Home News Local News Top Kenyan officers briefed on community policing in Limerick

Top Kenyan officers briefed on community policing in Limerick

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May 7, 2015

by Alan Jacques

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Members of the Kenyan Police Department in the company of local community Gardai at the Garda Youth Diversion Project in Moyross. Pictured with the Kenyan visitors are Sgt Adrian Phelan, Eddie O’Shaughnessy, Bobby Johnson, Kate Jones, Karen Keehan, Barry Quinn, Lee Kelly, Lee Quinn, Sgt Liam O'Connell, Dean Quinn, Garda John Noonan and Garda Marion O'Grady. Front: Shane O’Brien. (Photo courtesy of Changing Ireland magazine, Moyross) — Members of the Kenyan Police Department in the company of local community Gardai at the Garda Youth Diversion Project in Moyross. Pictured with the Kenyan visitors are Sgt Adrian Phelan, Eddie O’Shaughnessy, Bobby Johnson, Kate Jones, Karen Keehan, Barry Quinn, Lee Kelly, Lee Quinn, Sgt Liam O’Connell, Dean Quinn, Garda John Noonan and Garda Marion O’Grady. Front: Shane O’Brien. (Photo courtesy of Changing Ireland magazine, Moyross)

A DELEGATION of senior police officials from Kenya have had a first-hand experience of community policing in Limerick as part of a campaign to enhance their own relationship with the Kenyan public.

A Garda Diversity Consultation Day in Dublin Castle three years ago became the genesis for the visit when naturalised Irish citizens from Kenya with strong links to its police force suggested the benefits of such a visit.

Following this, the Inspector General of the Kenyan Police Force agreed the visit of five officers to Ireland. He asked that the officers be facilitated with briefings concerning community policing and how to foster better public relations in communities.

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On their arrival to Limerick, the visitors were given an introduction to community policing by Gardaí Louise Jordan and Sharon Ivory of Henry Street Community Policing Unit. They were also addressed by Superintendent Derek Smart before being brought to Kings Island Youth Diversion Project to observe how Gardaí and local community groups provide a range of integrated services to the local community.

The Kenyan police officers also visited Mayorstone Garda Station where Gardaí John Noonan and Marion O’Grady took them to the Garda Youth Diversion Project in Moyross.

“Their time in Limerick provided context for the practical application of the Garda community policing philosophy. It was preceded and followed by lectures provided to the group in An Garda Síochána College on initiatives including Garda participation in Joint Policing Committees; the problem-solving model of policing; and the community policing deployment model,” Sergeant Brian Whelan told the Limerick Post.

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