know footfall in Chester will increase as the weather improves and I hope the launch of our campaign will bring people peace of mind that we are committed to using every resource available to us to combat criminality.

“I hope this also acts as strong warning to those who think they can commit crime in Chester. As highlighted during our summer safety launch, we utilise every resource available to us, covering the roads, trains, nightlife, big events, and everything in between – we are committed to making this city a hostile place for criminals.”