Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSPs) aim to prioritise the voices of local residents in identifying and addressing community safety issues. The LCSP collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders, including local councillors, An Garda Síochána, community representatives, business and education representatives, and various statutory agencies such as the HSE, Tusla, and local authorities.
The goal of this partnership is to bring together relevant bodies and communities to work collectively on concerns identified and prioritised by local people. The Partnership is responsible for developing and implementing a tailored community safety plan for County Meath and adopting a strategic approach to its work, ensuring that emerging issues can be addressed in a coordinated manner by relevant service providers in partnership with the community.
The Meath Local Community Safety Partnership will consist of thirty members from statutory and voluntary bodies, along with community representatives. Each member will contribute valuable insights and perspectives for meaningful discussions and decisions regarding community safety.
One of the partnership's first initiatives is the Property Marking Scheme. This programme was established to combat theft in Ireland and includes two key components: marking people's possessions with the owner’s Eircode using a property marking machine, and secondly, erecting safety signage in the local area to warn potential criminals that property marking is in operation. This programme is fully supported by An Garda Síochána, and the safety signage features a strong Garda logo, acting as a deterrent.
The Telesis dot pen machine marks items by stamping the owner’s Eircode into them using a pattern of dots. This machine can operate on mains power or batteries, making it portable for use around farmyards to mark trailers, etc. It is available free of charge to groups that wish to organise events and have been trained in its use.
To help protect our community, Meath LCSP encourages sports clubs to hold special property marking days for club members with expensive equipment, such as carbon fibre bikes, riding tack, or fishing rods. The machine can mark anything from power tools to an Ifor Williams trailer . Schools may also have valuable equipment that can be marked, and students could be invited to bring in devices such as tablets for marking. Businesses might have power tools, generators, and other portable equipment, typically transported in vans that can also be marked.
Meath Community Safety Partnership Co-ordinator Gemma Ryan added, "Through the Meath Local Community Safety Partnership, we are dedicated to empowering our community by addressing safety concerns collaboratively. Our initiatives, such as the Property Marking Scheme, not only protect residents' belongings but also foster a sense of community involvement and vigilance. Together, we can create a safer environment for everyone.”
To organise a property marking event in your area or for your club, please contact Meath County Council by emailing meathcsp@meathcoco.ie or calling 046 9097400. More information can also be found at www.meath.ie by searching for "The Local Community Safety Partnership."