The Garda Commissioner has stated that An Garda Síochána will not tolerate acts of violence or disorder like those that occurred during the major incident at Citywest last month.
Justin Kelly is expected to tell the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration this afternoon that gardaí remain committed to protecting both people and communities from individuals attempting to destabilise “our peaceful and democratic society,” reports RTE.
To date, thirty-seven individuals have been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the Citywest unrest that took place three weeks ago.
Of those arrested, twenty-eight have been charged with criminal offences and are currently before the courts, reports RTE.
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The commissioner has been called to appear before the committee to discuss the recent attacks on gardaí at Citywest, as well as issues concerning recruitment and retention, the divisional and operational policing model, community policing, and road traffic enforcement.
Commissioner Kelly said he is confident that the Government’s target of recruiting 5,000 new gardaí over the next five years “is achievable,” reports RTE.
He added that the current strength of the force stands at 14,325 members, an increase of 200 compared to last year, and that the 1% resignation rate remains significantly lower than that of other police services and the private sector.
More than 220 new recruits are due to begin training at the Garda College the following Monday week, marking the largest intake in a decade, reports RTE.
The commissioner also noted that the high-visibility policing operation in Dublin has led to a reduction in thefts from persons by 27%, robberies by 9%, assaults causing harm by 17%, and incidents of begging by 57%.
He said the initiative is now being extended to other parts of Dublin, with Cork city set to follow next, reports RTE.
The commissioner will further inform the committee that crime rates in rural areas remain “generally low,” though this does not eliminate the sense of vulnerability or fear felt by some residents who may feel isolated.
However, he stated that Operation Thor has played a major role in curbing burglaries in areas previously targeted by organised gangs, and that residential burglaries have dropped by 75% since the operation’s launch a decade ago, reports RTE.
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