Laois PPN (Public Participation Network) representatives, Tom Jones and Sara Geraldine Rasool have commended the Garda HEED program.
HEED, which stands for Health, Education, Enforcement and Driving, is a drugs awareness program, aimed at educating the young people of Ireland about the dangers and realities of narcotics.
The praise was heaped on Garda representatives, Superintendent Eamon Curley, Inspector Joe Culliton and Sergant Jason Hughes at the Laois Joint Policing Committee this week.
Mr Jones, a former Garda himself, said he is very optimistic about what the HEED program can achieve while working with GAA clubs around the county.
Supt Curley was eager to stress that HEED is not limited to working with GAA clubs, but works with all sports and indeed clubs of all kinds.
Supt Curley said the HEED program also visits schools in Laois at least once per year and identified this as an area An Garda Síochána would like to increase to multiple school visits each year.
Ms Rasool told the meeting that there is a lot of intimidation from youths around Kilminchy and Fairgree housing estates.
To help stop this kind of thing at source, the HEED program “should be aimed at children transitioning from primary school to secondary school,” she said.
Ms Rasool also said how great it is to see Gardaí actively involved in youth issues, adding that it is a big help towards integration.
“Many youths and adults have bad experiences with police in other countries and do not know how to deal with or speak to police,” she said, pointing out that programs such as HEED are helping to bridge that gap here in Ireland.
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 representatives, Tom Jones and Sara Geraldine Rasool have commended the Gardaí's HEED program. ){kind=link}