Crime prevention

A Culture of Crime Prevention

A core function of An Garda Síochána is crime prevention. Compliance with the principles of the European Convention on Hunan Rights (ECHR), the nine ethical standards and commitments set out in our code of Ethics and our mission of keeping people safe, guide the crime prevention culture within An Garda Síochána.

An Garda Síochána continues to enhance and develop an organisational crime prevention culture through the use of available resources, to address the needs of the community we serve, thereby meeting our commitment to keeping people safe.

We continue to develop our systems and structures to harness our vast organisational knowledge of crime prevention and share it with our communities, victims and the most vulnerable in society.

Crime prevention is achieved through effective and comprehensive engagement with communities and businesses, and it is acknowledged that An Garda Síochána cannot reduce and prevent crime without such support.

Principles of Crime Prevention

Many crime prevention techniques work by making crimes harder to commit. If a crime is hard to commit it is less likely to occur. An Garda Síochána uses established principles as a guide to crime prevention. These are:

Crime Prevention Officers (CPOs)

While all members of An Garda Síochána promote crime prevention and reduction, there are members within An Garda Síochána specially trained to carry out the role – Crime Prevention Officers (CPOs). These CPOs are trained to encourage, promote, guide and advise on crime prevention to both the private and business community. CPOs promote and implement national crime prevention initiatives, and will also work locally with both internal colleagues and external parties, to reduce crime and provide advice and expertise in crime prevention and community safety, relevant to the trends in their locality.

CPOs play a critical role in integrating crime prevention principles into policing strategies, personal safety, urban planning, business security, and community engagement.

There is a Crime Prevention Officer attached to each Garda Division. To contact your local Crime Prevention Officer, details can be found here on the Garda website - List of Crime Prevention Officers 

Crime Prevention Officers contribute significantly to community reassurance, reducing fear of crime, and improving quality of life. They bridge the gap between policing, public safety, and urban development, ensuring crime prevention remains a core consideration in policymaking. Their work is proactive rather than reactive, addressing crime risks before they materialise, ultimately reducing demands on frontline policing.

Some CPOs responsibilities include:

Crime Prevention Advice & Security Assessments - includes the conducting of risk assessments and security evaluations for residential properties, businesses, and public institutions and providing tailored security recommendations and promoting compliance with relevant security standards.

Community & Business Engagement - includes developing partnerships with local authorities, businesses and community groups to enhance crime prevention efforts. This can be through meetings, presentations, workshops and/or information sessions on crime prevention strategies.

Supporting vulnerable persons and groups, including older persons, by providing information on scams, fraud prevention, cyber crime, personal security, etc. is an integral part of the role.

Retail & Commercial Crime Prevention – includes advising businesses on internal and external security threats, including retail theft, fraud and cyber crime. Supporting crime prevention initiatives e.g. Business Watch, in shopping centres, retail parks, hospitality venues and collaborate with security professionals and loss prevention teams to mitigate risks.

Promote the concept of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) – involves liaising with Local Authorities, architects and others involved in the planning stage of building projects in order to allow the inclusion of security and crime prevention recommendations at an early stage. In addition, CPOs work alongside Local authorities to incorporate crime prevention measures into existing developments, public spaces amongst other projects.

Cyber & Fraud Prevention – includes supporting our colleagues in GNCCB and GNCEB by providing information to businesses and individuals on emerging scams, cyber security threats, financial fraud and digital crime trends in order to combat financial crime, including money muling and online fraud.

Operational Support – includes utilising crime data, reports, and mapping tools (e.g., ArcGIS) to identify crime hotspots and patterns. Working with operational units to develop proactive crime prevention initiatives based on local crime trends. Contributing to the reduction of recidivist behaviour leading to a reduction in victimisation through targeted intervention strategies.

National and Local strategies and policies – includes promoting and supporting the An Garda Síochána’s Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy developed by the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit along with promoting best practice guidelines on all matters crime prevention.

Garda National Crime Prevention Unit

In addition to the Divisional CPOs, there are also CPOs attached to the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit (GNCPU) in Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8.

Some of GNCPU’s responsibilities include:

• The promotion of crime prevention and reduction,
• Developing crime prevention literature and campaigns based on crime trends,
• Developing of policies and strategies,
• Working with partner agencies and the public to prevent and crime and reduce harm,
• Researching best practice initiatives and studies,
• Maximising the opportunities to use existing and emerging technology in the prevention of crime,
• Training and support for CPOs

The Garda National Crime Prevention Unit can be contacted at:- 

Garda National Crime Prevention Unit

Garda National Community Engagement Bureau

Garda Headquarters

Phoenix Park

Dublin 8

D08 HN3X

Ireland

Tel: +353 1 666 3669

Mobile Phone Safety

The following practical measures can help in preventing and reducing mobile phone theft:

• Register your mobile phone with your service provider.
• Take careful note of your unique 15 digit mobile phone International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. By pressing *#06# on your phone keypad the IMEI will appear on the screen.
• Enable the PIN Security feature and keep your phone locked at all times.
• When out and about, keep your mobile phone out of public view, be streetwise and always be aware of your surroundings.
• Never leave your mobile phone behind in an unattended vehicle.
• If your mobile phone is lost or stolen, contact your mobile phone service provider immediately to suspend your service and prevent unauthorised calls being made and billed to you. Your provider will block your SIM card and IMEI number to prevent your phone from being used on the mobile network.
• Report the loss or theft to An Garda Síochána, providing identification numbers for your SIM card and IMEI number. This information may assist in the recovery of your mobile phone. 

Advice on bike theft

An Garda Síochána is appealing to cyclists to take extra precautions in keeping their bicycles safe by locking them in the most secure way possible.

Crime Prevention Advice:

• Spend 10% to 20% of the value of your bike on two locks.
• Lock your bike tightly to an immovable object.
• Keep the lock off the ground.
• Take a photo of your bike, note the serial number and email it to yourself so that you have a record of it.
• Lock your bike indoors or in well-lit areas if possible.

Crime prevention bike theft video with Sergeant Kelvin Courtney and Sergeant Shane Henry giving useful advice on protecting your bicycle (pre COVID 19 restrictions)

Property Marking

For more information on property marking click here.