A total of 28 new probationer Gardaí have been welcomed to the Waterford Garda Division, marking the largest intake of officers at this stage of training ever assigned to the division.

The new recruits were welcomed at Waterford Garda Station by Chief Superintendent Pettit, Superintendent Hegarty, and Gardaí Kehoe and O’Brien from the CPD Unit.

According to An Garda Síochána, 25 of the new members will play a key role in rolling out the High Visibility Beats initiative in Waterford City Centre.

The initiative will see an increased Garda presence on the streets, with officers carrying out visible patrols throughout the city centre.

In a light-hearted Facebook post announcing the news, Gardaí said the new recruits would be “around every corner – well almost!”