An Garda Síochána has extended high-visibility beats from Dublin city centre to suburbs in the east and south of the county.
Provisional statistics released by gardaí show that in the first year of the initiative in Dublin city centre, detections of public order and drunkenness offences increased.
The figures also showed that the number of robberies and assaults decreased, but thefts from shops increased.
The statistics also show that in the first six months of this initiative, instances of assaulting or obstructing a member of An Garda Síochána increased in Dublin City Centre, but that trend has reversed, with provisional data from April 2025 to March 2026 showing it down by 14%.
Gardaí introduced a high-visibility policing plan in Dublin city in March 2025.
In recent months, it has been extended to other parts of Dublin.
In the east of the Dublin Metropolitan Region, there are now high-visibility beats in Dún Laoghaire Town, Shankhill, Blackrock, Dundrum, including the Dundrum Town Centre, and in the south the Square Shopping Centre in Tallaght, Tallaght village, Rathfarnham, Crumlin, Rathmines, Rathgar and Terenure.
Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Roberts said there are plans to extend the initiative to more parts of Dublin in the north and east but said that "no exact dates" had been confirmed.
A statement from an Garda Síochána says that "High Visibility foot patrols in key areas around the region were chosen from feedback from the community and businesses in the region as well as our own crime location data."
There are also High Visibility Policing Initiatives in Cork City and Limerick City.
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High-visibility patrols began in Tallaght in February.
"We have the beat here in the Square (shopping centre), and another one in Tallaght village. Again, there's a much older demographic in the village, and the elderly population out there would be stopping you, constantly telling you that they're just delighted to see you out and about patrolling," Garda Kevin Mitchell said.
"You'd get lost children, a lot of tourists looking for directions and looking to be pointed to the direction of bus stops or Luas stops, and again, businesses that have, you know, maybe a theft instance to report or damage to property, stuff like that," Gda Mitchell added.
He has worked in Tallaght for five years, and he was joined on the high visibility beat by recent recruit Garda Matthew Duggan.
"I'm about 12 weeks out of college and I'm finding it very positive, the interactions so far," Gda Duggan said.
"You get a different side of people as well, its not all crime and incidents," Gda Duggan said.
"So far, we've had very positive feedback from local communities, members of the business community, from retailers that provides a great deal of reassurance to the public to see guards on the street, and we will continue to expand the initiative further," Assistant Commissioner Roberts said.
When asked about the 5% increase in thefts in shops during the first year of the initiative in Dublin city centre, Assistant Commissioner Roberts said they were aware of this increase and they took retail theft "very seriously".
"We're very clear that where there are repeat offenders, we know who they are and we will deal with them," Assistant Commissioner Roberts said.
"We have also, including here at the square, ... had very high detection rates locally, on occasions, and we are satisfied that we will improve in that area and that the high visibility beats will play a significant factor in doing so."
The provisional data on crime in Dublin city centre between April 2025 and March 2026 showed increases in what An Garda Síochna describe as "pro-active policing detections".
These show a 12% increase in public order offences, a 21% increase in drunkenness offences, a 16% in the offence of drug possession (not for sale) and a 27% increase in obstruction under the Drugs Act.
They also showed a 12% decrease in the offence of drug possession for sale or supply, a 23% decrease in thefts from a person, a 33% decrease in robberies from a person, which is where an offender uses violence, threats, or intimidation, a 45% decrease in businesses being robbed, which is again where violence or the threat of violence is used, a 40% decrease in the offence of begging, a 12% decrease in minor assaults, and an 18% decrease in assaults causing harm.
