New policing model will not see garda station closures

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has moved to allay fears that the ongoing restructuring of garda divisions will negatively impact policing levels locally.

He gave the assurances while addressing the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) during a virtual meeting last Friday afternoon.

Comm Harris denied the divisional changes constitute a “downgrade” as part of a broad ranging engagement with local JPC members online.

Among the topics covered by Comm Harris were increased training of garda members, the building of specialisations within divisions, rural policing, An Garda Síochána’s engagement with communities on Covid, and preparation of the force ahead of Brexit.

Comm Harris had been due to meet with the local JPC in person for last week’s meeting but changes in restrictions for some counties saw the gathering hosted online.

Also tuning into the meeting, chaired by Fianna Fáil’s John Paul Feeley, were local superintendents James Coen in Cavan, Gordon Englishby in Bailieborough and Inspector Niall McKiernan.

The alterations to the local policing set-up in Cavan-Monaghan stem from ‘A Policing Service for the Future’, a plan based on a report by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.

It has seen a reduction in the number of garda regions nationally from six to four, and the number of Garda Divisions from 28 to 19. The Cavan Monaghan Division now sits alongside neighbouring Co Louth, led out of Drogheda; while Murrough in Co Galway serves as the overseeing regional headquarters for the whole of the North Western Region.

Lessened too will be the administrative burden placed on officers, with such units down from 100 to 19, meaning more feet on frontline duties.

Several speakers expressed concern about the size of these new super-sized divisions but Comm Harris outlined in detail the hierarchical model, with each to be assigned a Detective Superintendent overseeing the workings of respective specialist units.

“Absolutely this is not about downgrading. This is about us providing a more responsive service, but also recognition of the sergeants, inspectors and superintendents we have in the organisation - very competent and capable people and I’d like them to step forward and take up more of that immediate responsibility,” said Comm Harris.

New units

Several new units have been established locally - an Armed Support Unit (ASU) in Cavan, Sex and Domestic Violence crime units in both Cavan and Monaghan, with more investment in drug detection also.

Comm Harris explained that driving the agenda is the changed demands on the police service.

“Regrettably we’re seeing increases in domestic abuse, sexual assault, child abuse images online, and other online crimes such as fraud,” he said, adding that the message has also come from central government to made better use of the resources the force currently has at its disposal.

Since 2017, An Garda Síochána has recruited and attested 2,800 new members, an additional 1,743 staff have been employed, and nearly 700 more redeployed to frontline duties. A further 800 are meanwhile waiting to be reassigned.

By 2021, Comm Harris says the force want to hire up to 1,000 more, which with attrition, will bring total strength nationally to around 15,000.

The aim now, through restructuring is to increase “uniformity” across policing divisions nationwide. “There is a little bit too much inconsistency from division to division at the moment, and good practice in one area might stay in one area. I don’t want to see that.”

There are no plans, Comm Harris set out sternly, to close garda stations, and of those that are smaller and in more rural areas, he said: “It has been more than demonstrated to me their connection to the public, but also the information they receive and the community confidence that there is.”

He added: “I remain committed then to our estate spread. I have no plans to close stations and, actually, when we free up personnel, part of that will be to repopulate the smaller garda stations.”

But the pandemic has made things admittedly “more difficult” for the force, says Comm Harris.

It required in the first instance enormous mobilisation, and this is continuing as areas either enter into or come out of various stages of lockdown. It also saw personnel committing to an emergency roster situation, which Comm Harris suggested would mostly likely have to be extended further.

He spoke too of the positive impact policing had during the worst of the pandemic, for example, in supporting the most vulnerable in the community.

“What we want to see is more visibility and more gardaí on the frontline,” Comm Harris told the meeting of councillors, Oireachtas members, and community representatives.

Deputy Brendan Smith (FF) questioned Comm Harris on the threat of dissident activity to security along the border region, particularly with Brexit looming high on the horizon. He described it as “alarming” reports of clandestine groups connected with terrorist organisations elsewhere around the globe.

In response, Comm Harris referred to the setting-up of the ASU in Cavan, which links with others along the border stationed in Ballyshannon and Dundalk.

The expectation is that these units will grow further over the next 18 months, resulting in a “greater depth” in armed support in the region.

The assignment of new officers to local stations was, in part, done with one eye on the Brexit situation but also reflective of the difficulties of policing the area.

In that respect, Comm Harris said An Garda Síochána are “anxious to maximise” the policing impact. He noted that specific plans are in place “ready to be actioned” in response to whatever deal may emerge from EU-UK negotiations.

“The Border counties have been a priority for us. I entirely recognise that the Border facilitates criminality, and also anti-social behaviour in a number of ways.

“We always think of it in a number of different tiers, one of those being around community policing, community assurance, public confidence. Obviously that’s with close work with our counterparts across the Border.

“Then there’s organised crime to police as well, plus the threat from various groupings,” adds Comm Harris.

“The dissidents and the terrorist threat. All those areas as priorities start with policing in the local communities, meaning we need a strong presence, and they should have confidence in the service.”