We'll win back that feeling of safety

GARDA WAR ON STREET CRIME

- PAUL HEALY

• Top cop meets with Dublin business owners
•  But promises made 'felt like Groundhog Day'

GARDA Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis insists the force will "win back that feeling of safety" in Dublin - as she met hundreds of "frustrated" business owners.

The Assistant Commissioner, who heads the Dublin Metropolitan Region, acknowledged there is a safety "perception" problem yesterday.

She added: "We'll continue to work in partnership with Dublin Town, with Dublin City Council and with all of the relevant stakeholders to make sure we can win back that feeling of safety in our city for all of our citizens, workers and people that visit the city."

Her comments come amid a spate of high-profile incidents of violence in the capital.

Ms Willis also addressed confusion over a Garda announcement of an armed presence, saying officers will not be walking the streets with guns in their hands and that them driving around was "nothing new".

She added: "I suppose there's been some misinformation if you like about the presence of armed gardai on the streets. What I can say is we've had an armed response unit in the city on a 24-hour basis since 2016 so this is nothing new.

"That response is there to support our operational members on the ground, the same as our public order units.