Survivors of convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein who have spoken to the media are being contacted by police.
It comes as the force strengthens the national team looking at potential crimes that may have taken place on UK soil.
Investigators have contacted women who have spoken to BBC Newsnight and Good Morning Britain, inviting them to speak to UK law enforcement “should they feel comfortable to do so”.
A new national specialist team has also been set up to focus on potential crimes against women and girls in Britain.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said a dedicated group will look at the “scale, scope and nature of any potential UK-based VAWG (violence against women and girls) offending within the files”.
It will also set up a national approach to gathering and assessing intelligence, with “investment in additional intelligence resources”.
Assistant Chief Constable Claire Bell, the chair of the group, said: “Policing operates locally but must remain nationally coherent, which is why the co-ordination groups have been established to ensure we are joining the dots as the public would expect.
“Working with the National Crime Agency, we are reviewing and assessing the published files.
“We have also reached out to survivors who have shared their experiences with the media to invite them to speak to UK authorities should they feel comfortable to do so.
“Police forces may receive direct contact from potential victims and survivors reporting matters that are not contained in the Epstein files released. Officers will listen with care to anyone who takes the courageous step of contacting us.”
Epstein, a millionaire financier, died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking underage girls
The US Department of Justice released millions of pages of documents related to the investigation into him in January.
The material sparked individual investigations by UK forces including the Metropolitan Police, Thames Valley, Norfolk, Surrey, Bedfordshire, Essex, Wiltshire, and with national co-ordination by the NPCC.
Ms Bell said: “I want to assure anyone affected that UK policing will be meticulous in our assessment of the Department of Justice files. The volume of material is significant, and the detailed assessment of the files will take time, which I fully appreciate can be both frustrating and traumatic for anyone impacted.
“But it is crucial that we get this right – taking a methodical and co-ordinated approach to safeguard the integrity of any potential investigations. Our priority throughout will remain the safety, wellbeing and confidence of victims.”
Earlier this month, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley used an already-planned US visit to request access to the unredacted Epstein files.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York, and Lord Peter Mandelson have been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over their connections with the paedophile and have since been released under investigation.
