A Northumbria Police operation is paving the way in keeping people safe on nights out as similar pilot schemes are being rolled out in other parts of the UK. Last month, Northumbria Police’s Operation Cloak team were accompanied on patrol by their counterparts from Thames Valley Police to share ideas and work together to build on the way we keep people safe on a night out.
First launched in 2019 in Newcastle city centre, Operation Cloak sees dedicated uniformed and plain-clothed officers placed in busy areas looking for signs someone may be vulnerable or in need of help and identifying people who may be out to commit offences. While it is a police-led initiative, partners in the local authority, licensees, door supervisors, hotel staff and taxi drivers, work together to help ensure people can enjoy a night out in a safe and friendly environment.
Given the scheme’s positive impact, Operation Cloak has been rolled out across the Force area and a number of similar initiatives and pilot schemes have since developed across the country.
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In the Thames Valley area, Project Vigilant was also launched in 2019 to tackle predatory behaviour in the night-time economy following an increase in sexual offending in Oxford. The project operates in a very similar way to Operation Cloak, using dedicated uniformed and plain clothed officers to target those displaying predatory behaviour such as sexual harassment, inappropriate touching and loitering.
Chief Inspector Dave Wheeler, who leads the Operation Cloak team in Newcastle, said: “It is brilliant to see other forces adopting their own specialist plans to make sure they can further respond to the unique challenges that come with policing the night-time economy.
“It was great to have Thames Valley Police with us in Newcastle so we could share ideas, and best practice, and learn from each other. Operation Cloak is all about protecting those who may be vulnerable on a night out and targeting anyone looking to commit offences.
“We recognise vulnerability can present itself in many forms, and that’s where our dedicated officers come in, spotting where something doesn’t seem quite right and intervening.”
He added: “The North East is well-known for having a safe and vibrant nightlife and we are proud of the role we play within this.
“It is important to recognise that this is very much a joint effort and we are committed to working with our partners to build on the extensive work already under way to ensure people can continue to enjoy a night out in a safe and friendly environment.”
Sergeant Rachel Belsher, force operational lead for Project Vigilant for Thames Valley Police, said: “It was great to have the opportunity to visit our colleagues in Northumbria to explore both our initiatives to create a safe environment for those wanting to enjoy a night out.
“As both our initiatives have been running for a couple of years, it was a great chance to learn from each other and share best practice to see how we can build and improve our projects to tackle sexual offending. No one should feel unsafe and we will continue to work with our partners’ to make the areas we police a hostile place for those that may be thinking of committing an offence.”
