Policing Authority alarmed at fall in sex crime detections

The Policing Authority has expressed serious concern at the sharp drop in the detection by gardaí of sexual crimes and the rise this year in recorded assaults.

Authority members questioned senior Garda management, led by acting commissioner Dónall O’Cualáin, about the issues at a public meeting with the authority yesterday.

It emerged at the meeting that gardaí have overcharged relatives of people who died or were seriously injury in road crashes for traffic collision reports over a period of six months.

Gardaí have identified 28 such cases, totalling €16,820, in overcharged payments and have so far paid back 19 of them, worth €11,240.

The meeting also heard that Garda bosses were setting up a central data entry unit next January which was aimed at addressing concerns regarding the classification, reclassification and detection of crimes.

Authority member Judith Gillespie, a former PSNI deputy chief constable, said there had been a lot of discussion in the authority about falling detection rates, in particular around sexual crime and violent crime.

“While you have given us information that the fall has been arrested in some areas, such as property crime, but in those most serious contact violent crime and sexual crimes it has actually deteriorated seriously.” She said the fall in sexual crime detection rates was “to the tune of 19%”.

Deputy Commissioner John Twomey said they had not seen any “key driver” of the difference “other than investigative issues” such as detectives being tied up.

“There is nothing of particular concern regarding what people are not doing. I’m confident the detection rate will, come year end, will be of similar to previous years.”

In related questioning from Maureen Lynott, Dr Gurchand Singh, head of the Garda Analysis Service, said recorded incidents of sexual assaults had increased by 7% so far this year. But he said they did not know if this was the result of increased reporting, better recording or actually more incidents.

He said feedback from victim’s groups was that Garda responses in recent years, including setting up victims services offices, was positive. Dr Singh urged a repeat of the sexual violence prevalance study, the SAVI report, last conducted in 2002.

Authority member Noel Brett said the authority was “particularly concerned” at the rise in reported assaults, saying that if the trend continued, they would be 15% above target by year’s end.

Mr Twomey agreed it was a “particular concern” and said it reflected the growth in the nighttime economy and use of alcohol, which had a knock on impact on assaults.

They said gardaí were working with pubs, security firms and local authorities in trying to address the problem, which typically start around pubs, but can move on to fast food outlets and taxi ranks.

Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll said the growth in the nighttime economy not only resulted in increased alcohol consumption but a rise again in cocaine use.

Mr O’Driscoll also responded to questions from Ms Gillespie about delays in developing a planned risk assessment on organised crime gangs. He said the national crime units had been busy on operations but that they hoped to develop it within six months. Mr Twomey also said IT work was necessary.

Ms Gillespie praised the operational success of the gardaí, including the 40 threats to life linked to the Kinahan-Hutch feud, that had been foiled by gardaí.

Questioned by authority chair Josephine Feehily, Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn, head of roads policing, said that there were 28 cases where families of people who died or were seriously injured in car crashes were overcharged, to the tune of €16,820, for collision documentation. He said 19 have already been repaid.