More than 5,000 arrests have been made since the establishment of a dedicated public safety and street crime unit at Pearse Street Garda station in Dublin three years ago.
Operation Pier was established in 2014 to combat street-level criminality, anti-social behaviour and general criminality within the south inner city area.
“This operation has resulted in the adaptation of a proactive robust community policing approach within the Pearse Street district focusing on the south inner city area,” a Garda spokesman said. “It has resulted in the arrest of an estimated 5,000 persons for a variety of criminal offences emanating from street-level criminality, anti-social behaviour and public disorder.”
The unit which now consists of 14 dedicated gardaí, supervised by one sergeant, has been welcomed by business owners in the area.
Temple Bar publican Martin Keane who owns Drayton House Holdings, the company behind the Oliver St John Gogarty pub and 100-bedroom Blooms Hotel in Temple Bar says the work has been welcome to the area.
‘Good for business’
“If you had to ring me three years ago, I might have had a different story for you but Operation Pier has been a success from the point of view of a business.
“It’s been good for business in the Temple Bar area. I’m in business down here for over 25 years and, since the start of Operation Pier, it’s been a massive improvement. There’s no doubt about that, in particular during the austerity times, there was a cutback to a police presence but now with this unit, you can certainly feel the presence.
Mr Keane noted that the gardaí were very “proactive” in the area. “It’s a joy down here, particularly on St Patrick’s Day, to know that the gardaí are there to make arrests when necessary.”
The Temple Bar Company said it welcomed Operation Pier and had seen a change in recent times in the reduction of criminality.
A senior Garda source said there were currently no plans to grow the unit. “The whole objective of this operation was to enhance public safety, and we feel this is working.”