After eight years of decreasing numbers of gardai across the country, the Sligo/Leitrim Division now has 13 new trainee gardai as well as two new detectives due to come soon to County Leitrim.
But despite this increase in personnel, the cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council says there remains a need for greater visibility of more gardai out and about.
Fianna Fail Councillor Mary Bohan raised the issue of garda resources at last night’s public meeting of the Leitrim Joint Policing Committee in Drumshanbo.
About 25 people attended last night’s meeting in the Mayflower Ballroom, where five speakers spoke on a variety of policing issues.
There was also a question and answer session with members of the public.
Councillor Bohan told the meeting she thought the biggest problem facing the gardai is numbers and she asked if there was any indication when the region would get more gardai.
Chief Superintendent Michael Clancy said the gardai had come through difficult times, not only in relation to the numbers of gardai but also with patrol cars and equipment.
But he said they are now coming to what he described as ‘a better place.’
Afterwards, he outlined the situation with garda numbers in Sligo/Leitrim to Ocean FM News:
While welcoming the new gardai to Sligo/Leitrim, Cllr Bohan says there’s a need for people to see more gardai on the beat.
