Changes to the An Garda Siochana operational structure in Athlone, now implemented, have received a strong rebuke from local councillor, Aengus O’Rourke.
Under the new operational structure, there is no longer an Athlone Garda barracks based superintendent with responsibility for policing within the town, the current superintendent in residence, Michelle Baker, moving to a new policing role where she will have responsibility for the ‘performance assurance functional area’ in the Meath/Westmeath Division.
Navan based, Chief Superintendent John Dollard will now have sole responsibility for the policing model within the Meath-Westmeath Division.
The new operational changes also include the appointment of two Mullingar Garda barracks based Superintendents, David Nolan and Bláithín Moran, with responsibility for ‘community engagement’ in Westmeath and crime control within the Meath-Westmeath Division.
Speaking to the Athlone Advertiser, the councillor, noted that the new operational structure, which he believes will detrimentally impact the policing model in Athlone, will fail to instil confidence when moral within An Garda Siochana is “on the floor”.
“While it is somewhat positive to finally see ‘the plan’ for Athlone and County Westmeath, it does not give me any confidence in relation to its operational effectiveness and, in unison with my elected representative colleagues, I am not alone in this view.
“The rank and file members of An Garda Siochana have no confidence in the implementation of this plan nor in the man delivering the plan, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. Bear in mind that 98.7% of the members of An Garda Siochana voted ‘no confidence’ in their leader, yet he carries on regardless. Surely this can not continue to be the case for very much longer?
“With moral on the floor, crime figures continuing to escalate, Garda numbers falling and recruitment in crisis, I do believe that we are witnessing a perfect storm for An Garda Siochana with Athlone unfortunately in the ‘eye of that storm’. Starting from a low base, with a barracks in crisis for a long time due to low Garda numbers, this plan puts the ‘tin hat’ on a bad situation, particularly with the loss of a resident operational superintendent.
“Bizarrely, the new plan puts two superintendents, both based in Mullingar, in charge of general policing and community policing in Athlone, while the chief superintendent with overall responsibility for Athlone will be based in Navan, County Meath. In a further twist that defies logic, Superintendent Baker will remain in Athlone but will have no responsibility for day to day policing. Instead, she will be overseeing compliance within An Garda Siochana.
“For a growth town of its size, Athlone should not be relying on Mullingar or Navan to manage our Garda barracks or the day to day policing within the town. Athlone should have a stand alone Garda management team with sufficient Garda numbers to look after the town. I am convinced that if we had a resident Minister or Dáil representative in Athlone this downgrading of Athlone would not have happened,” Cllr O’Rourke asserted.
