Garda units on bicycles should be operated in the city as a pilot scheme as it would make gardaí more visible in communities and thereby more effectively tackle anti-social behaviour.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil senator Ollie Crowe, who has written to Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, asking her to consider establishing bicycle units in Galway city gardai stations, to specifically target anti-social behaviour.
Sen Crowe said that, as anti-social behaviour has been "a problem in certain parts of the city for a number of years", there was "a duty to examine new ways to tackle it".
"Enhancing the visibility of gardai in our communities will make a real and tangible impact, both in terms of tackling anti-social behaviour and making residents feel safer”
He said other counties have gardai on bikes and that this has led to greater Garda visibility and presence and "substantially more interactions with communities". He said it would also result in quicker response times in urban environments; be more economical to maintain a bike than a car; and be more environmentally friendly.
Sen Crowe is calling for this to be a pilot scheme initially, operating out of specific stations, and working within communities which have been "particularly impacted by anti-social behaviour", with effectiveness reviews after 12 months.
"Enhancing the visibility of gardai in our communities will make a real and tangible impact," he said, "both in terms of tackling anti-social behaviour and making residents feel safer.”
