Gardaí seize more knives in 2020
The rise in knife seizures by gardaà on Leeside has been linked to several dif- ferent factors including a new dedicated policing unit and a recent pro-ac- tive policing initiative called Operation Soteria, the Cork Independent has learned.
New figures obtained by the newspaper reveal that 115 knives were seized by gardaí in the Cork City Division from January to June of this year, compared to 71 for the same time in 2019, a 61 per cent increase.
Gardaí were keen to stress that there has not been a sudden increase in the use of knives adding that increase in seizures can be attributed to a number of factors.
This includes Operation Soteria which began on 1 September 2019 and is a multi-strand operation with a pro-arrest, early investigation and proactive high visibility policing focus.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said: “The aim is to reduce assaults, the fear of assaults, to seize weapons such as knives and thus making public places safer.”
The recent establishment of the City Centre Policing Unit is also another “welcomed addition”, the spokesperson said, to seizing offensive weapons and tackling assault and public order incidents.
The dedicated unit has been established to target anti-social behaviour, drugs related offences, thefts and offences against persons, providing additional high visibility policing in the environs of Cork city centre.
“The members of the unit are deployed at times and locations that have been identified as hot spots for crime by the Garda Analysis Services.
This unit will contribute to maintaining a safe environment for both businesses and visitors to the city and comes at a time when many businesses are reopening due to the lifting of Covid-19 related Government restrictions,” explained the spokesperson.
The spokesperson also highlighted the proactive policing of An Garda Siochána during the Covid-19 restrictions and lockdown including an increase in patrols and searches which can also be attributed to the rise in knife seizures for the six months of the year.