The Garda Commissioner, Mr Fachtna Murphy, has announced that Garda Community Safety Week will take place from Monday, the 20th to Sunday, the 26th September 2010.
Throughout Garda Community Safety Week, community Gardaí will engage with members of the community to deliver a series of crime prevention and community safety messages. The aim of Community Safety Week is to actively engage and work with, all sections of the community to achieve improved safety across Ireland.
Speaking at Garda Headquarters, the Garda Commissioner, Mr Fachtna Murphy, said:
"During Garda Community Safety Week, people all around Ireland will have the opportunity to learn about the small steps we can all take to make our communities safer for everyone who lives and works there. Members of the public will also have a chance to see at first hand the important role of community gardaí throughout the country."
Gardaí will organise a number of activities throughout Ireland during this week, in order to reinforce these messages, including:
- A ‘Community Safety’ awareness feature on the Crimecall TV Programme on RTE1 on Tuesday, 21st September;
- A Garda ‘Information Point’ Stand at The National Ploughing Championships at Cardenton, Athy, Co Kildare from 21st – 23rd September;
- Hosting of nationwide Community Alert and Neighbourhood Watch meetings during Community Safety Week;
- Circulating of new Crime Prevention and Community Safety Advice leaflets to the public in several forums, including Public Libraries and the Garda Website;
- A number of strategic nationwide ‘High Visibility’ Policing initiatives involving the Garda Traffic Corps, Garda Mounted Unit, Crime Prevention Officers and the new Garda Mobile Incident Command Units;
- Hosting of initiatives, to foster and sustain positive Garda / Community partnerships with various groups in society, including young people, older members of the community and intercultural groups in society.
- Participation in a number of local radio broadcasts to provide crime prevention and community safety advice.
Commissioner Murphy added:
"Community Safety Week represents a valuable opportunity for Gardaí to deepen relationships with communities and encourage more frequent formal and informal contacts. Gardaí will place particular emphasis on activities and events which promote the accessibility and visibility of Gardaí in the community."
Crime prevention advice will be available through the Garda website, by contacting your local Garda station and through Garda events in the community.
Commissioner Murphy said:
"By establishing community-based partnerships, An Garda Síochána can determine through consultation, the needs of the community and their policing priorities. The problems presented to and faced by An Garda Síochána cannot be solved by Gardaí working alone. Crime and the prevention of crime is everybody’s business."
Garda Community Safety Week is being co-ordinated by Garda Community Relations and Community Policing Division, Harcourt Square, Dublin 2. Further information will be available from the Garda website at
www.garda.ie.
Garda Press Office
