Garda overhaul will help target antisocial blackspots
Plans to double the number of community police in Cork will provide gardaí with the capacity to saturate antisocial blackspots with high-visibility patrols.
The pledge came from senior gardaí who outlined the aims and benefits of a radical Garda restructuring programme which is being piloted in the Cork City Garda Division.
The divisional policing model (DPM) was among the recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate’s Changing Policing in Ireland report. It identified a range of problems with the current district model of policing where the local superintendent has full responsibility for a wide range of policing activity in his or her geographical area.
The DPM, which is being piloted in the Dublin Metropolitan Region South Central, Cork City, Galway and Mayo, will see superintendent duties reassigned, administrative functions centralised, and a greater reliance on civilian staff to free up gardaí for frontline duties.
Chief Supt Barry McPolin told members of the Cork City joint policing committee yesterday that a new community policing strategy is planned as part of the overhaul.
It will see an additional two sergeants and 22 gardaí being appointed to the existing 20-strong community policing unit to bring its strength to four sergeants and 40 gardaí spread across the divisions four districts.
They will be assigned to garda stations in Mayfield, Gurranabraher, Anglesea St and Togher over the coming months.
There are also plans to establish, for the first time, a dedicated event management unit as part of roads policing to oversee the policing of large sporting, concert and cultural events in the city.
Chief Supt McPolin said that the restructuring would ultimately free up gardaí for frontline policing duties.
He also said gardaí have finalised a plan to open Carrigaline Garda Station during office hours within the next two weeks.
It follows an assessment of policing in the area on the back of several incidents of antisocial activity and minor assaults in the town over recent weekends.
Gangs of teenagers hanging around have been blamed for the activity.
