While the debate continues as to whether the media, through programmes such as Crimeline, are responsible for promoting an unnecessary fear of crime, each programme generates between 200 and 250 phone calls from members of the public, according to Chief Supt Brian Garvey.
Writing in Communique, the Garda management journal, Chief Supt Garvey said where security videos of suspects were shown on Crimeline, there was an identification in 95 per cent of cases.
Writing on "Police and the Media", he gave the results of a survey of Garda/crime-related stories in newspapers. An analysis of stories for November, 1997, showed 434 articles, of which 102 were considered supportive of the gardai, 309 were neutral and 23 critical. In 286 articles, the source of information was not named.
In only two cases was the source given as the Garda Press Office.
Mr Garvey said the necessity for gardai to maintain the confidence of the people they serve "is of paramount importance. Essen tial respect for the law and law-enforcers is much more likely if the public is kept informed, as far as possible.
"Responding to criticism and clarifying queries in the public mind is most important. The media play a vital role in monitoring our behaviour, thus reinforcing confidence."
Concern still existed about the unofficial release of information and about the opportunity given by some sectors of the media to suspects to proclaim their position and offer excuses in public.
"The occasional writer who blames the gardai for the release of information, which might have an unjust influence on a jury at a later stage, should surely remind his or her editor that he should not contribute to the suggested injustice by publishing the matter."
Meanwhile, the contract for Crimeline is up for renewal. For the past five years it has been presented by David Harvey and Marian Finucane and produced by Mr Harvey's company, Midas Productions.