Two new Gardai protective units are being rolled out today in Cabra and Clondalkin as part of the An Garda Síochána's Modernisation and Renewal programme.
The units will specialise in sex crimes and domestic abuse, and will provide a more professional and modern approach to tackling sexual violence.
A total of 25 Divisional Protective Services Units (DPSUs) will be launched in the next year, with two also launching today in Cork and Louth.
- Sexual Crime Investigation
- Online Child Exploitation Investigation
- Child Protection, Crimes against Children and Child Welfare
- Domestic Abuse Intervention and Investigation
- Human Trafficking Investigation
- Organised Prostitution Investigation
- Specialist Interviewing
- Sex Offender Management
- Missing Persons
- Missing Children in Care
- Support for Victims of Crime
- Violent Crime Linkage Analysis System (ViCLAS).
The full list of crime types and service areas that will be included are:
Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) said to BreakingNews.ie:
"NWCI welcomes the establishment of Divisional Protective Service Units (DPSUs). We know from women throughout the country how difficult it is to report domestic, physical and sexual violence and the new divisional units are a significant positive step forward to changing that experience and supporting women through the criminal justice system.
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