Longford Local Community Safety Partnership lead cross-border community safety conference
Longford Local Community Safety Partnership represented County Longford at ‘Beyond Borders’, the first cross-border community safety conference.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee announced Government approval to publish the landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill at the event, held in Dundalk.
The new Bill marks a departure for policing in Ireland. It understands that preventing crime and making communities safer does not rest with An Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice Ireland alone. Instead, the public, local government, policing, businesses, charities, and community groups, are invited to explore safety challenges faced across the island of Ireland and share how these can effectively be addressed.
Longford’s pilot Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) is leading the way in developing this new approach.
Longford Community Safety Coordinator Janine Bartley addressed the conference, detailing the work of Longford LCSP and its positive impact on communities in Longford over its first year.
A County Longford delegation also visited community safety projects across Newry, Mourne and Down District, sharing ideas and learning.
The ‘Beyond Borders’ conference was organised by Longford Local Community Safety Partnership (consortium lead), Waterford and Dublin North Inner City Community Safety Partnerships, Newry, Mourne and Down Policing and Community Safety Partnership, and Drogheda Implementation Board.
It was attended by almost 300 people from across Ireland, which included many representatives from government departments, statutory agencies and the community sector.
The event was opened by Minister McEntee, who noted that sharing experience and learning beyond borders is key to making communities safer and better.
The role of justice system and policing in community safety was evident by the input of Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Superintendent Muir Clark, An Garda Síochána Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, and An Garda Síochána Chief Superintendent Alan McGovern, as speakers on the day.
The core theme of the conference was that community safety is about partnership and collaboration and not only ‘Beyond Borders’ but beyond policing.
It is hoped that the networking opportunities provided by the conference will lead to mutually beneficial cross-border relationships, nurtured by a shared desire to enhance community safety across the island of Ireland.