Staff shortage hits gardaí at fully equipped new station

LONGFORD gardaí have a new station with the best of equipment — but don’t have the staff to use the equipment or perform all their duties.

Gardaí based at the busy station claim they have no designated community policing unit, don’t liaise with schools and conduct little beat work because of a manpower shortage.

Gardaí at the station, which is the headquarters for the district, said they were struggling to keep up with the growth of new ethnic communities in the town. They said a small minority of these were getting into trouble with the law, particularly in relation to drink-driving.