Garda initiative aimed at reducing crime along coastline relaunched in West Cork

A refreshed version of An Garda Síochána’s Coastal Watch initiative was launched in Cork this week, aimed at reducing crime along Ireland’s coastline.

The programme, launched in Castletownbere by Assistant Commissioner for the Southern Region, Eileen Foster, is aimed at raising awareness and encouraging those who live, work, or use the coast, to report unusual activity to help prevent and detect crime.

The community-based initiative has helped keep Ireland’s 7,500km of coastline safe for more than 30 years through cross-agency collaboration between residents, businesses, landowners, government bodies, voluntary emergency services and An Garda Síochána.

As part of the new scheme, a Coastal Watch liaison garda inspector will be appointed in each division, including one in Cork city and one in Cork county.

The Coastal Watch liaison gardaí will work with local members of the force to ensure information collected is channelled efficiently, and that intelligence reports are fully utilised.

Maintaining engagement

They will also be instrumental in establishing contact and maintaining engagement with key members of the public, and encouraging them to use local knowledge to indicate if something appears suspicious, or out of place.

Further, to support the sharing of local knowledge, An Garda Síochána will be erecting new Coastal Watch signage in communities across the region.

The signage will include a QR code, which can be used to report suspicious or criminal activities on land or at sea.

An Garda Síochána is encouraging members of the public to report unknown boats landing in remote locations, ribs/boats with names removed or concealed, suspected illegal dumping, suspected illegal fishing, unexpected tyre tracks on laneways, vehicles parked in unusual places, and intentionally destroyed vehicles.

Local knowledge

Launching the new programme, Ms Foster said that local knowledge is a term “frequently used in policing, and it has particular relevance in this initiative”.

“Coastal Watch is a crime prevention initiative, and a community-based partnership where your local knowledge will indicate if something appears suspicious, or out of place.

“I would say to you all, trust your instincts and reach out to An Garda Síochána.

“You could be providing vital information to assist us in our investigations.”

You can report suspicious activity at https://www.garda.ie/en/crime-prevention/community-crime-prevention-programmes/coastal-watch.html.