The Drogheda Implementation Board has been liaising with both local community organisations and government Departments ever since it was established last year to implement the recommendations of the Geiran Report on Community Safety and Wellbeing in Drogheda.
There have been many meetings and outcomes and, on Friday last, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman and Inspector Tim O’Keeffe of An Garda Síochána travelled to Drogheda to meet with members of the Board.
Assistant Commissioner Hilman, who has national responsibility for Roads Policing and Community Engagement in addition to a number of projects under ‘A Policing Service for Our Future’, highlighted areas within the Drogheda Report and Implementation Plan which overlap with her portfolio and indicated that she has a great interest in the work of the Drogheda Implementation Board.
Assistant Commissioner Hilman said: “Community safety is not just the work of An Garda Siochána, it requires a wide variety of agencies, organisations and the community to come together to solve problems in and for local communities. Structures like the Drogheda Implementation Board allow that to happen.”
She went on to say “Of course, Community Policing is still a very important element of Community Safety and I am very impressed by the Community Policing Unit in Drogheda, they are an excellent team contributing very positively to policing in the area.”
Chief Superintendent Alan McGovern, who has recently taken over the new Cavan Monaghan Louth Garda Division said: “Having Assistant Commissioner Hilman come and speak to the Drogheda Implementation Board is an indication of how important the work of the Board is, not only to Drogheda, but in terms of developing a partnership approach to community safety.
“Since joining the Board I have been struck by the phenomenal collaboration between members, whether they are representatives of statutory agencies or of the community. We are getting the best from everyone at our meetings which can only have a positive impact on the community.“
Inspector Tim O’Keeffe of An Garda Síochána Kerry Division accompanied Assistant Commissioner Hilman to Drogheda and gave a presentation on the ‘See Something Say Something’ initiative which is listed as an action within the Drogheda Report Implementation Plan. Other tools which could be implemented in Drogheda such as the #AskForAngela campaign were also highlighted.
Members of the Board took the opportunity to ask questions of both Inspector O’Keeffe and Assistant Commissioner Hilman on how these initiatives would be rolled out in the Drogheda area and were impressed by the possibilities they could create for community safety in the town.
Chair of the Drogheda Implementation Board, Michael Keogh, said “We were delighted to have Assistant Commissioner Hilman visit us and thank her and Inspector O’Keeffe for their time and openness in answering questions from the Board. Following Inspector O’Keeffe’s presentation, the Board have given their wholehearted support to rolling out the See Something Say Something in Drogheda as soon as is possible. We also look forward to following up on a number of other actions with Assistant Commissioner Hilman and her team.”
The Drogheda Implementation Board is supported by the Department of Justice and hosted by LMETB.
If you would like to find out more about the Drogheda Implementation Board go to www.droghedaimplementationboard.ie or email implementationboard@lmetb.ie.
