News

Sex crime unit to open before Christmas

December 4th, 2019 11:34 AM

By Jackie Keogh

Share this article

Dunmanway's new sexual crimes unit is expected to open within the next six weeks, according to the Bandon-based Chief Supt Con Cadogan

DUNMANWAY’S new sexual crimes unit is expected to open within the next six weeks, according to the Bandon-based Chief Supt Con Cadogan.

The announcement was made at a joint policing committee meeting at County Hall on Monday.

He said: ‘The accommodation in Dunmanway has been secured and it is being developed, as we speak, and it will be six weeks before that is brought to fruition.’

At the meeting – which was attended by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris – Supt Cadogan also confirmed that West Cork is to get two more detective sergeants and 10 detective gardaí, who are currently in training.

He said staffing at the specialised unit in Dunmanway – the Protective Services Unit  – will come from frontline policing, and that he was ‘hoping to get members as a result of movement within the organisation to be able to backfill that.’ Chief Supt Cadogan acknowledged: ‘I will be doing it incrementally, but it is my intention to get it fully operational next year.’

In a review of the monthly averages for rape and sexual assaults in the Cork West Division during 2018 and 2019, the Chief Supt pointed out the instances had fallen.

Share this article


Related content