New plan announces more gardaí on the city streets in Limerick

GARDAÍ across Limerick have launched a high visibility policing plan with eight patrol areas in the city centre identified. 

Fifteen gardaí will be deployed across these areas every day. 

This follows on from the allocation of 12 probationer gardaí to the Limerick division. 

Seven gardaí will be deployed on daytime patrols, which start at 8am and a further eight will be on evening patrols. 

The areas to be patrolled have been identified according to calls for service, crime trends and feedback from the community and businesses. 

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Community policing will also remain in place and these patrols will be supported by the frontline policing units, roads policing unit, detectives and plain clothes gardaí. 

Speaking about the launch of the Limerick City high visibility policing plan, Assistant Commissioner Eileen Foster of the Southern Region said: “The 12 additional probationer gardaí allocated from the garda college, working alongside other colleagues will bring a high visibility and energetic garda presence to Limerick city centre and offer public reassurance that public realms and amenities in Limerick City Centre are and continue to be safe places to live, visit, socialise, conduct business and enjoy.”

Chief Superintendent of Limerick Garda Division Derek Smart added that the additional probationer gardaí will have a big impact. 

“These members, working with other colleagues and the high visibility policing plan will build on the extensive work and excellent policing already existing within Limerick Garda Division and provided by the dedicated gardaí attached to the division.  

“I look forward to seeing the implementation of these high visibility patrols and to work with our key stakeholders in the city to develop and support this policing plan building on and developing Limerick City Centre as a safe place to live, visit, socialise, conduct business and enjoy.”

The purpose of the patrols is to increase focus on policing public order offences, anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, aggressive begging and shoplifting with a pro-arrest policy for recidivist offenders including strong bail objections where appropriate.