Communities play key role in the battle against crime

THE fight against crime is being made easier in Kerry by the strong community alert network in the county, last Friday’s Joint Policing Committee meeting was told.

Kerry is among the leading counties when it comes to using text alert schemes and currently a new app is being rolled out to enhance the community alert scheme. Users of the existing BeAlert text alert scheme are being asked to sign up to the Cairde App, which is similar to a What’s App group for community alert groups.

According to statistics presented to the Joint Policing Committee there are currently 52 active Be Alert Schemes in Kerry with 4,500 subscribers. There are also two community phone-based schemes, in Ballymacelligott and Kilcummin and an IFA text alert system also operating in the county. There are also almost 80 community alert groups in the county.

Killarney was the most active BeAlert Text Alert group in county, followed by Listowel.

According to national figures – Cork is the leading county when it comes to using BeAlert text schemes with over 200 messages. Kerry is in second place with 125 messages.

Meanwhile, three areas have been identified for local policing, with Ballyspillane being set up in the coming weeks. Two others – in Rathoraig in Tralee and in Ballyduff – will be set up later this year, based on the performance of the scheme in Ballyspillane.