A garden that bears much fruit

This month Editor, John O’Keeffe went to visit the men and women of Arklow Station in the garden of Ireland and found a Frontline embedded in their communities

Wicklow crosses the rural and urban divide like few other Districts and Arklow may just be its metaphor. With a population of some 13,000, Arklow town looks up at its larger metropolitan brother of Dublin (population 1.38m) with the annoying confidence of the youngest smallest sibling. And why wouldn’t it? Founded by no less than the Vikings in the 9th century and scene of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 Rebellion, this town has previous – and then some.

Someone with all the town’s muscular confidence (and no previous, for the record) is its Station’s boss, Superintendent Declan McCarthy. The Review first met him when in charge in Naas in Co. Kildare and he has in more recent times brought his own hugely personable and hands on style to Arklow (having come full circle as he began his career in Wicklow back in 1982). Here he oversees 34 sworn members and two garda staff. Arklow is a sub-district station in the Wicklow District, but also covers Aughrim and Avoca sub-districts.

One of the social issues that has risen to the surface during this crisis are the mental health problems that Frontline gardaí have to deal with on a day to day basis. In this regard, the area served by Arklow gardaí is sadly no different. First call out, with senior Gardaí Ray Hughes and Fiona Furlong, was to an estate where one man had been threatening neighbours – and had a history of mental illness. The frustration of this locality was palpable but the understating of our two Frontline officers both to their concerns and to the man’s problems, was even more evident.

And it has not gone unnoticed. “What has impressed more than anything else,” McCarthy says, “is the resilience, patience and understanding of members during these very tough times for both the public and for colleagues. The new four-unit 12-hour roster seems to be working well and I have only heard one member make adverse comment – and then only because it mightn’t be very “inter-county training friendly.” Funny.

Thirty minutes later we were travelling out to the fringes of Wicklow, namely the beautiful townland of Ballymoyle. There we had a prescription delivery for Elizabeth Kavanagh and she could not have been more grateful. What struck even more, was that these two gardaí were not simply messengers – they chatted to her and advised that whatever she needed in these times they would assist with. Gardaí are expected to be all things to all men – the ultimate Project Managers – and Hughes and Furlong have clearly inhaled that particular handbook. A touch of class.

The challenge Arklow faces, like all satellite towns, is a population who have a higher expectation of policing service and needs with increased urbanisation and diversity. With that comes increasing crime and like any town, it has its own issue with drug use McCarthy advises, though the recently formed District Drugs Unit have had a number of successes in the area. “It would be remiss when speaking of Arklow not to reference the recent tragic murder of a local young woman,” McCarthy says. “The performance of the members in Arklow was exceptional during the investigation and in their dealings with the family. A member of the family recently told me that the kindness and empathy shown to them by the Gardaí in Arklow will live forever in their memories.” Undoubtedly the greatest testament that can surely be paid to any local Unit.

Notwithstanding that only one member is full time on Community Policing in Arklow (the highly regarded, Garda Therese Kelly), all members actively engage with the public and take an active part in local sporting clubs and groups. Arklow illustrates the mantra that regardless of rank or duties, every garda is, and remains, a community garda.

Garda Aidan Whelan, GRA CEC Representative for Wicklow, reflects his view of the Frontline he represents. “Arklow Frontline, likes their colleagues around Wicklow, give so much in times of crisis and Covid-19 typifies this. Simply put, Arklow gardaí will never be found wanting.”

Soon however, the long day closes and I must bid my leave. Final thoughts from Arklow’s boss? Superintendent McCarthy firstly describes the deployment of the new mobility devices as been “enthusiastically spoken of” and he also looks forward to the arrival of bodycams which he believes will bring the Force into line with modern police forces and will benefit those who are regularly subjected to frivolous and vexatious allegations.

“However,” he concludes, “when the story of how this crisis in Ireland was handled is written that the performance of the Force should be ‘writ large’ and not forgotten. It is, in my opinion, second only to our Frontline colleagues in another of the blue-light services, the health service. All the members of the Wicklow District which includes Arklow can be justifiably proud of the part they have played.”

For full and in-depth coverage, see the current printed edition of Garda Review.