Tuesday, November 5, 2019 - 10:44 Leo Olivero

In the event of a major terrorist attack, the lead agency responsible for coordinating and delivering a response is the Royal Gibraltar Police.

The RGP are vital to the Rock’s national security and prosperity operating in times of uncertainty, and are required to continually adapt to keep pace with the changing nature of global crime and security threats. Law enforcement agencies worldwide are exploring how best to adapt to meet the demands placed on the system by new forms of organised criminality the growing threat from cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime, and the threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism to name but a few, while continuing to protect victims, bring offenders to justice, and deliver the core public policing and enforcement services.

Policing plans for the response to any potential terrorist attack has significantly changed in recent years; I presume learning from attacks elsewhere.

On the 1st June 2018 the RGP launched ‘Project Servator’ which appears to have become its flagship policing plan or force effort described as a policing tactic that aims to disrupt a range of criminal activity, including terrorism, while providing a reassuring presence for the public.

The core of approach relies on police working with the community, businesses, partners and members of the public to build a network of vigilance and encourage suspicious behaviour and activity to be reported.

Is this Police Project as Successful As it is Made Out to Be?

But is this Police Project as successful as it is made out to be? Reading and conducting only some light research into this matter the local public have been told that ‘Project Servator’ has been successful in the UK in gathering intelligence and has assisted Counter Terrorism Units across Britain in investigating and preventing acts of terror resulting in many arrests for a multitude of offences.