The Commission on the Future of Policing will host an open evening for people in Galway next week, and has invited members of the public, local community groups and interested stakeholders with views on the future of policing to attend.
The open evening will take place in the The Portershed, off Eyre Square, Galway, next Thursday January 18 between 6pm and 8pm.
The open evening is an opportunity for members of the public to drop in and meet with Commission members in an informal setting to discuss the future of policing.
The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was established by Government in May 2017 to develop a blueprint for policing in Ireland into the future. The Commission is tasked with undertaking an independent, comprehensive examination of all aspects of policing in Ireland, including all functions currently carried out by An Garda Síochána, as well as the full range of oversight bodies.
The Chairperson of the Commission, Kathleen O’Toole said she is delighted that the Commission will be in the West as part of its nationwide meet and greet programme on its important work.
“Consultation is central to informing the Commission’s work and we are eager to hear the views of the people in Galway. As we work towards a blueprint for policing in Ireland it is essential that we hear directly from the very communities that a police service seeks to serve and protect.
“Through these public meetings and our call for submissions, the Commission wants to stimulate a genuine national conversation on the future of policing in Ireland – so we would encourage everyone with an interest in the issue to come to our open evening in Galway, and send us their views and opinions. All of these perspectives will help to inform our work.”
Kathleen O’Toole is a career police officer and lawyer who rose through the ranks of policing in the United States. She has served as Chief of the Seattle Police Department, Boston Police Commissioner and Chief Inspector of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate. The Commission is made up of members who have been drawn from diverse backgrounds including overseas police bodies, academia, consultancy, advocacy and the private sector.
The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was established by Government in May 2017 to develop a blueprint for policing in Ireland into the future. It is tasked with undertaking an independent, comprehensive examination of all aspects of policing in Ireland, including all functions currently carried out by An Garda Síochána, as well as the full range of oversight bodies.
The purpose of its review is to ensure that policing operates within a clear framework of governance and accountability to the law and the community that is supported by coherent structures.
Consultation is central to informing the Commission’s work. The Commission is organising a series of regional public events, details of which will be advertised in local media. As part of that consultation process, the Commission is keen to get as wide a range of views as possible on the future of policing. It invites interested parties, members of the public and civil society groups who wish to contribute to its work to make submissions by post or by email, via its website www.policereform.ie The deadline for submissions is the 31st January 2018. The Commission is due to report in September 2018. Members of the public are invited to make submissions online at policereform.ie before the deadline of January 31st 2018.
