Gardaí on streets to use dogs in new strategy
The specially trained dogs will go out on patrol with uniformed garda handlers as part of a new strategy being put in place by the head of the Limerick Garda Division, Chief Superintendent Gerry Kelly.
Chief Supt Kelly said crimes involving fights and drunkenness on Limerick streets are down 50% so far this year due to the success of Operation Encounter, which tackles anti-social behaviour.
He now plans to broaden the scope of Operation Encounter in order to tackle hooliganism in big estates around the city. Already the gardaí have had major successes in one of the biggest housing estates on the north side of the city.
“Public order offences are down 50% already this year because of new strategies we have put in place in certain problem areas. Most of our work up to now has been reactive, but I am now placing more emphasis on prevention,” Chief Supt Kelly said.
Operation Encounter, which was put in place to fight anti-social behaviour, has yielded huge dividends, he added.
“Because of Operation Encounter we have not had a very major incident involving anti-social behaviour on our streets for a long time. But you just cannot leave it at that as you just don’t know what is coming tomorrow,” Chief Supt Kelly said.
He believes the new dog unit will be of further assistance to the gardaí in their efforts to reduce crime. He said the dog unit would be managed by uniformed gardaí.
“Specially trained dogs can be used for a wide variety of policing purposes such as drugs searches and for street patrols. A specialised dog unit in Limerick forms part of a package I am putting together,” he said.
Chief Supt Kelly said also he plans to make more use of the garda mounted unit which was set up in 1998 and which has a complement of two sergeants, 16 gardaí and 14 horses.
One area which would lend itself to mounted patrols is a scenic walk along the Shannon where there have been numerous muggings, he said.
Because of attacks on athletes training on the walkway at Plassey, international sports physiotherapist Ger Hartmann moved his injury clinic from Limerick to France earlier this year.
The international athletes he brought to his clinic included Paula Radcliffe, who was a familiar sight training around Limerick.
Chief Supt Kelly said that undercover armed units had been very successful in fighting serious crime in Limerick and many of the city’s most dangerous criminals were now in prison.
“A lot of our operations in Limerick involve armed undercover units which have a 24-hour, seven day presence. And the fact that people might not see uniformed gardaí at every street corner does not mean there is not a garda presence,” he said.
