Met Police are launching an anti-terrorism tactic in Wandsworth today to help reduce terrorism and criminal activity in London.

The tactic, known as Project Servator, is not in response to a specific threat but is based on extensive research into the psychology of criminals and what undermines their activities.

Already used by a number of forces, including City of London Police and British Transport Police, the approach uses both highly visible and plain clothes officers who have been trained to spot signs that a person may be planning a terrorist attack or engaging in other criminal activity.

Borough commander for Wandsworth Chief Superintendent Richard Smith said: "Wandsworth is a vibrant borough with some of the busiest transport hubs in the country and tens of thousands of commuters passing through daily.

"Defeating terrorism and criminality is a joint effort and that's why I am asking everyone who lives in or visits Wandsworth to get involved in keeping our borough safe.

“If you see something suspicious, report it.

“If you see police officers, take a moment to talk with them and find out how you can play you part."

The tactic, which has been developed, tested and refined over a five-year period by experts at the Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), will be rolled out in London’s other boroughs in the coming months.

Officers will also encourage people living in the area to make an extra effort to report any suspicious behaviour.

Project Servator will be launched with an operation at Vauxhall Bus Station in Lambeth at 10am today.

The public can get updates on Project Servator activity in Lambeth and Wandsworth by following @MPSWandsworth and @LambethMPS on Twitter, where news of some deployments will be published. 

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