by Louise Doyle
THE HSE cyber attack during the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in thousands of people having their personal data stolen and immediate costs of €100m, was the beginning of sophisticated online crime that has continued to surge locally.
That’s the view of Divisional Crime Prevention Officer for An Garda Siochána, Sergeant Paul Wallace who was speaking this week after bidding a farewell to the force after 39 years.
The Burtonport man joined An Garda Síochána in 1985, serving in Monaghan Glencolmcille, Glenties, Carrigans and Letterkenny. He spent his last day on the beat on the busy streets of the Cathedral Town on St Patrick’s Day.
Having studied electronics, Sergeant Wallace said he has “always had an appreciation” of how systems and alarms work to keep people and businesses safe.
But it has been the unrelenting rise of the ‘faceless’ but not victimless online and fraud crime that has, in recent years, kept the father-of-two busiest.
“The growth of online scams has really risen. During the Covid-19 pandemic, hard crime dropped but cybercrime has increased, with criminals exploiting the way people do their business or shopping online.
“In the instance of the ransomware attack on the HSE, employees were sent home to work remotely because of the pandemic but many were working with old systems that did not have any up to date software security. It is needed as much as physical security and insurance is needed.”
During his tenure as Divisional Crime Prevention Officer, Sgt Wallace has been involved in community alert schemes, Business Watch and
Hospital Watch campaigns giving people advice on how to keep their businesses, homes and online security safe.
He said gardaí have the resources to tackle online crime but admitted it is “challenging”.
He said often the victims targeted are older, vulnerable residents living in a rural part of the county.
“Businesses need to realise that they need to update their system software, just as they would their premises alarms and CCTV.
“One of the biggest challenges for us is seeing that resources are in place.
“Keeping people safe is the core principle of community policing but we work in tandem with the community.
“It needs a whole community approach. I was very fortunate that people received me very well in my job because if they didn’t it wouldn’t have mattered what type of qualifications I had.”
Throughout his tenure, Sgt Wallace travelled to Spain and the UK to look at their policing models and crime prevention.
“Scotland is the closest policing model to our own, and I think that is largely to do with the fact that Scotland, like Donegal, is made up of isolated parts and rural and urban areas.”
Asked about the widespread presence of drugs in the county, Sergeant Wallace said drugs are, unfortunately, very prevalent in all communities.
“Drugs are very prevalent in every community and anyone who thinks that they are not needs to get with the programme. The situation is reflective of where are at in society. As well as the addiction element, the presence of drugs such as cocaine means a market is being provided for.
“There is more acceptance of it and it is presenting a challenge for gardaí who have a difficult and complex job to do. Tackling the presence of drugs must be a whole community response.”
With the now vacant role of Divisional Crime Prevention Officer being advertised, Sgt Wallace reflected on some words of wisdom he received which held him in good stead throughout his policing career.
“I remember retired Sergeant Joe Dorrian telling me to consider the person behind the, for example, no tax car pull over. He told me to think about the house they left that morning, a home that could have financial, marital or other difficulties. That bit of advise always stood with me because we are all human at the end of the day.”
Looking ahead to his retirement plans, Sgt Wallace said he will “take it easy and take in a bit of cycling”.
“I love to travel and I am a classic car enthusiast too. My two sons, John, who is on a career break from An Garda Siochána, and Karl are both in Australia.
“I have made great friends in my time and I will miss everyone I worked with,” he said.
Sgt Wallace is a son of Bridget and the late John Wallace.
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