Crime shows dramatic fall in Galway in year to date
The number of crimes committed locally has fallen by 33%, suggesting Galway is a relatively safe city.
Galway Gardaí were universally praised at the latest Joint Policing Committee, where it was revealed incidents of crime have fallen by one-third.
In his Garda report, Chief Superintendent Tom Curley said there have been 1,052 fewer crimes recorded in the first five months of this year, compared with the same period in 2015.
Between January and the end of May, some 2,171 crimes were recorded – down by 33% compared with the same period last year.
Public order offences were up, and so, too, were drug detections but across the board all other types of crimes were falling.
Burglaries were down 36%, to 87, for the first five months of the year. It represented 48 fewer burglaries than the same period last year.
Thefts were also down, including thefts from shops, down 5% to 232 incidents; and thefts from persons, down 12% to 36 incidents; and thefts from vehicles, down 12% to 43 incidents.
The number of assaults has also fallen since January. There were 20 assaults causing harm recorded in the first five months of the year, 40% fewer than the same period last year. Minor assaults were also down by 28% to 51 incidents.
For the first time, Galway Gardaí have included ‘racially motivated offences’ in the Garda report. It showed there was one racially motivated offence recorded in that five months’ period.
Chief Supt Curley agreed to a request from community representative Irene Murphy, to include statistics about offences relating to sexual orientation, and gender.
The number of detections of drugs for sale and supply was up 17% to 48, and simple possession also rose although JPC members said this was good news as it confirmed the Garda Drugs Unit was doing its job.
Several JPC members expressed concern with the rise in the number of public order offences.
Some 270 public order offences were recorded in the city between January and the end of May. This was up by 16, or 6%, the report said.
Chief Supt Curley said the improving economy has led to increases in public order associated with the night-time economy.
While he is not happy with the increase in public order offences, Chief Supt Curley pointed out that pre-2007, before recession hit, Gardaí were making in the order of 100 public order arrests every week during the boom.