New policing partnerships launched in four municipal areas of Kilkenny

A new policing partnership will be rolled out in the Piltown area of the county over the coming weeks.
The local policing partnership is a formal structure where An Garda Síochána in association with Kilkenny Local Authority will sit on a collaborative partnership and work together with communities and a cross section of local elected representatives.
This partnership will be in our four Municipal districts of Castlecomer, Kilkenny city, Thomastown/Callan and Piltown and has already commenced in Castlecomer. It will be rolled out in the Thomastown area early in the New Year and in Kilkenny City in the summer to coincide with the introduction of more CCTV cameras.
Chairman of the Joint Policing Committee, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick made the announcement of the establishment of the partnerships at a recent community text alert awards night.
“Research has shown the importance of local networks and associations in community policing. The local policing partnership will report to the Joint Policing Committee.
“The Partnership will consist of An Garda Siochana, Kilkenny Local Authority Executive, elected reps and community reps. Community Reps will include Text Alert Groups, IFA, ICA Youth Groups, Crime Victims, Age Friendly, Business and PPN,” he said.
Cllr Fitzpatrick outlined how these partnerships will have seven strategic aims -
community engagement, crime prevention, support for crime victims, care for older persons in the community, antisocial behaviour, road safety and
the misuse of alcohol and drug-related crime.
The JPC chairman also spoke about how ‘the success of the local policing partnership will be determined by the involvement and collaborative approach of all the various stake holders’.
“Local communities must see positive outcomes to their concerns addressed by the local policing partnership.
“Communities must feel more connected to the mechanisms of national and local government infrastructure.
“Equally the local policing partnerships forum will allow various stakeholders to better listen, and understand local community concerns,” he said.
“The local policing partnership will enhance the capability of An Garda Síochána here in Kilkenny to better engage our communities, reach out and connect with them to enhance and better deliver our policing service.
“The policing partnership is as much a problem solving platform as a listening mechanism to put statutory organisations such as An Garda Síochána and The Local Authority closer to communities to better understand their needs and resolve issues locally.
“As citizens we all enjoy rights, but we also have corrective obligations. In my opinion we share a moral and civic responsibility to support the tremendous and often times exceptionally dangerous work of the Gardai as they uphold and enforce the law.
“It is my earnest hope that these partnerships will provide an additional constructive layer of support for solid community policing and will act as a reservoir of useful information and concrete ideas
“Together with our communities we can only be stronger. I ask for your continued support as we work in partnership to make Kilkenny a safer place to live, work and visit,” he added.