City pleads for better links with gardaí

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

Labour Party Councillor Seamus Ryan said it is time for a community policing forum in Waterford City as well as a garda substation in his area of the city.

It is imperative that we re-examine how we police our communities, he said.

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 toward the development of a city-wide policing plan that would include all sections of the community.

Mr Ryan said there should be regular meetings between the forum and senior garda officers, at which local gardaí will 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 said that because of the growth in the city, a new garda substation is needed in his area of the city, Ward Three.

“The provision of such a substation should be a necessary feature of any effective revision of current policing practices at local level here in Waterford.

“A garda substation 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.