Crime Prevention Text Alert Service should be expanded – Noone

Dublin Fine Gael Senator, Catherine Noone raised the issue of community-based crime text alerts as a deterrent against burglary while speaking in the Seanad today (Thursday).

“Crime Prevention Text Alert services have been successfully trialled in both urban and rural areas. Tests have shown that they work as a 21^st century equivalent of neighbourhood watch.

“If a burglar enters via an open window, then your alarm will activate a text service which alerts residents in the vicinity about the nearby burglary. The text will urge them to check their own windows. It’s common sense.

“Nobody likes to think about somebody breaking into your home and invading your private space but unfortunately it does happen. And in many cases these burglaries occur in twos or threes. As a result, crime text alerts are a useful mechanism to potentially prevent this from happening. Similarly, they can work as a deterrent if signs, much like the older Neighbourhood Watch signs are placed in windows, denoting that this is a so-called ‘text alert area’.

“I have urged the Minister for Justice to consider a one-off grant in order to aid either community groups or An Garda Síochána to get these services up and running. Efforts are needed to encourage people to be active, alert and vigilant when it comes to safety in their own area

“The introduction of preventative community text alerts on a national level – with the assistance of a small amount of grant funding centrally – could work wonders to ensure that people feel safer in their own homes, towns and villages. As part of the continuous process of modern policing, community text alerts should play a central role”.