Top prison sniffer dog gets extra security
Rocky took up duty in the prison two weeks ago and since then has been responsible for “sniffing” out more than 50 drugs deals in the visiting area destined for prisoners.
Agitated prisoners thrashed their cells last Thursday night to vent their anger at not being able to get in drugs.
Rocky is being kennelled at a secret location when off duty after prisoners made open threats to have him killed.
Meanwhile, a truce brokered by gardaí to halt an escalating campaign of violence between two families in Southill is still holding, Superintendent Frank O’Brien said yesterday.
A blitz of shootings during a two-month spell ofviolence included a sniper attack on two detectives patrolling the estate in which their patrol car was hit by a bullet.
Deputy Commissioner Peter Fitzgerald visited Southill last Thursday and met with local residents and senior Garda officers.
Later that day, individuals linked to both sides in the feud met gardaí at Roxboro garda station and agreed to cease hostilities.
Supt O’Brien said yesterday: “Since that meeting there have been no incidents and the weekend passed by very peacefully. It appears to be holding and things have calmed down. It seems that the seeds sown have fallen on fertile ground. But when you plant seeds you just can’t go away and forget about. We are still maintaining a strong presence and there is close liaison there.”
Supt O’Brien said they decided on the peace talks initiative as things had got so much out of hand.
“Ordinary day to day living was becoming extremely difficult. Common sense was prevailed on both sides and it seems that commitments given by them has been complied with and that is good news,” he said.
Gardaí said the truce will not affect investigations into previous shootings, including the gun attack on the Garda patrol.
The rifle used in that shooting was recovered in a follow-up search of the Southill area.
The two families involved in the feud are known to be active in drug dealing in the south side of Limerick.
One is based in O’Malley Park and the other lives in a halting site near Southill.
Two people received gun shot injuries during the feud.
One man who had received pellet wounds to his backside ran from the A&E unit of St John’s Hospital when medical staff informed him they were obliged to inform gardaí about gunshot injuries.
He is a member of the halting site family and has made a good recovery.
A number of guns, ammunition and drugs have been found in searches since the feud broke out earlier this summer.
