An Irish police officer has earnt a significant qualification in the prevention of crime. Secured By Design’s Julian Hurst issued this report:

The statement
Sergeant Graham Kavanagh of An Garda Síochána has successfully achieved the Level 5 Diploma in Crime Prevention – Designing Out Crime, the recognised qualification both for police Designing Out Crime Officers and for others who deliver designing out crime as part of a specialist role.

Forming part of the suite of crime prevention and qualifications offered by the Police Crime Prevention Academy, the Level 5 Diploma in Crime Prevention – Designing Out Crime is accredited by the awarding body ProQual and focuses on specialist designing out crime knowledge and skills to underpin working with other professionals such as architects and planners, supporting safer communities through the application of Secured by Design.

Graham, who is the Crime Prevention Officer and Designing Out Crime Officer for Laois and Offaly, was presented with his certificate by the Academy’s Course Tutor Pete Connolly and Superintendent Sean Fallon of the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau at the Garda College where the delivery of a Level 4 Crime Prevention Practitioner training to fifteen Garda Crime Prevention Officers by the Academy was taking place.

Delighted
Head of Academy Guy Collyer said: “We’re delighted that Graham has become the first Garda officer to undertake the Level 5 course and achieve the Diploma, he’s a passionate advocate of designing out crime and crime prevention and is very highly regarded by his peers.

“Achieving the diploma is a testament to Graham’s knowledge and hard work and gives the recognition he deserves for the work he does to keep people and communities safe.”

Kavanagh said: “Achieving the Level 5 Designing Out Crime qualification was an enjoyable journey. The evidence-based nature of attaining the qualification brought me in contact with professionals in the field of architecture, planning, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) practitioners and also afforded me the chance to link in with Accredited UK based DOCOs who work hard every day to design safer communities.

“This is something that as Crime Prevention Officers we are striving to achieve in the Republic of Ireland. We have more Crime Prevention Officers on the Level 4 and 5 pathways which is only positive.”

Kavanagh has nearly 28 years’ experience within An Garda Síochána having previously been a Beat Officer, part of a busy West Dublin Drugs Unit, a Detective investigating all aspects of crime from burglary to murder, a Unit Sergeant, a Community Policing Sergeant and a Courts Presenter in the Circuit Courts.

His current role sees him working to reduce the vulnerability of people and property to crime by removing opportunities that may be provided inadvertently by the built environment.

He also works to reduce fear of crime and, in doing so, helps to improve people’s quality of life.

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