Community policing representatives to meet with local councillors to strengthen ties

A meeting is set to take place between councillors for the Lucan/Palmerstown/North Clondalkin area and community policing representatives based in Lucan and Ronanstown Garda stations.

It comes as Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan has announced regulations that pave the way for new Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSPs) across the country, which will replace Joint Policing Committees (JPCs).

Cllr Joanna Tuffy (Lab) brought a motion before the Lucan/Palmerstown/North Clondalkin Area Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 24, to request the meeting as a means to “ensure that councillors know the local community gardaí and also that the gardaí concerned have the opportunity to meet the local councillors with an opportunity to exchange views and information in relation to community policing priorities in the Area”.

“I feel that with the new Safety Partnerships it’s left a definite gap, because that’s a very different type of organisation to the JPCs, and like a lot of councillors I would have thought that we should stick with them or something along those lines with a notion of democratic accountability,” she said.

However, she welcomed the “positive” response from South Dublin County Council, who said they “will request a meeting for early July with Superintendent Paul Dolan, who is in charge of the Lucan and Ronanstown Garda Stations, along with representatives of community policing and all Councillors.”

“With the new Local Community Safety Partnership set to be established in the coming months, such a meeting would provide valuable context and insight – both for councillors and for the development of the partnership,” the reply from Maria Nugent, the former JPC coordinator for the council read.

“It would also offer an important opportunity to strengthen links with community gardaí and to discuss policing priorities for the area.”

Under the new regulations signed by Minister O’Callaghan on Monday, June 30, a total of 36 Safety Partnerships in every local authority area are set to be established, with up to 30 members in each.

The Safety Partnerships will include a broader range of members than JPCs. Mandatory members will include local councillors, local authority officials, An Garda Síochána, representatives from the HSE and the Child and Family Agency Tusla.

Local residents, members representing youth groups, the older population, new and minority groups, business and education representatives will also be included.

Each LCSP can hold as many meetings as needed but they must hold at least six meetings annually, according to the Department of Justice.