Gardaí are appointing senior officers in each garda division in the Southern Region to act as liaison officers for a relaunched Coastal Watch, to encourage the public to report suspicious activity along the coast and at sea.
Garda inspectors are being appointed in Cork city and county, Kerry, Limerick, Clare and Tipperary to co-ordinate and process the flow of information from the public.
The Garda Coastal Watch was relaunched in Castletownbere, Co Cork, by Assistant Commissioner for the Southern Region, Eileen Foster.
She said Coastal Watch aims to raise awareness and encourage those who live, work, or use the coast, to report unusual activity to help prevent and detect crime.
Coastsal Watch is a community-based, crime-prevention initiative involving residents, businesses, landowners, government agencies, voluntary emergency services and An Garda Síochána.
Gardaí say Coastal Watch is not just about policing -- it's about presence, awareness, prevention and partnership.
"It's important to state that this initiative recognises that effective coastal policing cannot be achieved by An Garda Siochana alone," Asst Commissioner Foster said. "Success depends on co-operation between business, key government agency stakeholders, voluntary services, the fishing community, landowners, emergency services and An Garda Síochána and, of course, the locals - the people living in the community.
"Local knowledge is a term frequently used in policing and it has particular relevance in this initiative."
Gardaí say Coastal Watch has helped keep Ireland's 7,500km of coastline safe for the past 30 years. They are now introducing some changes to Coastal Watch to support its work.
Garda Inspectors are being appointed in each garda division in the Southern Region to educate the public about the initiative and to collate information received and ensure that it is acted on quickly.
The Coastal Watch Liaison Garda Inspector will work with local gardaí to ensure information collected is channelled efficiently, and that intelligence reports are fully utilised.
The Coastal Watch Liaison Garda Inspector will also be instrumental in establishing contact and maintaining engagement with key members of the public, and encouraging them to use local knowledge to indicate if something appears suspicious, or out of place, or odd.
To support the sharing of local knowledge, An Garda Síochána will be erecting new Coastal Watch signage in the Southern Region, which includes a QR code linked to an online form which will allow people to report suspicious or criminal activities on land or at sea.
The types of activities An Garda Síochána is encouraging members of the public to report include:
- Unknown boats landing in remote locations
- Ribs/boats with names removed or concealed
- Suspected illegal dumping
- Suspected illegal fishing
- Unexpected tyre tracks on laneways
- Vehicles parked in unusual places
- Intentionally destroyed vehicles
Ms Foster said: "Coastal Watch is a crime-prevention initiative, and a community-based partnership where your local knowledge will indicate if something appears suspicious, or out of place, or odd. I would say to you all, trust your instincts and reach out to An Garda Síochána. You could be providing An Garda Síochána with vital information to assist us in our investigations.
"Coastal Watch provides us with an opportunity to harness local knowledge and to ultimately prevent and detect crime in our coastal areas by collaborating together.
"We want to hear from you."
Chief Supt Vincent O'Sullivan discusses the relaunch of Coastal Watch
Also speaking at the relaunch, Cork County Garda Chief Superintendent Vincent O'Sullivan said gardaí recognise the value of local knowledge in their work and their investigations.
"Cork County has become one of the most strategically significant locations in Ireland in the fight against international drug trafficking due to its extensive coastline, deep water harbours and direct access to Atlantic shipping routes linking Europe with South America and West Africa," Chief Supt O'Sullivan said.
"In recent years, some of the largest drug seizures in Irish history have been detected off Cork's coastline, including the interception of the MV Matthew in 2023, where 2.2 tonnes of cocaine, valued at €157 million was seized in a major international operation.
"These seizures place Cork County within the wider global context of transnational organised crime and international maritime trafficking networks."
An Garda Síochána is inviting coastal communities to report suspicious or criminal behaviour via an online Coastal Watch form, which is available on the An Garda Síochána website.
