Bid to give communities more input on policing
Communities around the country have been granted a direct input to form the best ways for gardaí to tackle crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour under a joint policing initiative launched today.
Around 22 committees – including local authority and Oireachtas members, community and voluntary organisations – are being set up to improve connections between gardaí and local communities.
At the launch of the new Joint Policing Committees justice minister Michael McDowell said: “Policing of our society cannot take place in a vacuum where An Garda Siochana itself decides how policing is to be carried out without taking on board any views from the community.
“Community input is not only democratically desirable but it is also required for the policing of our increasingly complex and diverse society to be more effective.”
The project is beginning on a pilot basis of around 12 months in areas including Dublin City, Galway City, and counties Offaly and Wicklow with funding of €600,000.
Environment Minister Dick Roche said: “It is intended that committees will operate in a co-operative manner and with a minimum level of formality.”
Both Gardaí and local authorities will be able to use the committees as a forum to consult, discuss and make recommendations on matters affecting policing.
The Garda Siochana/Local Authority Joint Policing Committees will monitor levels and patterns of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour, as well as the factors contributing to it.
It is also envisaged the members will advise the local authority and Gardaí on how they might best perform their functions.
In Dublin’s Store Street station, Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy said: “It is about listening to problems on all sides and then finding a way together in solving those problems, be it local authorities, be it Gardaí or indeed the community. It is a forum about getting things done.”
The commissioner said he believed the forums could have a direct effect on reducing crime and drug issues.
Mr McDowell said the joint policing committees were not being established due to a failure of officers to listen to the local community.
“It is not an implicit criticism,” the minister said.
“An Garda Siochana supports this initiative very strongly, they want to have an input into local authority activities, let’s take things like public lighting, street lighting, traffic issues, anti-social behaviour by tenants in local authority accommodation.”
He added: “They will not go into this process as objects in a coconut shy for politicians to take pot shots at them, they are in this on a partnership basis.”
Mr McDowell also confirmed 13 community CCTV schemes were being installed in 11 locations including Athy, Co Kildare, Limerick City and Waterford, as under the Garda Siochana Act consultation with the local joint policing committees were required.
