Joint Policing Committee Minutes

Minutes of meeting of County Sligo Joint Policing Committee held on Friday 25th September 2020 at 3 pm in The Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo & Via Sligo County Council’s Virtual Meeting Room


IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Mr. Aidan Glacken, Chief Superintendent, An Garda Síochána (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Mr. Pauric Burke, Acting Chief Superintendent, An Garda Síochána (Present in Chamber)
  • Mr. Ciarán Hayes, Chief Executive, Sligo County Council (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Councillor Marie Casserly (Vice Chair) (Present in Chamber)
  • Councillor Tom Fox (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Councillor Thomas Healy (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Councillor Gerard Mullaney (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Councillor Gino O’Boyle (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Ms. Gail McGibbon, Sligo PPN
  • Ms. Margaret McConnell, Senior Executive Officer, Sligo County Council (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Ms. Gráinne Curtin, Policing Authority (Via Virtual Meeting Room)
  • Mr. Bartley Gavin, A/Director of Services, Sligo County Council (Present in Chamber)
  • Mr. John Moran, Senior Executive Officer, Sligo County Council (Present in Chamber)
  • Ms. Clodagh Quinn, Staff Officer, Sligo County Council (Present in Chamber)

 

APOLOGIES:

  • Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady (Chair)
  • Ms. Goretti Sheridan, Superintendent, An Garda Síochána
  • Ms. Vanessa Clarke, Sligo PPN

 

CHAIRPERSON:

The Vice Chairperson, Councillor Marie Casserly, presided and welcomed all present to the first meeting of the new Joint Policing Committee (JPC).

 

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS:

Councillor Casserly informed members that the JPC Guidelines provide that the Chair and Vice Chair are drawn from and appointed by the Elected Council Members on the JPC with Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady having been appointed as Chair and Councillor Casserly as Vice Chair.  On this occasion, Councillor O’Grady was unable to attend the meeting and sent her apologies.

Councillor Casserly then proceeded to call the roll.

 

2.  TO NOTE MINUTES OF MEETING OF COUNTY SLIGO JPC HELD ON 29TH MARCH 2019:

Mr. John Moran, Senior Executive Officer, advised the meeting that the minutes were circulated for members’ information.  It was agreed by the committee to note same.

 

3.  TO NOTE STANDING ORDERS GOVERNING MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE:

A copy of the Standing Orders which outline the rules and regulations for conducting JPC meetings were circulated to committee members in advance.  Mr. John Moran, Senior Executive Officer, advised members that the Orders can be revisited at any time should members wish to do so. 

 

4.  TO NOTE REPORT ON THE ROLE OF THE JOINT POLICING COMMITTEE:

A report by Mr. John Moran, Senior Executive Officer, on the role of the JPC, its legislative basis, membership, oversight of its activities etc was circulated to committee members in advance of the meeting and noted by members.

 

5.  DRAFT JPC ANNUAL REPORT 2019:

Mr. John Moran, Senior Executive Officer, advised committee members of the requirement to produce an annual report outlining the performance of the JPC in the previous year. Once adopted/agreed by Members, a copy of the report is forwarded to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Garda Commissioner, Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and the Policing Authority.

Members agreed the draft report.

Ms. Gail McGibbon, Sligo PPN, asked that Sligo BID be included as a “Lead Agency / Key Partner” at reference numbers 1, 2 and 5 of the Annual Work Plan 2019 which forms part of the Annual Report 2019. The request was agreed by members.

 

6.  JPC STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-2022: UPDATE ON ACTIONS:

Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken welcomed the new committee members to the meeting and introduced Superintendent Pauric Burke who is now stationed in Ballymote Garda Station. He complimented the work undertaken by the Community Response Forum which was set up in April to assist vulnerable members of the public during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief Superintendent Glacken proceeded to give a brief overview of general policing in Sligo to members which included some of the following points:

  • There is a full-time city policing unit dealing with theft and transient gangs involved in this type of crime
  • Over 30 no. property marking events have been held in the County
  • New elements of text alerts are being explored
  • There has been an increase in drug driving offences
  • The accommodation issue at Sligo Garda Station continues to pose challenges

The Vice Chair and Councillor Healy and Councillor O’Boyle commended the work of the Gardaí especially that carried out in recent months through community policing and their co-operation with the Community Response Forum.

 

7.  NOTICES RECEIVED:

  1. Item submitted by Councillor Marie Casserly:
    1. “To propose to ask the Ministers for Justice, Finance and DPER to allow for the ‘Proceeds of Crime’ monies seized by the Gardaí be re-distributed to community frontline organisations dealing directly with victims of crime in County Sligo”.
    2. “That this Committee seek a detailed report from An Garda Síochána outlining current action and future plans to tackle the use of illegal drugs in Sligo”

      Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken informed the meeting that there are 5 no. resident organised crime gangs in Co. Sligo as well as non-resident criminal gangs involved in the cultivation of controlled drugs.

      To combat the activities of such gangs and to build community resilience, An Garda Síochána in the Sligo/Leitrim division have implemented an ‘Organised Criminal Gang Strategy’ which aims to raise awareness, take necessary action and continually assess information and react to it.

      Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken reported that 40 no. seizures of illegal drugs took place in Co. Sligo between 1st January and 1st September 2020 worth approximately €340,000. In addition, hundreds of searched were carried out and 4 no. seizures of drugs and cash occurred at grow houses in the Division.

      In reply to specific queries from the Vice Chair, Councillor Casserly, the Chief Superintendent advised that the current level of resources available to the Division in the battle against drugs is adequate and any monies seized must return to the central Exchequer.
  2. Item submitted by Councillor Thomas Healy:
    1. “To ask that Sligo Gardaí and the Local Authority’s Dog Warden would do a joint operation to carry out road checks within the County to deter the theft of dogs which has increased over the last number of months”.

      When asked by Superintendent Glacken to elaborate on the notice received, Councillor Thomas Healy highlighted the issue of increasing dog thefts throughout the County and queried if anything could be done by Sligo County Council and the Gardaí to try and combat the problem.  In reply, Chief Superintendent Glacken agreed to liaise with the Council in the matter though the Chief Executive, Mr. Ciarán Hayes, cautioned that the issue would not be an easy one to resolve as convictions may be difficult to bring about. It was agreed that the matter could be publicised on social media in an effort to make community groups and individuals aware of the problem.

 

8.  CORRESPONDENCE:

  1. Email from Sligo Cycling Campaign:
    It was agreed that the item be placed on a future meeting agenda.
  2. Letter from the Office of the Garda Commissioner:
    Dates of future meetings to be forwarded to the Commissioner’s Office for his possible attendance.

 

9.  ARRANGEMENTS FOR NEXT MEETING:

As meetings are generally held on Fridays to accommodate Oireachtas Members, the date of Friday 11th December 2020 at 10.30 a.m. was agreed.

 

10.  ANY OTHER BUSINESS:

The Vice Chair, Councillor Marie Casserly reminded members of the deadline of midnight for a survey on policing priorities being undertaken by the Policing Authority.

 

The business of the meeting ended at 16.05 p.m.

 


Meeting Date 25/09/2020