Community engagement

Community Engagement is at the heart of Policing

Community policing aims to provide people in an area with their own dedicated Garda. Community Policing is a proactive, solution-based and community-driven form of policing. 

Introduced in Ireland in November 1987, it has since been extended to cover most larger urban areas. 

Community policing occurs where Gardaí and members of the community, and statutory and voluntary agencies, work together to:

• Prevent crime
• Prevent anti-social behaviour
• Reduce the fear of crime
• Promote inter-agency problem solving
• Bring offenders to justice
• Improve the overall quality of life

Aims of Community Policing

1. To provide the people in an area with their own dedicated Garda, someone with whom they can discuss everyday occurrences and build up a strong and supportive personal relationship.
2. To help the residents of the area to prevent crime by supporting crime prevention initiatives such as Neighbourhood Watch and Community Alert.
3. To work with other social agencies in the area to help curb crime and vandalism. (Guidelines for Making a Victim Impact Statement are available on the Garda Victim Liaison Office Tab)

Garda Colouring Book

** Kindly note that all enquiries in relation to local policing issues should be referred to your local Garda Station.

If you have any specific queries in relation to the National Model of Community Policing, the National Community Policing Office can be contacted at:

National Community Policing Office

Garda Community Relations Bureau
6 Ely Place Upper
Dublin 2
D02 TY02

Tel: +353 1 6663895/94/92

The Garda Charter “Working with our Communities” 

The Garda Charter is available to download from this page in English, Irish and a number of other languages – please use the links on the right hand side. 

The Garda Charter outlines An Garda Síochána’s commitment to honesty, accountability, respect and professionalism in all Garda dealings with members of the community. 

The Charter has been developed as a way to communicate our commitment to developing and maintaining our relationships with the people who live, work and travel to our communities across the country.

The Garda Charter outlines important commitments we have made to members of the community. We will continue to work with members of the community, and statutory and voluntary bodies, to prevent crime and antisocial behaviour, reduce the fear of crime, promote inter-agency problem solving, bring offenders to justice and improve the overall quality of life in communities all over Ireland. 

The Charter sets out a commitment that Gardaí will behave professionally, fairly, openly and with honesty towards all members of the public, accepting individual accountability and ensuring public accountability.

We will take special cognisance of the priorities and needs of local communities and endeavour to make them safer places to live, visit and work in.

The Charter acknowledges the central role community policing plays in the daily work of An Garda Síochána. We place the community at the heart of everything we do, as this alliance is our greatest asset in our work in preventing and detecting crime and protecting the safety of the people we serve, allowing us to find local solutions to local problems and increase safety and security in our society.

Where can I get a copy of the Garda Charter? 

The Charter is available to download here (use the links on the right hand side of the page) in English, Irish and a number of other languages. The Garda Charter is available in Braille from Inspector, Policy & Planning Unit. Tel: 01 666 7474  Copies of the Garda Charter will also be available in Garda Stations around the country. To see contact information for your local Garda Station, please click here