More than 500 arrests in Dublin region over last week as Garda faces pressure

The Garda has released details of policing operations, including searches and arrests, for last week amid continued pressure on the force, and on Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, about crime and perceptions of safety in Dublin after several high profile street attacks.

Releasing a detailed analysis of operations for a seven-day period ending last Thursday, Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin, said some 509 arrests had been made, including 89 for drug crime. A total of 689 searches were carried out, including 500 targeted at those involved in the drugs trade.

“This amount and variety of operational activity in one week across the Dublin region shows the dedication of Gardaí to actively work in communities to keep people safe,” said Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis, who is in charge of policing in Dublin. “It reflects the work that is undertaken every week by Gardaí in Dublin. In the last week alone, this has seen significant amounts of drugs taken off the streets, lives protected on our roads, and enabled people and communities to enjoy a variety of events safely.”

A total of 1,538 patrols were carried out across Dublin, some 57 under Operation Citizen and 154 under Operation Saul. Operation Citizen targets street drug dealing and other street crime in Dublin city, with a particular focus on the Boardwalk and the nearby laneways and streets. Operation Saul involves targeted patrols in public transport in Dublin.

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The details released on Tuesday do not relate to any one Garda operation or even to a specific crime type. Nor is the Garda claiming its level of enforcement activity increased during the week under review. Instead, the release sets out information related to arrests and searches, for all crime types, across Dublin. This includes robberies, burglaries, drug crime, assaults, public disorder, domestic violence and a whole range of other offences.

Garda Headquarters has released the information as part of its efforts to reassure the public that a wide range of arrests and searches, including targeting street crime, are being carried out in Dublin weekly.

The timing of the release comes amid heightened concern around crime and safety in the capital. The number of arrests in the week under review – put by the Garda at “over 500″ for all crime types – compares to 2,199 arrests made in June across Dublin for all crime types.

The Garda’s decision to set out the level of enforcement across Dublin, which is an unusual step, is aimed at reassuring the public of the level of proactive and investigative policing across the city. However, both the Garda Representative Association (GRA) and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (Agsi) have complained off falling numbers in the force, down to just before 14,000 at present from a record high of 14,750 in March, 2020.

The associations have said while recruitment has been recommenced, after the Garda College, Templemore, Co Tipperary, was closed due to the pandemic, previous recruitment promises by Government and Garda Headquarters have been missed. They believe there is a recruitment and retention crisis, amid rising resignations, in the Garda force.

They have also opposed efforts by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to introduce a new form of Garda roster on the basis some Garda members would be required to work up to an additional 47 days per year as the mooted new rosters involved shorter, and more frequent, shifts.

[ Far more people find Dublin unsafe now than in 2016, surveys show ]

[ Dublin safety: €10m policing plan for capital city unveiled after attacks ]

Mr Harris last month abandoned his efforts, for now, to introduce the new rosters and has instead said the Garda would return to pre-pandemic rosters from November 6th. However, the GRA plans to ballot its members on a vote of no confidence in Mr Harris.

That unrest in the Garda force is unfolding as Ms McEntee has been under severe political pressure over falling Garda numbers and a perceived deterioration in safety in Dublin. That pressure increased after a number of recent attacks in central Dublin, especially the gang beating of US tourist Stephen Termini on Talbot St, Dublin 1, last month.

Since then Ms McEntee has unveiled a new €10 million overtime top-up budget for Dublin to year end in a bid to increase patrols in the city. She said the funding was for Dublin only and was aimed at making the city safer and at improving perceptions about safety.

On Tuesday, the Garda also released some details of the specific operations it recently carried out to thwart robberies and drug dealing in different parts of Dublin. On Talbot St and in Ballyfermot three men were arrested for separate robberies “all of whom have been charged and have appeared before the courts”.

On Parnell Street, Dublin 1, last Wednesday a man on an ebike was found in possession of cannabis herb and resin, cocaine, MDMA and LSD valued at almost €17,660 and has since been charged. In Dublin 8 on the same day a burglar was disturbed in the course of a break-in and arrested a short distance away.

In Ballymun, north Dublin, a man seen running from a car into an apartment block was found in possession of MDMA powder, valued at €61,200, as well as other drugs, and has since been charged. A Garda search in Donaghmede, north Dublin, last Thursday yielded drugs valued at €39,400, with one man arrested. In Clondalkin, cannabis valued at €83,000 and €16,000 in cash was discovered after a search of an address, with one man arrested.