Poor radio signals stifle Garda work

GARDAÍ monitoring security cameras for Dublin’s busiest streets spend much of their time answering telephones and have huge difficulties contacting members on the beat because of poor radio signals.

The problems with the monitoring of the Temple Bar, Grafton Street and Dame Street districts are worst during the night when thousands of people are thronging the streets.

Researchers compiling a report on public order offences were told of the difficulties faced by gardaí at Pearse Street station.

The report, published on Friday, revealed that O’Connell Street is the city’s worst area for public order offending but areas covered by Pearse Street feature heavily on the most dangerous list.

Gardaí told researchers that in addition to monitoring the cameras, operators answered local station calls, managed and allocated emergency 999 calls, co-ordinated gardaí on the beat and answered their queries, such as checking registration numbers.

“The difficulties associated with multi-tasking were exacerbated during the busy night time hours,” the National Crime Council-commissioned report concluded.

“Some gardaí were of the view that this diversification diluted the effectiveness of camera use in this station,” it said. The difficulties were compounded by poor radio signals, making communication difficult between the station and members on the street.

Pearse Street station compares unfavourably to the monitoring of the O’Connell Street area. A dedicated CCTV control room allows gardaí to focus all their attention on “building up knowledge of their area and developing a finely-tuned appreciation of signs of potential disorder”, according to the report.

The problems at Pearse Street have fuelled speculation that resources to police the streets late at night are being stretched to breaking point, particularly as the force’s overtime budget has, according to one garda representative body, been cut by 25%.

George Maybury, general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, said the budget will be exhausted by October and predicted serious financial problems towards the end of the year.

This has been rejected by Commissioner Pat Byrne, who said the force was within budget and not looking at a financial crisis.

A Department of Justice spokesman said the projected cost of overtime this year was €60m.

Both the Garda Representative Association and the Association of Garda Superintendents, members tasked with managing budgets, have so far not commented on potential budget problems later in the year.