Dublin Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Sinn Féin calls for Joint Policing Committee to be established in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown

Published: 24 September, 2008

South Dublin Sinn Féin representative Shaun Tracey has called on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to waste no time in establishing a Joint Policing Committee after the Minister for Justice today launched guidelines for local authorities throughout the state to establish these groups.

Mr. Tracey said Joint Policing Committees provide communities with an opportunity to positively and constructively influence Garda operations in their area.

He said, "Joint Policing Committees (JPCs) were established on the back of a campaign by Sinn Féin to maximise community involvement in local policing. Our party has always promoted greater community involvement in matters relating to policing in their areas.

"Following a pilot phase involving 29 JPCs, in which Sinn Féin members took part, the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern today launched guidelines for the establishment of these groups in each local authority area in the state. This will bring the total number of committees to 114 throughout the state.

"Sinn Féin welcomes this move and I am calling on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to waste no time in establishing a Joint Policing Committee so that communities in this area can play a positive role in influencing the fight against crime and anti-social behaviour which plague many communities in this borough.

"With the establishment of a Joint Policing Committee in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Borough local communities will be afforded the opportunity to positively and constructively influence Garda operations in their area. It will also provide local elected representatives the opportunity to regularly question senior Gardaí on their actions or inactions as they may be. This provides a much needed level of local accountability." ENDS