A police scheme to tackle violence and predatory sexual behaviour against women will launch across Hertfordshire after a successful pilot in Watford.

Project Vigilant, which has been operating in town since May, involves specially trained officers, both plain-clothed and uniformed, patrolling outside nightclubs, bars and pubs.

Plain-clothed officers integrate themselves among the public and highlight people of concern before their uniformed colleagues intervene if needed. Since May, 18 people of interest were stopped across six deployments.

The scheme will now be rolled out countywide with the long-term goal of having the specially trained officers in all 10 Community Safety Partnerships.

Watford mayor Peter Taylor said: "We are proud of Watford's award-winning vibrant nightlife, but we also acknowledge the challenges posed by potential crime and disruptive behaviour because of its popularity.

“This led to Watford being selected for the Hertfordshire trial of Project Vigilant, and our work with Herts police on the project has already proven to be successful.”

The goal is to keep the community safe by “actively watching out for and stopping people who might cause harm, especially in the night-time economy”, he added.

“We're working hard to prevent crime and antisocial behaviour from happening and make sure everyone feels safe and respected."

Watford Observer: Project Vigilant is set to be rolled out across Hertfordshire.Project Vigilant is set to be rolled out across Hertfordshire. (Image: Herts Police)

Watford Chief Inspector Andy Wiseman said the town was chosen due to its high nighttime footfall, and regular deployments are now running locally.

Reflecting on one incident in May, he said: “Plain-clothed officers noticed a male paying particular attention to a heavily intoxicated female on The Parade.

“After being stopped by uniformed officers, the male claimed the female was his girlfriend but after further questioning and roadside checks, it became apparent that this was not the case.

“The male was arrested and taken into custody, and the female was safeguarded.

The Chief Inspector accepted it is difficult to measure the success of initiatives like Project Vigilant, but added: “I strongly believe that we prevented a woman being attacked that night.

“The impact of rape and sexual assault is all too often far-reaching and life-long, which is why this type of work is so critical. Everyone has a right to feel and be safe when they’re enjoying a night out.”