Garda foot patrols in place in Westport ahead of winter socialising

A GARDA van and garda foot patrols will be in place in Westport in anticipation of anti-social behaviour associated with increased socialising in the town around the Christmas period.

This was confirmed at the recent meeting of the Mayo Joint Policing Committee, by Superintendent Gabriel Moran.

Cllr Christy Hyland said the Westport Business Association were ‘very concerned’ about a potential spike in anti-social behaviour in the town over the festive period.

Supt Moran said that foot patrols would be ‘proportionate to the needs and demand in relation to the area’.

“It’s likely to be more practical, to be out there with the van, so people know that there’s a van that somebody could be put in the back of. That’s normally how that patrol is operated on a Saturday night,” said Supt Moran.

“The vans sends out the message,” replied Cllr Hyland.

The meeting heard that the number of public order incidents recorded in Mayo between January and October had decreased to 269 – 21 less than the number of incidents recorded in the same period last year.

In the Westport area, assaults dropped from 122 to 93 as of the JPC’s most recent meeting.

A long-standing policing operation is to remain in place in the town, which Supt Moran described as ‘a centre of social life’ in Mayo.