Superintendent backs collaborative approach
By Mary Dennehy
THE Tallaght District Superintendent has backed the introduction of a collaborative problem-solving approach to tackle issues impacting on communities.
Tallaght Superintendent Ian Lackey has backed adopting a Community Crime Impact Assessment (CCIA), a programme piloted in Dublin 8 and Dublin 15.
Supt Ian Lackey says Tallaght Garda Station is backing the approach
An initiative in the National Drug Strategy 2017 – 2025, the programme aims to measure the impact of drug related crime and wider public nuisance issues on communities through gardai, the council and local people working together.
A community-led tool, the CCIA will help identify the impact of issues relating to antisocial behaviour and criminal activity in a particular area, shaping a collaborative problem-solving approach.
Speaking with The Echo this week, Supt Lackey said that while gardai can provide crime stats, these alone don’t capture all of the issues experienced by a community as a result of crime and anti-social behaviour.
“It’s about having a more collaborative approach to solving problems in communities”, Supt Lackey said.
“Alongside crime stats for a particular area, we talk with people in the area…get local people involved.
“This would be a programme driven by us all…[issues in communities] are everybody’s problem.
“Local community issues affect quality of life, issues like scramblers, littering, abandoned cars.
“We would fully back [the programme] here at the station.”
Supt Lackey believes that the programme will help identify quality of life issues for residents in a particular community, issues that may not be identified in crime statistics.
The programme was suggested by Supt Lackey at a meeting of the local Joint Policing Committee (JPC), which includes South Dublin County Council, senior gardai, councillors, TDs and community representatives.
According to a report on the pilot programme in Dublin 8 and Dublin 15, it was concluded that ‘CCIAs can, and should, play a key role in advancing community safety in Ireland as part of a wider package of rights-based, humanistic and reparative measures to build individual and community reilience’.
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