COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
QUESTION NO. 4
QUESTION: Councillor L. O'Toole
"Further to my agreed proposals over the last twelve months which was initiated at the existing LPF in North Clondalkin and Lucan, to ask the Chief Executive if a draft letter has been drawn up by the PPN and relevant JPC members as agreed at the last JPC meeting?"
REPLY:
Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 the Joint Policing Committees Guidelines (Amended August 2014) set out the following in respect of Local Policing Forums:
- Section 36(2)(d) of the Garda Síochána Act (see paragraph 2.1) provides for the establishment of local policing fora by JPCs. The internal procedures of such fora should be similar to those for the JPCs, but to the greatest extent possible be more informal.
- As a general principle, JPCs should ensure that in establishing local policing fora they do not divert scarce resources from the work of the JPCs themselves.
- In accordance with commitments in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016, Guidelines for the operation of local policing fora in Local Drugs Task Force areas issued in 2009.
The JPC discussed the feasibility of a LPF covering the Lucan sub district area at the JPC held on the 26th April 2019 and the following was minuted:
- Additional LPFs: A LPF for Lucan was raised as was the need for funding to resource it. It was noted that the PPN representatives had agreed to submit a letter to the Department on the issue of resources for LPFs.
- The experience of the Rathfarnham Neighbourhood Watch quarterly meeting was described and it was suggested that this could be a model that could be replicated in the Lucan area.
- It was noted that the Gardaí would support the long-term formation of a LPF in Lucan and there is also a strong programme of Neighbourhood Watch development in the Lucan area.
The four PPN representatives on the JPC have been contacted regarding this matter and no letter has been drafted to date.