Violent crime investigations stretching Garda resources
By Aura McMenamin
THE NEWS of eight new garda officers to the Clondalkin District has been welcomed, as community reps say that violent crime has taken away from already-stretched garda resources.
The recent Joint Policing Committee meeting heard that people in the Ronanstown area of Clondalkin were concerned that community gardai were being pulled into violent crime investigations, with frontline duties being neglected.
Community representatives said that they were careful not to criticise gardai, but wanted to see increased resources.
Referring to the recent murder of Derek Coakely Hutch at the Bridgeview halting site beside Cloverhill Prison, Sinn Fein councillor for Clondalkin Mark Ward said on Friday: “When a violent crime is visited on our areas, resources are taken out when in reality it had nothing to do with our area.”
In response, Clondalkin district Superintendent Brendan Connolly said that local gardai aiding large-scale murder investigations did not do this ‘for a protracted time’.
He said: “There has been additional demands made on districts, related to the most recent shooting. A crime that happens in the area, is investigated by gardai in the area.
“They don’t stay at that investigation for a protracted time. After that, they revert back to normal.”
He continued: “They’re involved in preserving the scene, door to door inquiries. It’s important to point that out. Once a crime takes place in our area, its investigated by gardai in the area.
“Recruitment is ongoing. Eight gardai are being allocated to the district by the end of March.”
There were also concerns from community representatives at Friday’s meeting that the amount of violent crime in the Clondalkin area was on par with the North-Inner City, yet the same level of funding was not being given to the area.
A senior garda official replied: “If you look at north central, we have three stations alone.
“It is simply the case that things are much closer in the centre. There’s a high level of additional responsibility- the level of protests, tourism, events etc. It’s not just about crime.”
Speaking to The Echo this week, Cllr Ward welcomed the introduction of eight new garda officers to the district, saying that policing resources in Clondalkin and Lucan had been ‘decimated’ by austerity.
He said: “For example, if people report anti-social behaviour in an area, the response time can be very poor or none at all.”
He said local policing links were ‘invaluable’ and pointed at the community garda’s involvement with local addiction centres during Christmas as evidence of improving relationships with police and locals.
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