‘Supporting business people is key’

KILRUSH Area Garda Superintendent Gerry Wall has highlighted the importance of the gardaí supporting the business community in Kilkee.

Speaking at a Joint Policing Committee meeting in Kilkee on January 4, Superintendent Wall said, “For us to support the business people is key. Kilkee is a key place during the summer,” while he stressed that one of his objectives is to have more gardaí on the beat in both Kilkee and Kilrush.
Superintendent Wall stated that the gardaí mounted 124 manned checkpoints in Kilkee throughout 2010 and intends to increase that figure this year. He also said he intends keeping pub closing hours under scrutiny but that he wouldn’t be “harassing” publicans.
“The whole idea for me is to keep Kilkee attractive and to help business. You can expect more of this in Kilkee this year but it will never become harassment,” Superintendent Wall stated.
The superintendent described community policing as the “only game in town”, while he also revealed details of Kilkee crime statistics for 2010 and appealed for submissions to the policing plan for the region to be submitted to Kilrush Garda Station by January 25.
Superintendent Wall said that while Kilkee currently has two gardaí deployed specifically in the town, two more gardaí will be added to the roster from May. He also said he would put a full-time sergeant in place as soon as possible.
“To have gardaí on the beat is very important. They get to know people and get to know of problems,” Councillor Claire Haugh commented at the meeting.
With regard to instances of drug use detection and supply in Kilkee, Superintendent Wall said four people were arrested in Kilkee in 2010 under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. He added that there was a 100% detection rate and that the garda dog unit had been utilised in the search for drugs in Kilkee.
“It’s a measure of the importance I put on it,” he explained.
Noting that the supply of drugs to Kilkee comes from Ennis and Limerick, Superintendent Wall said he believes there are more drugs in Kilkee that those detected by gardaí.
“I can’t say that’s all the drugs in Kilkee. I’m not going to be as naïve as to say it is,” he acknowledged.
The biggest cache of drugs found in Kilkee last year was valued at €800.
Furthermore, nine people were arrested in Kilkee for drug possession for their own use.
In his report to the Joint Policing Committee meeting, Superintendent Wall said there were 35 incidents of criminal damage in Kilkee last year. Describing these incidents as “low-key criminal damage,” he said that five of the incidents concerned had occurred on the one date.
Of the 26 incidents of minor assault in Kilkee last year, 13 of these happened on O’Curry Street. Stressing that he always provides additional policing on O’Curry Street at weekends, Superintendent Walls said additional patrols will be on duty in the street during the summer, in additional to gardaí walking the beat and garda bicycle patrols.
Last August, there were 23 public-order offences in Kilkee, which was the highest total of 2010, while there were 17 burglaries during the calendar year.