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Two years ago a small rural Tipperary community took crime prevention up a gear when they ordered seven CCTV cameras to watch the roads leading in and out of the parish. So far the results are positive, but there is nobody counting their chickens yet.
Frustrated after a spate of robberies locally and powered by deep frustration and fear, the Rahealty community group decided to do something rather than continue talking about it.
Former local councillor and chair of the local parish group David Doran led a 10-person community group in hosting a number of meetings to discuss the problem of rural crime with a view to finding a solution.
Dwelling houses, farmyards and machinery were all targeted by hit-and-run robberies often during the day, but also at night. The gardaí were involved on all occasions but prosecutions rarely followed. Elderly residents were gripped with fear and the prospect of continuing robberies. The community group felt something had to be done.
A decision was taken to install a local CCTV camera network that would track the vehicles in and out of the parish.
There are motorways on either side of this Tipperary parish, which were helping criminals make a quick exit. Locals felt if they could track the vehicles coming in and out it would help to piece the jigsaw together and help the gardaí with their investigations.
The group decided that local fundraising was the only way to get this up and running quickly. Government grant aid was available but when the group researched it they decided the bureaucracy when applying for grant aid was going to take so long they were better to go ahead themselves and take control of the project.
Members of the community group took it in turns to go house to house looking for donations.
David Doran said: “We didn’t go into a house where we were refused. Everyone was very generous and enthusiastic. We collected anything from €10 to €150 per household and in total we collected over €20,000. The project investment was put out to tender and the best price got the contract to purchase the cameras, install and maintain the network.”
Power to the cameras is supplied from private residences. All cameras are identified and clearly marked. CCTV signage warns everyone that recording is ongoing. There were some concerns that privacy of local residents would be affected, so a strict usage protocol of the footage is in place.
Data officers
Two data officers were appointed from within the group. These two persons must be accompanied by local gardaí to check footage if a criminal activity is suspected. Nobody else is permitted to see or use the footage.
Video footage is stored for 28 days. Should criminal activity occur, the resident is required to contact the gardaí and make a complaint. It is then up to the gardaí to request footage from the local group and they access it with the two data officers present. It has been used on a few occasions over the last two years.
Not only has the local area at Rahealty benefited, but the surrounding Parishes of Moycarkey/Borris, Moyne Templetouhy and Loughmore/Castleiney on the bounds of this parish have also. Prior to installing cameras, some farmers in the locality were robbed – some up to four times – and in most cases they heard nothing back or never heard of any convictions.
David Doran said: “This parish went through a very bad period of repeated criminal activity and thankfully for the last two years since we installed the cameras there has been very little. We installed very high-spec cameras that can gather the information needed day or night.
“I think it’s important to invest with the best technology the first day. It is also important to have a clear public discussion and be very transparent in the use of public funds.
“We got some initial help from another rural community, Erill, that were successful using cameras and we got some expert help in terms of setting it up properly at the start with regards to safety statements etc. This, combined with our Text Alert committee, means we have a good handle on what’s happening in the parish and so far so good.”
Rahealty Community Committee members are Noel O’Dwyer, Martin Shanahan, Bernie Hickey, Catherine Doran, Michelle Keogh, Suzanne Houlihan, John Hickey, Tom Quinlan, David Doran (Chair) and Michael Hackett.
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