Drogheda Anti Social Problem

Quality

Every week in the leader or the independent there is another front page story of people being beaten up.. Gangs of Teenagers going on the rampage... Fights.. Drugs.. Replica Guns Etc.

I mean West Street is like Beirut after a certain hour... There seems to be little or no police presence on stockwell street come 3am...

I work with one girl who seems to think that it is all the "Dubs" fault..

What's your opinion..

Mr Magnolia

Every town in Ireland suffers from anti-social behavioural problems. It's how the local media potray it that may differ.

Quality

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

Every town in Ireland suffers from anti-social behavioural problems. It's how the local media potray it that may differ.

I agree, But this thread is about Drogheda. You cannot deny that there is not much of a police presence in Drogheda in the early hours of the morning... I have a good friend who is a mini bus driver and he says its the same story every weekend, Fight after fight.. Surely the police could step up.. More Garda presence may help to deter violence?

is_that_so

A son of a friend of mine was randomly attacked on Paddy's Day. Regrettably West Street has been like that for a good number of years. Drogheda has always had that slightly rough element to it. The influx of Dubs and others has had a mixed effect in my view, although in the main I think it's been positive. Most of the skangers I come across are homegrown unfortunately. I would agree that more Garda patrols might help but IIRC they claim that there are not enough to go around for the catchment area even though I believe that there are 82 Gardai in Drogheda. Agree with Mr Magnolia though, it's not exclusive and is a countrywide problem.

peejay1986

Drogheda is unbelievable for fights. Anyone I know who goes out in Drogheda mentions something about fights when I speak to them the day after. i went out to McHugh's a while ago and I seen 2 fights that night. No police there to stop them either.

For such a growing town they have an appaulling police service.

positron

Garda is not only not there, they are generally very lenient too!

Why is that this society is so fuzzy about rights and ""comforts"" of criminals when the criminals have no regard towards the same rights and comforts of other law abiding citizens? I am outraged by the whole discussion of policing costs, and especially the latest news on 'cost of treating the crystal meth addicts' etc. Why should ordinary John Taxpayer pay out to treat scums who want to destroy themselves?

Sorry for ranting totally off the topic! Full stop.

Biggins

Having worked in Drogheda pubs for 20 years, I can honestly say that part of the problem is clearly drink/drug related but then most of us know that.

In regard to the cops of the streets, the gardi shifts - the times that they change over - are at the same time as when closing time tales place of some establishments. Take onto account then that if a cop is officially finished at three in the morning, because of his paperwork back at the station, he goes in earlier than that to do it before he/she can clock out. This in turn at inappropriate times creates an additional more void in the number of gardi in the streets.

The worst of the troublemakers know exactly when the shifts shange take place and time their activities to this period. This included those breakng and entering, etc. They use this period of time knowing that any response time is going to be slower if non-existent for hours.

I welcome the forthcoming many cameras around Drogheda - one thing though. The camera system they are using is crap. To be honest, such is the bad quality of the image being recorded (from bought cameras that are poor lens-wise in quality) that video evidence for courts will be non-existent if it boils down to actually confirming a thugs i.d. - I know this for a fact. Can't say how I know this cos' I'd get colleagues into trouble but its sad and true. The best the cameras will do is spot trouble starting, and maybe 30 minutes later a gardi might turn up!

I agree that the courts (not the gardi) are too lenient. it must be frustrating for the cops, knowing the thugs of the town will just get the equivalent of the usual slap on the wrist and told by a judge to "not sin again".

We need tighter "shock and awe" sentences. Not lame excuses from offenders.

Quality

What is the point in having cameras up, if you cant use them for prosecution? that doesnt make sense at all..

Biggins

They can be used but if a case boils down to an attackers i.d. and she/he says they were elsewhere ...it will be hard to distinguish actual physical details of a single individual with the purchased camera system.
Any camera footage can show anything they might have been up to or doing, to a judge so that he can consider sentencing.

EIN

is_that_so wrote: »

A son of a friend of mine was randomly attacked on Paddy's Day. Regrettably West Street has been like that for a good number of years. Drogheda has always had that slightly rough element to it. The influx of Dubs and others has had a mixed effect in my view, although in the main I think it's been positive. Most of the skangers I come across are homegrown unfortunately. I would agree that more Garda patrols might help but IIRC they claim that there are not enough to go around for the catchment area even though I believe that there are 82 Gardai in Drogheda. Agree with Mr Magnolia though, it's not exclusive and is a countrywide problem.

in recent times i have noticed a big increase of the dub variety skanger, the op's friend is right!

is_that_so

I think we can agree that there is a problem whoever is causing it and one that is not being tackled. For me a skanger is a skanger wherever they come from and all this means is that we have slightly different experiences. However I don't take with this blame the "runners" as I have always reckoned it is more often used as an excuse not to address actual problems. I think that the influx, overall, has been more positive than negative. Incidentally I'm a "runner" myself.

Biggins

I see an English town has today introduced a curfew system. Anyone think that would be of use to Drogheda?

Curfew News link: Click here.

Biggins

Biggins wrote: »

I see an English town has today introduced a curfew system. Anyone think that would be of use to Drogheda?

Curfew News link: Click here.

Only affects people under 16. Doubt it would be of much use.

In my experience, Drogheda is a sh*t hole (and yes, i do live here).

BloodSugarSex

yeah its a ****hole, ive stopped goin out in drogheda because of this

goodfecker

I find this a very interesting topic! Im in my late 20,s and as long as ive been going out in Drogheda ive seen nothing but fights most weekends nights! I use to go to the disco beside the BoyneValley Hotel (cant remember the name) I remember having to walk to the end of that road to get your taxi, and without fail you would see some poor lad that had just got the s**t kicked out of him! by a gang of cowards hiding behind the tree's along that road!!! As i started to go to disco's in the town it was more of the same crap again lads getting bet up by gangs hiding in the side streets,

All of the above could be very simply avoided!!! more Gardai (not in the day time??):mad:

goodfecker

Regarding the "Dub" element!!

Because of their lack of intelligent's, when they (Dub's) are linked with Anti Social behaviour, it makes people FEAR them, thats why when your out for a meal or drink they make sure that everyone hear's that disgusting accent of theirs "FEAR" (I know the Drogheda accent is not a thing of beauty) Don't fear them being in Drogheda and DON'T fear them.

its what the Dubs want!!!

:mad:bottom line more Gardai

As usual.. if its not the foreigners, its the dubliners.


Its always oh so easy to blame other people, isn't it...

goodfecker

maybe my last entry was lost on you KKV but someone had mentioned was it the influx of Dubs into Drogheda that was to blame for the Anti social behaviour in our town!

I believe that people do have a fear when it comes to Dublin people because most people would in this town over the years regard a Dublin accent with crime?
think of all the post offices, ATM's that got robbed in this town of the years and when you read it in the D.Independant "they had a strong Dublin accent" its always there!!

what im saying is dont FEAR them living here! and dont fear them!

goodfecker

goodfecker wrote: »

maybe my last entry was lost on you KKV but someone had mentioned was it the influx of Dubs into Drogheda that was to blame for the Anti social behaviour in our town!

I believe that people do have a fear when it comes to Dublin people because most people would in this town over the years regard a Dublin accent with crime?
think of all the post offices, ATM's that got robbed in this town of the years and when you read it in the D.Independant "they had a strong Dublin accent" its always there!!

what im saying is dont FEAR them living here! and dont fear them!

Yeah, but you're still assuming that the rate of ant-social behavior, crime etc. would be significantly reduced if there were no Dublin people in Drogheda. Thats completely untrue.

I have the unfortunate job of living in Rathmullen (near the town itself) and i can assure you 100%, if some random Dublin guy wasn't doing it, it'd just be a scum bag from the town.


Its always easier to shy away and blame other people for things, but Drogheda, for as many decent people that live here, is crawling with dirt bags.


But it doesn't matter anyway. It doesn't matter where you're from or why you're in the town. You can do as you feel in this country without much worry. There's no law enforcement. The 'Gardai' have got to be the least effective law enforcement group in the entire world. Same goes for Judges.


There is no real punishment for committing crime. There is nothing for the average Irish criminal to fear. If there is no fear of any punishment, then what is expected to happen?

goodfecker

I completly agree with you!! but its the justice system and our gutless politicions, not the Gardai thats the problem. I live near Rathmullen also and i completly agree that the scum in their are the problem RFC. KFC:) etc...

I did go on a bit about the Dubs however my final point is this there is not point fearing them being in our town we have enough to worry about?

I agree. Although personally, I will admit that i've never feared anyone based on their accent or where they're from. Obviously some people do, but i never really realised it was an issue

peaches79

Maybe I'm just lucky with not thinking Drogheda's too bad.
I'm drogheda born and bred and lived here all my life except a small period when I lived in Dublin.

When I go out, I don't often see too much trouble and if I do it tends to be in certain places- West street, specific pubs, that kind of thing. I live in a nice area except our house is beside a lane and this is probably where I've heard most trouble over the last year- young kids being brats in a pack trying to terrorise old people, a glass bottle thrown into our garden, and the 4am night club crowd beating each other up on the way home.
Every time for each of these incidents I've rung the cops and/or community garda, and they have responded (only sure of that during day).

I think Drogheda's a lovely place to live and not a Sh*tehole at all!
Anyway, that's my experience (hope I don't walk outside today and get bottled)

garrincha62

Quality wrote: »

I mean West Street is like Beirut after a certain hour...quote]

That seems a tad dramatic! The last time Beirut was in the public mindset it was being bombed by Israeli jets and littered with cluster munitions. A few skangers causing havoc on West st hardly compares!!

It's not the Dubs, it's not Johnny Foreigner either. It's just that Drogheda has a lot of ill-educated morons, slightly more than your average town though. In my opinion it is a case of declining education standards, not morals, scumbags will always be scumbags. Some barman suggested that the whole thing is coordinated to coincide with the gardaí changing shifts. I find this hard to believe as that would involve a degree of intelligence!!

I'm all for cattle prods and tazer guns.

Quality

garrincha62 wrote: »

I'm all for cattle prods and tazer guns.

That seems a tad dramatic.:P

Fingers Mcginty

goodfecker wrote: »

I use to go to the disco beside the BoyneValley Hotel (cant remember the name)

That would be good old Lucianos!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055129786

garrincha62

Quality wrote: »

That seems a tad dramatic.:P

Indeed!! Just keeping in tow with the mood of the thread!!:D

ssmith6287

its not just drogheda, its all of louth, monaghan and a lot of meath, and of course north dublin. im bored of drogheda nightlife so tend to head to carrick, navan, dundalk, balbriggan, sumtimes even ardee. whats the 1st thing u get asked by the locals "where ye from??" if u say drogheda yer screwed, usually have to say something like collon.

Id agree though, I worked in bars for a good while now, Dubs, especially young lads are a bit rough. i wouldnt serve a group of them a few weeks back, they put the window through. Drogheda people are no angels either, alot of it are these young cnuts watching films like football factory and green streets. theres plenty of gards, they cant be evrywhere at once. People are scum, and im not referring just to rathmullen, moneymore etc, alot of my best mates are from these streets. schools are too leniant, bring in bean bag guns, let the cops shoot the little fookers, theyre not afraid of prison or their folks, hurt the cnuts

Phototoxin

one night there wwere 3 lads beating 6 shades of shyte from each other and 2 two gardai shick-a-loney just walked on by.

then again what are they going to do, wave their finger and use their stern 'dont be at that lads' voice ?

ssmith6287

the gards shud be armed, if not with guns, pepper spray or tazers. they cant do anythjing at the moment like. teach them to use weapons but teach em common sense too

garrincha62

that'll never work. lock them up and eat d key. start a penal colony in dundalk

Mr Magnolia

Lets not start the whole Drogheda/Dundalk thing thanks.

Wertz

Biggins wrote: »

I welcome the forthcoming many cameras around Drogheda - one thing though. The camera system they are using is crap. To be honest, such is the bad quality of the image being recorded (from bought cameras that are poor lens-wise in quality) that video evidence for courts will be non-existent if it boils down to actually confirming a thugs i.d. - I know this for a fact. Can't say how I know this cos' I'd get colleagues into trouble but its sad and true. The best the cameras will do is spot trouble starting, and maybe 30 minutes later a gardi might turn up!

Cameras? lol
I've been working in a new estate adjoining an older housing estate in North Drogheda for the past while....the new houses come under regular attack at weekends from local kids, breaking windows, starting fires, trespassing, all the usual crap.
Now this same older estate is surrrounded by high mounted CCTVs...but as my picture below shows, the local kids see little deterrent in these cameras and actually regard them as a target for vandalism.
The shot taken on a phone isn't the best of quality, so allow me to set the scene...myself and 2 workmates caught sight of these guys in a gang of about 10, wouldn't say there were any of them older than 12 and some looked to be much younger. At 3pm on a weekday, these kids had a 30-ft extension ladder, placed against the metal mounting pole of the camera...one of the more daring youngsters climbed the ladder, managed to reach over the anti-climb grille and start swinging at the actual camera with a lump hammer....a f*cking lump hammer! This went on for a about 10 minutes by which stage the site foreman had come in to watch and called the gardaí to see what they'd do....15min later a squad car pulls into the top of the estate...the kids see this and scatter on foot and by bike and come cheekily back out when the car pulls up the camera.
According to one of the guys I work with who lives nearby this wouldn't be an unusual incident....as gets asked in a lot of these discussions I have to wonder where parents were when this gang of 10 or more children (NOT teens or 20-somethings) were out trying to disable a security camera that probably cost a lot of money and is supposed to prevent this type of behaviour....the irony about a camera being unable to prevent vandalism on itself let alone the surrounding area isn't lost on me either...local rumour has it BTW that many of these cameras either don't work properly or aren't even turned on or recording....as we could plainly see on the day in question, their output certainly isn't monitored so what f*cking use are they really except for the company that got the contract to install and service them? Have to wonder who's pulling purse strings in Droghdea UDC and how public money ends up being all but wasted on stuff like this...

Scotty #

I must just be lucky. I've been living in Drogheda for 3 years now and go out maybe 2-4 times a month to the popular spots and I've never seen an ounce of trouble.



I bet after posting that I'll get mugged or stabbed or something tonight!

ssmith6287

I have to laugh at these little scumbags, they go round beeting up young lads, and then ya hear em saying tiochaidh ar la. This is just ignorant, Little scumbags who dont have a clue of the meaning bar its translation. If I were in charge id get rid of these laws that dont allow adults to smack kids. Thats wat these little runts need is a serious hiding. Beet them to within an inch of their lives because nothing else can do the trick. And its not just Drogheda, Dundalk is as bad. These feckin crews, bunch of 14 year olds who think theyre "haaaaaaaard". Until these little scumbags get put in their place its gonna get worse, people will join these groups out of fear. last year they were happy slapping, now theyre shooting people eith pellet guns, whats next, machetes and guns.

streamsofpiss

In drink in Drogheda almost every weekend and seldom see any trouble unless I decide to cross West Street for a bag of chips at 3 in the morning. :rolleyes:


You can generally avoid trouble if you don't go looking for it.

CMpunked

this is no joke, i actually seen a few lads messin about yesterday with a Tazer!

I was driving into my estate (boyne valley) with 2 friends in the car and i noticed a bunch of lads, about 17, maybe 18 hanging about as i turned in, but then noticed that one of the guys had seemed to grab the other guys back.

Which led to my friend saying that it looked as one lad had grabbed and pinched his mate in the back, "like a nipple cripple" to quote him.
The guy held his back and arm while looking discomforted while giving out to his friend with something like "Aw you fu**er".

it was then i took notice and seen that there was a large black plastic looking object in his hand, which at first i honestly thought it was a 80s style mobile phone. But then i seen a jolt of electricity come out of it that would have made me jam on the breaks only for there was about 7 or 8 of them and then there was 2 other older looking guys sitting in what i think was a seat ibza, watching them. (well i assume this because why else would they be sitting there?)


Did anyone else see this? It was about 6ish, maybe half.
We drove out of the estate then at about 20 past 7 and they, along with the seat car, was gone.


From reading the paper this week and seeing that the flowerpots from beside the river was vandilised leads to what i think is the only way these things are going to be protected:

A CCTV camera system.

It would not stop all these things happening 100%, but it would deter these hulligans!