WEST Midlands Police have announced they are launching a new "policing tactic" at Merry Hill which aims to stop criminals at the shopping centre in the run-up to Christmas.

It's called Project Servator, which is a tactic being used by the force to disrupt a range of criminality.

It aims to provide a "reassuring presence" for the public and help deter a range of potential criminal activity.

It sees the deployment of both highly visible and plain-clothed police officers, supported by other resources include police dogs, vehicle checkpoints, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and live-monitored CCTV.

The deployments will be unpredictable and can happen anywhere, at any time and always include police officers that are specially-trained to spot the tell-tale signs that someone may be planning or preparing to commit crime, including terrorism.

Chief Superintendent Anthony Tagg, head of Dudley Local Policing Area said: “Merry Hill is one of the most popular shopping destinations in the West Midlands, so being able to launch Project Servator here is a real positive for us, and the centre.

“Although deployments are different to normal police operations, they’re designed to reassure the public and not cause alarm. Project Servator officers will speak to visitors and staff working at Merry Hill to explain why they’re there, and what to do if they spot something that doesn’t feel right or looks suspicious.”

“If you head to Merry Hill and see an increased number of police officers - there’s nothing to worry about. Our friendly officers will always be happy to chat to you about why they are there. They might pop up when you weren’t expecting them to so don’t be alarmed, they are on-hand to reassure visitors and work alongside Merry Hill’s security team to continue to keep the centre safe.”

Project Servator is being introduced following success across the region in Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton and Solihull.

The tactic has also been used at a number of major events including festivals, concerts, Christmas markets and more. Project Servator has been active in various parts of the UK since 2014 when it was first pioneered by the City of London Police.

West Midlands Police will work in partnership with colleagues from Merry Hill’s security team to carry out deployments across the entire centre, supported by Merry Hill management.

Jonathan Poole, Centre Manager for Merry Hill added: “Our visitors regularly tell us how safe they feel when visiting the centre and how friendly they find our teams. Bringing Project Servator to Merry Hill builds on our existing relationship with West Midlands Police, and it comes at an important and busy time of year where shoppers look for destinations they can trust.

"Our team here at Merry Hill leave no stone unturned in our ambition to give the West Midlands the regional flagship destination it deserves, whether working with the best partner organisations or attracting the UKs best brands.”