RESIDENTS in a north county Dublin village have banded together to fight crime through an enterprising new initiative.
Following a spate of robberies in Garristown last year, the local community decided it was time to take decisive action against the thieves.
After several months of hard work by a small but dedicated committee, Garristown now has its own Text Alert Scheme.
The scheme, launched under the auspices of Garristown Community Council, alerts members of the public and the gardai to crime that is happening in their area and gives details of suspect vehicles or persons that may be involved. The scheme went live on January 31.
The dedicated mobile phone number, which is manned 24/7 by a panel of volunteers, is linked up to Balbriggan Garda Station.
To highlight awareness of the scheme, a total of 23 signs – highly visible but not intrusive – have been placed in 17 locations throughout the community.
Roger Cronin, chairman of the Text Alert Project, a sub-committee of Garristown Community Council, said there has been a terrific response to the scheme in the local community.
“It has been welcomed with open arms,
? Mr Cronin told Northside People.
“Local residents have said it’s a fabulous idea and are wondering why we didn’t do it years ago. People are coming up to us in the village saying they are feeling a lot more secure.
“We have a membership of almost 200 and as word spreads new applications are being received daily.
“The need for neighbours to become one another’s
‘eyes and ears’ has never been more pressing, with burglaries and unwanted intrusions a regular feature of rural life.
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According to Mr Cronin, adjoining communities in Naul, Oldtown, Balscadden and Ballyboughal are working on setting up similar schemes.
“There is a new sense of vigilance about; a new sense of community spirit and a new awareness that we need not be like sitting ducks,
? he declared.
“Intending thieves should take note and not consider Garristown as a soft target.
“With more than 200 new sets of eyes and ears about, they will be spotted, they will be tracked and they will be apprehended.
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The project came to fruition as a result of co-operation between An Garda Siochana, Fingal Leadership Project, Muintir na Tire, Fingal County Council, and local people and businesses.
Those involved in the project would particularly like to thank James Masterson of the Fingal Leadership Project and Seamus O Mongain for his help with the signage.