Congratulations to Chief Superintendent Catherine Kehoe and her Garda team on the success of their initiative in organising the Tipperary Division Community Policing Seminar, which took place in St Patrick’s College, Cathedral Street, Thurles, Co Tipperary, on Thursday evening last, with a truly massive crowd visiting the event in search of advice; from all over the Premier County.
County Tipperary, like so many Irish counties in recent years, has suffered badly with large increases in the number of residential homes and farm premises being burglarized, particularly in our large towns and but also in our less populated smaller rural communities. For the most part these robberies are the work of criminal gangs taking advantage of Ireland’s fast network of roadways, which allow small time criminal gangs to target these rural and urban areas, returning to in many cases our major cities, often before their criminal activities have even been discovered.
Pictured Shows L – R: Chief Superintendent Catherine Kehoe, Garda Annette Connolly and Garda Chris Verling who are all leading with the implementation of new policing initiatives for Thurles Town.
New Thurles Community Text Alert Scheme
Here in Thurles as a follow up part of this aforementioned Tipperary Division Community Policing Seminar; a meeting will take place this week to launch a new Thurles Community Text Alert Scheme. Same will take place this Wednesday night (January 21st 2015) at 7.30pm in the Anner Hotel, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
Thurles Gardaí are leading this particular community initiative headed up by Chief Superintendent Catherine Kehoe and is being co-ordinated by Garda Annette Connolly, latter who has considerable previous experience in organising Community Text Alert Scheme in other Garda districts.
Speaking with Garda A. Connolly today, latter was at great pains to point out the importance of the Community Text Alert Scheme and extended an open invitation to all the people of Thurles to attend at next Wednesday night’s meeting. “Anywhere that Text Alert Schemes are in operation in Ireland, statistics prove that it works hugely in reducing the levels of crime in all these areas, the fast recovery of stolen goods and the early arrest of those criminals involved,” stated Garda Connolly. “Over 100 people from all over Thurles have already signed up for this Text Alert Scheme, since same was first muted by Thurles Gardaí back in Oct/Nov,” continued Garda Connolly.
The initial cost of signing up to this Community Text Alert Scheme proposed for Thurles, is a meagre €10 Euro per household, per annum for the first year. This sum is used to erect proper signposting in each community area and to cover costs of insurance for those who choose to be involved in assisting the setting up of the scheme and obviously the cost of sending you Text Messages warning you of criminal and other problems which may manifest themselves in your particular “neck of the woods”. As a general rule this initial €10 Euro fee is greatly reduced at the beginning of year two, once the cost of initial signage and other necessities have been adequately put in place.
I understand people who wish to register to be part of a Community Text Alert Scheme can sign up on Wednesday night next at the Anner event or can contact Thurles Garda Station on Telephone 0504-25100 for further information about this new welcome initiative.
Thurles Community Neighbourhood Watch
Meanwhile, also as a follow up part of this aforementioned Tipperary Division Community Policing Seminar, Garda Chris Verling has been busy with the setting up of Community Neighbourhood Watch groups, particularly focusing on recently built estates in Thurles, many of which are now fully participating in such schemes, despite a reluctance to previously participate.
Congratulations and every success to all Thurles Garda personnel involved in leading these very welcome initiatives and to the people of Thurles please do turn out in large numbers to demonstrate your full support.
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