Project Kraken

Project Kraken is a national initiative set up to increase vigilance in our maritime environment and assist the protection of our communities and to create a hostile environment to criminals wishing to disrupt our every day lives. It is about getting people to work together in partnership to maintain the security and safety of our communities.

If you work in the maritime environment, you can help police counter these crimes by being alert to your surroundings and reporting unusual or suspicious behaviour. By passing on this information you will increase maritime safety and reduce criminal behaviour. You will help towards the safety of our harbours, ports and coastline for anyone using them or visiting them legitimately.

How does Project Kraken work?

Project Kraken will be co-ordinated in the Tayside area by officers working in the maritime policing environment. To contact Tayside Police about suspicious activity or suspicious behaviour in this environment you should call us, in most cases, via our non-emergency reporting telephone line 0300 111 2222. If you believe it is an emergency or a crime in progress you should call 999.

Unusual and suspicious are key words. If there is anything 'unusual' or 'suspicious' about a person, or indeed a vessel or its cargo, then please contact us. If you live, work or relax in maritime areas you will instantly notice something out of place and if you do so, we ask that you report it to us.

Project Kraken collates all the information you pass us and uses it to prevent crime which may include acts of terrorism.

What to look for

• anyone filming, taking pictures or notes of critical infrastructure, such as bridges, docking procedures or security methods
• anyone loitering around maritime areas
• people who are evasive to answering common boating questions
• deliberate attempts to avoid contact with others or to draw attention
• inappropriate equipment and knowledge for this environment
• placing objects into waterways near bridges or pipes at unusual times
• inappropriate large cash payments for daily extension of marina or port mooring

What are the signs of Criminal or Terrorist activity

• Tests of Security - Attempts to test security and response times when entering restricted areas.
• Surveillance - Individuals taking pictures and making notes. Prolonged activity in one area.
• Equipment - Individuals buying unusual equipment, chemicals, uniforms, badges etc.
• Suspicious Characters - People who are clearly not local and whose actions do not fit into the daily routine of the area.

Remember if you see suspicious activity

• Do not take direct action
• Do not confront the person
• Do not reveal your suspicions
• Do record details if possible –
      what you saw, where you saw it
      what was suspicious about it.
• Do notify us as soon as possible

Join Project Kraken

If you are part of the maritime community and additionally wish to become part of the Tayside Project Kraken community please contact us by e-mail at ports@tayside.pnn.police.uk or call us on 0300 111 2222.

You can register free of charge and as a registered member of Tayside's Project Kraken Community you will assist our operational effectiveness. We will also send you information updates and newsletters from time to time.

We may very occasionally send you information of a more urgent nature.

To register please complete the Registration Form which can be downloaded from this page.

If you are unable to download the form it is also available at your nearest police station or you can contact us to have one sent out to you.

You should then return it to

Project Kraken Co-ordinator
Crime and Intelligence Division
Tayside Police Headquarters
4 West Bell Street
Dundee DD1 9JU