CES, in partnership with the University of Limerick, was contracted by the Department of Justice in early 2021, to conduct the evaluation of the LCSP pilot. The pilot was a specific time bound exercise to test the LCSP model as experienced in real time in three different locations - Longford, Waterford and Dublin’s North Inner City.
The independent evaluation was designed to capture the learning arising from the two-year pilot phase and to inform the rollout of LCSPs in local authority areas across Ireland in accordance with the development of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.
The evaluation concluded that the LCSP model fits well with the Government’s vision for building stronger and safer communities and community safety as a whole of Government responsibility with the community voice/involvement as a core feature.
In response to these findings, the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee today (7th October 2024) announced the appointment of chairpersons to the first 7 Local Community Safety Partnerships being established across the country.
Minister McEntee said:
“We have successfully piloted the partnership approach to Community Safety in three areas and these trials have shown how the model can succeed in different settings and contexts. With the appointment today of our first group of Chairs for the partnerships, the national rollout is well underway. The three pilot partnerships –Longford, Waterford and the North East Inner City - have shown real leadership by embracing this new approach to community safety over the last few years.”
Anne Eustace, CES Senior Project Specialist, who led on the evaluation said:
“The CES evaluation team are pleased that the evaluation has served its purpose in informing the nationwide rollout and implementation of the LCSP model to enhance community safety across Ireland. We are grateful to all those who contributed to the evaluation process over the two-year life cycle of the LCSP pilot. The methodology was consultative and dynamic in real time yielding Baseline, Interim and Final Evaluation Reports that informed the implementation of final LCSP model.”
The LCSP Pilot Final Evaluation Report can be accessed here
More information on the appointments to the Local Community Safety Partnerships is available here.
