Bruff garda station to host very first open day this Saturday

NORMALLY Bruff Garda Station isn’t a place you want to be inside but it will be this Saturday, November 23.

For the first time ever, Superintendent John Ryan is holding an open day in the district headquarters. It is part of Supt Ryan’s wish to work hand in hand with the local community.

So from 2pm to 4.30pm he is throwing the doors open - even the cells!

Sergeant Tadhg Reeves said people from south and east Limerick are welcome to come along and there will be lots to see and do.

“We’re going to have the dog unit, public order unit, scenes of crime and roads policing, as well as lots of gardai who work in the Bruff district.

“It is an opportunity for people to meet the gardai and learn more about what we do,” said Sgt Reeves.

There will be a tour of the station including where suspects are interrogated, the medical room where possible drink drivers are tested and the cells. 

Children can get their fingerprints taken and they are welcome to dress up as gardai and get their photograph taken with gardai and the dogs.

There will also be a serious side to the open day as crime prevention officer, Ber Leetch, of Henry Street garda station, will give a talk on protecting your property. All gardai will be available to offer advice and answer any questions members of the public may have.

“It is going to be a fun and informative day for all the family,” summed up Sgt Reeves.

On Culture Night in 2018, Henry Street welcomed people in for the first time at an open night.

Gardai were “blown away” as an estimated 1,100 turned up. There were queues around the block.

Supt Ryan said he is now looking forward to opening Bruff garda station for the first time to the public. The district, which is the size of County Louth, goes from Murroe in the east, down to Kilbehenny in the south and over to Bruree.

This is the second major community initiative Supt Ryan has spearheaded since he was appointed in the summer. A talk on rural isolation, wellness and crime prevention, organised in conjunction with Limerick IFA, was held in Cappamore last month. Up to 300 attended.

When he addressed the meeting in the community centre, Supt Ryan said: We need you.” 

He stressed: “We need the community to work with us, we need to get the know the community, we need the community behind us, we need the community talking to us, we need to know what is happening in the community, we need to know the problems in the community.”

And the communities served by Bruff gardai are welcome to the district headquarters this Saturday, November 23 between 2 and 4.30pm.