Police today revealed thjeir plans for keeping tennis fans safe ahead of the Wimbledon tennis Championships which start next week.
Officers from Project Servator, which is “designed to identify and disrupt hostile reconnaissance,” will be deployed in south west London during the two week tournament at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
The specialists are trained to spot signs that someone is planning to commit “a range of criminal activity, including terrorism.”
Both uniformed and plain clothes officers will attend the sporting event, which is expected to attract almost half a million spectators.
Firearms officers and a “highly mobile reserve that can respond to emerging incidents” will be on standby during the tournament, which takes place from Monday until July 14.
Superintendent Jo Edwards, who is in charge of the policing of this year's Championships, said: "It is fantastic that south west London hosts what is one of the most anticipated annual events in sport, attracting hundreds of thousands of tennis fans.
“It is our job to prevent crime and ensure everyone’s safety so fans can enjoy the spectacle, and we have been working closely with The All England Lawn Tennis Club, British Transport Police and other partners to help deliver a memorable event.
“All eyes will be on the world-class tennis on display, but we would urge people in the grounds and the local area to be vigilant and report anything unusual or suspicious to security staff and/or a police officer, or by calling 999.”
