Project Vigilant - Hemel Hempstead.

Dear Resident

An operation was carried out in #HemelHempstead over the weekend, to target perpetrators of sexual predatory behaviour in the night-time economy.

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 action – which may include arrest.

Examples of the predatory behaviour officers are looking out for include sexual comments, inappropriate touching, and loitering.

Potential victims are also engaged with by uniformed officers, who will assess their welfare, record any offences and/or signpost to support resources.

Neighbourhood Sergeant Sam Pearce, who is leading the operation in Dacorum, said: “Tackling violence against women and girls is a key priority across Hertfordshire and Project Vigilant is an important part of this work. Everyone has a right to feel and be safe during a night out.

“The inaugural operation in Hemel Hempstead was a success. We spoke with several females throughout the evening to ensure they were safe and also challenged any behaviour which was causing concern. This included stopping vehicles.”

She continued: “We’ll be conducting further Project Vigilant deployments in the future, to help keep people safe in the night-time economy. The project has also enabled officers to receive specialist training which can be used during their routine patrols.”

Hertfordshire Constabulary initially launched Project Vigilant in Watford in 2023. Since then, it has been rolled out to St Albans, East Herts, Stevenage and North Hertfordshire, with more than 130 officers receiving specialist training as part of the project.

This includes behavioural detection tuition, where officers are taught a scientific based process used to detect anomalous human behaviour. The training gives officers an insight into how sexual predators think and behave and equips them with the tools and knowledge to identify if someone’s behaviour is concerning.

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