Garda conference - Helping to solve gang violence

THE annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) will this week be discussing a call for a “national emergency” to be declared in response to gangland violence.

The numbers of crimes, feuds and killings have reached frightening levels.

In 2006 there were 26 fatal shootings associated with gangland violence. Those were not just confined to Dublin and Limerick; the unwelcome scourge is spreading throughout the country.

The AGSI conference is expected to call for a “civil forum” to invite interested parties to discuss ways of dealing with the growth of organised crime.

Even though some of the crime bosses have been jailed, they are believed to be running their criminal operations from jail, using mobile telephones. Gardaí are calling for better training and equipment.

They want more firearms training, as well as protective vests, incapacitating sprays, retractable batons and suitable hand restraints.

When the present coalition first came to power in 1997, it promised a regime of zero tolerance of crime. There has been an increase in the number of gardaí — up by 22% from 10,804 in 1996 to 13,174 in the middle of last month.

This has been almost completely offset, however, by a 17% rise in our population from 1996 to 2006. If that increase continued at the same rate last year, it means that there is now one garda for every 327 people, compared with one for every 322 people in 1996.

Statistically that improvement is virtually meaningless, especially with the increase in violent crime. In the circumstances the considered views of the ASGI conference should be welcomed, because dealing with organised crime should be a real issue in the forthcoming general election.