garda strategy plan

An Garda SíochánaLouth Division

Older People StrategyImplementation Plan

Foreword

The Louth Garda Division is dedicated toimplementing An Garda Síochána OlderPeople Strategy throughout Co. Louth. Inthe past year, many steps have beentaken towards achieving this goal.

The Louth Garda Division has workedvery closely with Louth County Counciland the Louth Older People’s Forum toestablish the Louth Age Friendly CountyAlliance. Chief Superintendent PatrickMcGee, Louth Divisional Officer,represents an Garda Síochána as part ofthe executive committee of this alliance.

The Louth Age Friendly County Alliancehas enjoyed a number of successes in thepast months. Through the work of thealliance, Co. Louth has been designatedan ‘age friendly county’.

In 2011, President Mary McAleeselaunched the Louth Age Friendly Countywebsite. The Louth Garda Division has awebpage on this site which is updatedregularly with security and crimeprevention advice for the older person,as well as contact details for every Gardastation in Co. Louth and the names andcontact details of Community Gardaíacross the county.

The Louth Division Older People Strategy– Implementation Plan sets out the wayin which the Louth Division will continueto build on recent achievements and willensure the highest level of service isprovided to older members of thecommunity.

Objective One

Develop and maintain effective communication links betweenGardaí and older people

National Initiative 1.1

Instil in all Gardaí the importanceof engaging and communicatingwith older people.

Initiative(s) to be Implemented Process OwnerOutcomeRequired

All Gardaí to be trained in this regardthrough the CPD programme.

ChiefSuperintendent

Improved serviceprovision

Divisional training rollout will be based onan Garda Síochána Older People Strategyand will be in line with Garda trainingmodels.

EachSuperintendent

Courses and presentations will be sourcedfrom Age Action group.

Junior members will be rotated ontoCommunity Policing Units for experientiallearning.


Engage with statutory and nonstatutory agencies in commongeographic areas to enhance /establish communication linksappropriate to assess the needsand expectations of older people.


The Louth Garda Division will continue towork with Louth County Council andrepresentatives from the older communityto build on the success of the Louth AgeFriendly County Alliance.

ChiefSuperintendent

Improvedunderstanding ofneeds of olderpeople.

This alliance provides an excellent means ofcommunication between the oldercommunity and statutory agencies.

EachSuperintendent


Develop and communicate theStrategy for Older People in linewith An Garda Síochána’sStrategy Statement 2010-2012,and other existing strategies.


Louth Division will continue to implementand communicate the Garda SíochánaOlder People Strategy through the LouthAge Friendly County Alliance.

ChiefSuperintendent

Co-ordinatedapproach toStrategyImplementation.

The Garda section of the Louth AgeFriendly County website will be updated ona continuing basis by the nominated liaisonGarda.

EachSuperintendent


Promote and utilise theexperience and wisdom of olderpeople in their communities, andencourage their participation incrime prevention initiatives.


Older people will be encouraged toparticipate in new and existingNeighbourhood Watch and CommunityAlert initiatives.

Chief Superintendent Strengthening ofcommunity linksand improvedcontribution fromolder people tocommunities.Older members of the community will

be invited to talk to youth groups andyouth clubs as guest speakers,accompanied by Gardaí.

Each Superintendent


Through the medium of localand national media keepcommunities informed ofpolicing issues that affect olderpeople.


The Garda section of the Louth AgeFriendly County website will be updatedcontinuously.

Chief Superintendent Reduced isolationand increasedengagement.

Garda slots on Dundalk FM and LMFMradio stations, as well as articles in localnewspapers will be used to keepcommunities informed of policing issuesrelative to older people.

Each Superintendent


Explore diverse technologychannels to increaseengagement and contact witholder people.


The Louth Age Friendly County websitewill be used to increase engagementand contact with older people.


Gardaí will promote the use of safetyand security devices amongst olderpeople.

Each Superintendent


Publicise and promote initiativesand good practices that AnGarda Síochána has established.


Local radio stations, newspapers and theLouth Age Friendly County website willbe used to promote Garda initiatives.


Community Gardaí will carry out visits toOld Folks Clubs and Senior CitizensGroups to give presentations on Gardainitiatives.

Each Superintendent


Update, review and publicisethe Strategy on a continuingbasis.


The Divisional Strategy EvaluationCommittee, under the direction of ChiefSuperintendent, Louth will review andupdate the Strategy on an ongoingbasis.

Chief Superintendent Improvedresponsiveness toneeds andexpectations ofolder people.

The Louth Age Friendly County websitewill be updated to reflect any changes inthe Strategy.

Objective Two

Deliver a timely and effective proactive response by An GardaSíochána for older people


Determine the policingrequirements of older people andappropriate responses.


Submissions to the annual Louth DivisionPolicing Plan will be invited from oldermembers of the community.

ChiefSuperintendent

Targeted responsesappropriate torequirements.

Community Gardaí will provide feedbackfrom older persons on a day to day basis atoperational level.

EachSuperintendent


Deliver high visibility targetedpatrolling, both mobile and foot,in neighbourhoods where olderpeople reside and congregate.


Gardaí will work with Local Authorities toaddress issues highlighted by olderresidents.

ChiefSuperintendent


Operation Anvil will be utilised to deploytargeted patrols where older people reside.

EachSuperintendent


Continue to develop and distributecrime prevention and personalsafety advice.


The Louth Age Friendly County website willbe used to offer crime prevention andpersonal safety advice.

ChiefSuperintendent

Improvedawareness andresponse to ElderAbuse.

Crime Prevention Officer will givepresentations at Neighbourhood Watch /Community Alert meetings, Old Folks Clubsand Senior Citizens Groups.

EachSuperintendent

Bogus Caller Cards will be distributed toolder people through the above initiatives.

Crime PreventionOfficer


Continue to develop and distributeRoad Safety advice.


Community Gardaí and Traffic Corpsmembers will give Road Safetypresentations at Neighbourhood Watch /Community Alert meetings, Old FolksClubs and Senior Citizens Groups.

ChiefSuperintendent

Each Superintendent

Improvedawareness of RoadSafety issue.


Continue to make youngpeople more aware of the fearthat they can cause to olderpeople through noisy groupbehaviour.


Presentations will be delivered via theGarda Schools Programme.

Chief Superintendent Improvedunderstanding ofthe needs of olderpeople.Community Gardaí will deliver

awareness talks at Youth Clubs andGarda Diversion Projects.

Each Superintendent

Young people will be encouraged toshare space with older people.


Continuous analysis,identification, profiling andtargeting of criminals suspectedof committing crime againstolder people.


Suspects will be identified and targeted. Chief Superintendent Targeted responsesappropriate torequirements.Ongoing targeted operations will be

deployed under Operation Anvil.Each Superintendent

Criminal IntelligenceOfficer


Continuous analysis of crimescommitted against older people toidentify trends and patterns.


Crime trends and patterns will be analysedat Divisional and District ManagementMeetings.

ChiefSuperintendent


The fear of crime amongst older people willbe addressed through targeted highvisibility patrolling.

EachSuperintendent


In line with the National ElderAbuse Policy, develop andimplement a strategy on ElderAbuse in consultation with otherstatutory and non-statutoryagencies.


The Divisional Strategy will continue to bedeveloped in line with the NationalStrategy.

ChiefSuperintendent

Improvedawareness andresponse to ElderAbuse.Each

Superintendent


Continue to engage with planningauthorities to promote CrimePrevention through environmentaldesign.


Crime Prevention Officer will liaise with theplanning authorities to promote crimeprevention through environmental design.

ChiefSuperintendent

Crime PreventionOfficer

Improvedawareness of crimeprevention advice.


Increase awareness amongGardaí of the diverse challengesfacing older people.


All Gardaí to be briefed and trained inthis regard through the CPDprogramme.

Chief Superintendent Improvedawareness ofdiversity issues.

Presentations will be sourced from AgeAction group.

Each Superintendent

Junior members will be rotated ontoCommunity Policing Units forexperiential learning.


Develop a station / districtregister of older people (withconsent) as a means ofsupporting engagement byCommunity Gardaí.


Gardaí will continue to compile aregister of older people at District level.

Chief SuperintendentIncreasedconfidence andlessen feelings offear.Gardaí will collaborate with relative

agencies within the Louth Age FriendlyCounty Alliance to further develop thisregister.

Each Superintendent

Objective Three

Increase trust and confidence by lessening the fear of crimeamongst older people


Use all opportunities topromote the idea of supportiveand caring neighbourhoodsthrough new and ongoinginitiatives.


Neighbourhood Watch / CommunityAlert schemes will be used to promotethis initiative.

Chief Superintendent Increasedconfidence andlessen feelings offear.

Gardaí will continue working withcommunities to build supportiveneighbourhoods, particularly duringwinter months.

Each Superintendent


Improve quality of follow up,including victim supportreferrals, with older people whoare victims of crime.


Community Gardaí will continue to carryout visits to elderly victims of crime,offering support and advice.

Chief Superintendent

Each Superintendent

Building of moretrustingrelationships.


Develop/improve partnerships withstatutory and non statutoryagencies in producing informationdesigned to reduce the fear ofcrime.



ChiefSuperintendent

Increasedconfidence andlessen feelings offear.

Chief Superintendent, Louth represents anGarda Síochána on the alliance. Meetingsare held every two months.

EachSuperintendent


Ensure that An Garda Síochánaprovide accurate, timely andproportionate information oncrime to the media.


Weekly Garda slots on Dundalk FM andLMFM radio stations, as well as articles inlocal newspapers will be used to provideinformation on crime in a timely andproportionate manner.

ChiefSuperintendent

EachSuperintendent

Increasedconfidence andlessen feelings offear.


Develop mechanisms within thePublic Attitude Survey tocanvass the views of olderpeople.


The Louth Age Friendly County Alliance willbe used to gather feedback and views fromolder people.

ChiefSuperintendent

Identification ofviews and opinionsof older people.

The National Public Attitude Survey will beconsulted to provide statistical informationon older people’s views.

EachSuperintendent


Establish bi-annual fora with aselection of agencies that workwith older people.



ChiefSuperintendent

Identification ofviews and opinionsof service providersof older people.

Chief Superintendent, Louth represents anGarda Síochána on the alliance. Meetingsare held every two months.

EachSuperintendent

Objective Four

Determining and responding to, on an ongoing basis, theneeds and expectations of older people


Document needs, expectationsand key issues arising fromregular interaction with olderpeople and statutory and non-statutory agencies. Use thisinformation to update policingplans.


Gardaí will continue to work with the LouthOlder People’s Forum to allow the voice ofolder people inform policing operations.

ChiefSuperintendent

Identification ofolder people mostat risk.

This information will be collated and utilisedin the formulation of Divisional and DistrictPolicing Plans.

EachSuperintendent


Maintain a standard approachto recording and updatingincidents involving older people.


Pulse incidents will be recorded andupdated in accordance with best practice.

ChiefSuperintendent

Identification ofolder people mostat risk.

Incidents will continue to be reviewed bysupervisors and District Officers.

EachSuperintendent

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