THE BENEFITS of providing a Garda kiosk in Limerick city centre have been questioned by the man in charge of the Limerick Garda Division.
Proposals for a manned kiosk at a highly visible location were discussed at recent meetings of the Joint Policing Committee and while the idea has yet to be fully defined, Chief Superintendent Dave Sheahan has asked committee members, local Limerick councillors and other stakeholders to clearly outline the purpose of the kiosk, as he fails to see its benefits.
“The concept needs to be teased out considerably more for everyone to understand what they expect from this booth or kiosk. Is this just going to a booth that is down in the bottom of O’Connell Street with a Garda standing in it on an eight-hour shift on a sentry post? Or is it going to a be a booth that is operational on some other level?” he asked.
“If it’s an informational stand that’s wanted, Henry Street Garda station is just a couple of hundred metres away begging the question, is there a requirement of having a booth so close to the main Garda station in the city?
Asked if the idea was devised to give the impression to the public of having a regular Garda presence in Limerick, he said that “the concept needs to fully thrashed out and I would much prefer to see Gardaí dedicated to walking the beat around the city centre where we have had some great success.
“That has made a huge impact in respect of the retail sector but they can’t be everywhere so it is about getting the balance right and providing that around retail times and balancing it against the night-time economy.
“However, it is a matter that we will consider further with the Limerick Chamber and other interested parties who are backing it. However, I would like to know what they see as the aims and objectives and if it will add value from a policing and visibility perspective”, he said.
