Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2024
550. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Justice the percentage of Garda staffing hours which have been allocated to community policing, by county, over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29824/24]
View answerCommunity policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána, and all Gardaí have a role to play in community policing in the course of carrying out their duties. Community policing is also fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model which is currently being rolled out in all 21 Divisions, and is fully commenced in 14.
The new model will provide more frontline Gardaí and increased Garda visibility, and will deliver a wider range of policing services for people in their local area. It will divide service delivery within divisions into four functional areas, one of the most important areas being Community Engagement. This will allow for a greater, more consistent, focus on community policing in all divisions.
The Garda authorities have advised me that a member of An Garda Síochána can be deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that person is allocated to a Community Policing Team (CPT) and is responsible and accountable for applying a problem–solving approach to appropriate crime and policing quality-of-life issues in a specified geographic area through partnership and engagement. Examples of this engagement are working with Neighbourhood Watch, Community Alert, or local business fora.
Community Policing Teams strategically manage and lead the development, delivery and evaluation of the Garda Community Policing Framework. Like most Garda members, those assigned to CPTs have dual functions. In addition to their strategic roles in their Community Policing Teams, part of which requires them to regularly update their Community Engagement Superintendent on the policing needs of their community, they are also frontline members. It is also important to note that CPTs draw on all frontline Gardaí to carry out community policing.
I very much welcome the new interactive map on the Garda website which is designed to allow the public to identify the local CPT in their area. This map will continue to develop in line with the continued roll-out of the new Garda Operating Model.
Budget 2024 provides the highest ever allocation to An Garda Síochána – over €2.35 billion which is a 25% increase since 2020. This funding allows for the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that it is not possible to quantify the Community Policing activity or role and the percentage of Garda staffing hours allocated to Community Policing. I am however advised that on 31 March 2024, the latest date for when figures are available, there were 707 Community Gardaí assigned to Garda Divisions nationwide, an increase of over 12.5% since the end of December 2023.
For the Deputy's information, the number of Community Gardaí by Division from 2008 until March 2024 is published on my Department's website and can be accessed using the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/
Please be advised that this information is operational and may be subject to change.
