GARDA COMMISSIONER Fachtna Murphy and PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott have said a cross-Border policing strategy will help both police forces work together in preventing acts of terrorism and other crimes.
The strategy is aimed at strengthening existing co-operation and identifying new ways in which the Garda and PSNI can aid one another’s work.
The commissioner said terrorism and other serious and organised crime strike fear into the heart of communities and know no boundaries.
The chief constable said the PSNI and Garda would, over the next three years, use the new strategy to enhance the capacities of both forces.
The strategy contains a number of elements, including:
The establishment of a new Garda-PSNI tasking and co-ordination group to oversee areas of joint investigation;
Devising more detailed strategies to enhance the effectiveness of high-visibility policing in the Border region;
Developing a memorandum of understanding around the sharing of Garda and PSNI equipment;
Proposing legislative changes to enhance cross-Border crime prevention and detection;
Sharing more technical information, including fingerprints and DNA data;
Continually reviewing the sharing of intelligence.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said: “Those of us who hail from the Border area understand the importance of ensuring that the Border does not present a barrier to the wellbeing and quality of life of those who reside on either side.”