Closer links between gardaí and community ‘essential’

WATERFORD’S sprawling, expanding community needs to have closer links with gardaí in an effort to clamp down on crime, a city councillor says.

Labour Party councillor Seamus Ryan says it is time for a community policing forum in Waterford City as well as a garda sub-station in his area of the city. It is imperative that we re-examine how we police our communities, said Mr Ryan.

A new community policing forum would represent all sections of the community and should include senior gardaí, elected councillors, members of the community, residents and business, he added.

The function of this forum would be to work with gardaí towards the development of a citywide policing plan that would include all sections of the community.According to Mr Ryan, there should be regular meetings between this city policing forum and senior garda officers, at which local gardaí would present reports and answer questions on policing in the city.

“The failure of the Government to provide the additional 2,000 gardaí promised has led to increases in incidents of anti-social behaviour in the city.

“It is important that all sections of our community continue to work with the gardaí to ensure safe communities here in Waterford. I believe that this can be achieved through the setting up of a city policing forum that would meet regularly and where citizens would have direct access to local gardaí. “The people of Waterford are well served by our gardaí. However, I think that with the continued growth of the city, we must take a fresh look at how we police our city. ”

Mr Ryan also stated that, because of the growth in our city, it is necessary to provide a new garda sub-station in his area of the city, Ward Three.

“The provision of such a sub-station should be a necessary feature of any effective revision of current policing practices at local level here in Waterford,” said Mr Ryan. “A garda sub-station located in Ward Three would succeed in bringing policing closer to the community.”

Figures obtained by Fine Gael TD John Deasy earlier this year have prompted fresh political pressure for more gardaí to be allocated to the city.

A recent crime survey by Mr Deasy showed that a majority of people in the Waterford area are living in fear of crime.