Should funding for local police departments be redirected to social and community based programs?

some community based programs may be beneficial, but police departments should also be funded correctly

Invest in social and community based programmes alongside investment as a police force, while training them to be less aggressive and having community based responders for non-violent calls.

Our police is pretty useless and non-present anyways so definitely they shouldn't be getting as much investment as they are receiving

Redirect police money , guards drinking Audi jeeps etc all given multiple brand new uniforms and have allowances and schemes for everything under the sun! What do nurses have ? Nothing.

I think there should be more training for first responders but also increase funding for community prevention

I think the police are a very important aspect of society and implement law and order. However, they are over burdened and under resourced. They need a lot more assistance from community based responders and more resourced community based programs.

We should redirect extra funding towards social and community based programs, and leave only the necessary funding for local police departments

Funding for the garda is very important but it is also important to develop community supports (like the local soccer community leagues in Dublin for at risk youths)

No, the Gardaí are all ready seriously underfunded and short staffed. Social and community resources should be funded from elsewhere.

More money should be made available for community led programmes but there is still a place and need for trained police

Increase funding to community and social based programs without decreasing police funding, both are important

No, but this should not be a choice of one or the other, both deserve increased funding or better training/implementation

Funding and training for police departments are important and they should receive that however community programs are extremely important and should also get good funding to increase the quality and numbers of programs

i believe that there should be more funding for both the police and social and community based programs

Funding and proper training should be instilled for police while still focusing on the community as plenty garda are unprofessional

I believe that both sides require sufficient funding and should aim to work together to prevent crime.

There should be a balance of funding with more funding for social and community based programs, a focus on police rehabilitation rather than criminality.

Local police should be more involved with the community so they become familiar with what the problems are on the ground

Yes, to an extent, funding should be reeduced to allow for unarmed community based traineed responders for non-violent calls

Not at the moment, but if the government aims to decrease income inequality across society and create social programmes to educate young people and prevent them from committing crimes, crime rates will naturally come down. Thus policing will be less necessary.

As there is a shortage of gardai, there should be more funding directed both to them and communit6y initiatives

i do not believe that it should be redirected but, there should be more funding for community based programs

No, but increase funding in initives that will help to prevent crime

Not the entirety of the funding and it depends on the area long with what the programs are

No, but Social & Community Based Programmes are worth investing in at the same time, just not at the expense of the Gardai.

No, equal importance should be placed on funding for police department and community based programs. Education is key.

No, funding from other areas should be redirected to fund social and community based programs but it is important to acknowledge the need for a well funded and properly trained police force, which we do not have at the moment

Refocus training towards aiding and protecting the community instead of meeting a quota or lazing about with their hands in their gillets.

I think we should change how the police force, works arrest quotas are unnecessary and allow for power trips and create mistrust between officers and the community, training on sensitivity and domestic violence issues should be mandatory. Money should also be put into communities to encourage employment, reducing poverty and rehabilitation hence decreasing crime.

No additional funding should go to militarising the police, community based programs should be developed in parallel

I neither agree or disagree as yes we need a police force but they shouldn’t have anymore weapons but we do need funding for community based programs however there are more important things we need to focus on

Yes, I strongly believe increased funding in social and community programmes for juveniles would hugely decrease juvenile offenders and have real potential to provide them with opportunity and knowledge when it comes to their adult years to know to not commit a crime.

Let's start demanding that the police do their job and stop paying their salaries if they don't do the job they were called to do. It has become accepted in Irish society that demanding that they obey the law is a fascist, Gestapo-like, generally oppressive method. Let's stop this nonsense, execute the law.

Funding for social and community based programmes should be increased regardless to work in tandem, when necessary, with police

There should be middleground, don't decrease police investment, fund community based programs without taking from police departments

Fund both, both are valuable assets to society at large.

The programs should be funded, but not from police funding

No, but there should be an addition of unarmed community based responders for non-violent calls

We need to look at making the local police departments & social and community based programs work along side each other

Increase funding and the policing budget

No, funding should be provided but not at the risk of reducing effectiveness of our police.

Some, but not all should.

Yes, but only in small part.

Police should not be overfunded.

Integrate policing into a wider community support network

Still fund the police but less, and redirect these new funds created to social and community based programs.

Both institutions should receive similar funding

The police should receive longer and more in depth training which involves increased emphasis on conflict resolution and social sciences. There should be stricter requirements as to who can become a police officer.

No, but high crime clusters should automatically trigger social service intervention and regeneration efforts by the government.

Partially redirected

It should be partially but not completely redirected

No, because both should be well funded with police being actively involved in community based programs.

We need funding for social and community based programs & for local police departments

What alternative strategies can you think of that might make your community feel safer and more supported?

How would your community change if more money was spent on social programs instead of on policing?

Split the funding in half.

some amount should, but don't entirely defund the police

Have you or someone you know ever needed help that the police weren't equipped to provide?

In what ways have you observed police presence affecting your community, positively or negatively?

Do you think investing in housing and job programs could reduce crime more effectively than increased policing?

How important do you believe mental health services are in reducing the need for traditional policing?

What are your thoughts on the role of police in schools versus more counselors or youth programs?

Can you imagine a situation where a social worker, rather than a police officer, could be more effective in responding?

How do you feel about the balance between public safety and community support in your own neighborhood?

What kind of community services do you think could benefit from increased funding to prevent crime?

no, however give police more training and testing

Increase funding for social and community programmes without cutting police funding