Elaine Byrne, the head of the Policing Authority, has voiced her grave concerns over the ongoing reductions to Garda community police, demonstrating an urgent need for establishing an equilibrium between the gardaí assigned to specialist units and emergency response, and those serving in localities.
Regrettably, when resources are strained, it tends to be community policing resources that bear the initial brunt, and once more this is the case, according to Ms Byrne. She disclosed that the authority frequently receives feedback from the breadth of the country revealing a glaring lack of community gardaí, an issue which resonates deeply with her.
Over the prior year, the authority had numerous encounters with communities nation-wide, during which Ms Byrne noted a continuous lament about the shortage of casual engagement with the Garda, whether in urban or country settings. She also observed there were insufficient gardaí in visible roles within communities to heed and address local concerns.
She maintained, in a new report assessing last year’s Garda performance, that the public’s demand for increased community policing is high, claiming its absence leads to adverse effects on trust, relationships, safety perception, and methods for crime prevention and detection.
Ms Byrne acknowledged the necessity of well-funded specialist units to confront serious and “horrific” crimes, inclusive of sexual offences. She described these specialist units as mostly invisible or not in uniform, dealing with crimes more prevalent in the current generation compared to our forebearers, such as digital frets like online sexual abuse and fraud.
However, the authority stresses the importance of achieving a balance between ordinary members responding to service calls, specialist service providers, and those with community policing duties.
These remarks come as the Garda’s method of addressing fraud and other economic crimes, along with domestic and sexual violence, has been substantially reinforced over recent years with new departments and staff. The Garda has seen record reports of sex crimes and frauds.
While the size of the Garda peaked at an unprecedented 14,700 members around the middle of 2020, this tally quickly fell when the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, was shut due to the global health crisis. Although hiring efforts for the Garda resumed more than a year ago, numbers have yet to bounce back and linger around 14,000. This is significantly fewer than the 15,000 member target set by the government.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has stated their belief that a force of 18,000 members is necessary. The Policing Authority now expresses its worry over the dwindling Garda numbers and specifically notes that community policing is suffering the most.
In their 2023 assessment of the Garda force, the Policing Authority has highlighted numerous significant achievements. These include advancements in technology and the access to information for force members. The report added, “An Garda Síochána has made great progress in addressing and supporting victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.”
While the rise in recorded offences might raise anxiety, this increase also signifies an enhanced public trust in the effectiveness of the police and criminal justice system, as indicated by the report. Despite the successful disruption of organised crime, such as seizing drugs worth €211 million, the report notes that tackling unethical behaviour within the force promptly presents a formidable challenge.
In response to questions about Ms Byrne’s remarks, Garda Headquarters claimed that their force is one of the world’s most reliable based on their strong commitment to community-focused policing. It was said that every frontline Garda officer has community policing responsibilities. The statement further noted that community policing is amongst various competing priorities for the Garda.
In terms of overall Garda numbers, Garda Headquarters indicated that as recruitment efforts pick up pace, more Garda members will be readily deployable to frontline and prioritised areas.