An Garda Síochána to take a tougher stance on public order offences and increase street police presence.
Assistant Garda Commissioner Jim McHugh announced a new get tough policy to combat the high level of public order offences, drunkenness and street violence in Dublin. He said the force would be adopting a harder stance on public order offences and there would be an increased Garda presence on the streets.
In June of this year, there were at least 55,000 incidents in which a police service was required in the Dublin area.
In 1999, there were 11,500 people prosecuted for minor offences such as breach of the peace and drunkenness in the Dublin region. There were an additional 3,500 prosecutions for offences such as minor assault.
Speaking at the announcement of the new approach to crime, Jim McHugh says that more prosecutions can be expected as the Gardaí clamp down on crime.
Our enforcement policy will be more rigorous.
The Assistant Garda Commissioner has also ordered that a maximum number of uniformed personnel be present on the streets. He acknowledged that more work needs to be done to establish the causes of crime.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 31 August 2000. The reporter is Dympna Moroney.
