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Rural Security Initiative

Under the auspices of Wicklow County Council and An Gárda Siochána, a number of Joint Policing Committees have been set up with a remit to provide a forum where the local authority and the senior Garda officer responsible for the area can meet with local community representatives and others to consult, discuss and make recommendations affecting policing in the area.

One of these committees covers the uplands area and the board of Wicklow Uplands Council have nominated Sean Malone of Roundwood represent them at this important forum. The new committee has met twice and promoted a public consultation in Roundwood Village Hall on 25 April 2007.

The following outline paper has been submitted to the joint committee:

ELEMENTS OF THE RURAL SECURITY SITUATION


1. Context
There is a general sense in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands that:

  1. The security situation is deteriorating
  2. Rural crime is widespread and on the increase
  3. Local people, especially isolated farmers, are feeling increasingly vulnerable and fearful.

Observable elements of this situation include:

  1. Criminal activity that emanates locally and from metropolitan Dublin
  2. Car crime, including “joy” riding, abandoned vehicles, speeding, rat-running etc.
  3. Dumping and fly-tipping
  4. Theft of farm property and equipment
  5. ‘Staking out’ , robberies and personal attacks on isolated farms
  6. Inadequate response time to 999/911 calls
  7. Vandalism and petty crime

2. Policing
The impression is widespread that current police resources are inadequate in that they are:

  1. Primarily devoted to dealing with urban crime at the expense of rural dwellers
  2. Unable to respond quickly enough to in-coming crime
  3. Resourced on the basis of resident population statistics and ignore the extra pressures placed on rural areas by intense tourist activity
  4. Detrimental effects on Ireland’s good name and tourism activity when visitors are victims of crime – and of inadequate police responses there to.

The divisional Garda structure that involves four administrative areas: Baltinglass, Wicklow, Bray and Tallaght in policing the uplands, is unwieldy and lacks a ‘joined up’ approach.

We are aware of the potential benefit of a partnership approach to addressing these issues that are specific to the uplands region. It is a fruitful subject for discussion and we look forward to on-going contact with the joint committee.