Fears about Garda Reserve Force

by decynic Fri Apr 21, 2006 21:18

I have asked a number of elected and unelected politicians about how a reserve garda would be compensated if they were badly injured during an attack. Here,s the scenario, Two gardai, a full timer and reserve are going down the road and come across armed robbers escaping with their loot. They chase them and the robbers shoot them injuring both very badly. Their injuries are so bad that they can never go back to work. The full timer gets whatever compensation they are entitled to and their pension. Who compensates the reserve and do they get a pension from the state. It,s funny that none of the opposition has asked this question, or any others on how the Ministers personal Garda force will work in practice. Methinks that personally they also want to control their own personal policing force.

by Mr X Fri Sep 01, 2006 19:56

A reserve has same uniform as other gardai, althoug the logo GR for (garda reserves ) is printed on shoulders. this aint really a good idea , just imagine a busy night in a city or town at half 3 on a sunday morning, members of reserves should be exactly same as other gardai so they basically wont be takin no shit from irish drunks.

by deborah Fri Sep 15, 2006 15:18

they should be accepted. the GRs can relieve the pressurre of the garda themselves so they can deal with more serious issues like young people dying on our roads and crime in our country. at night the gards get alot of hastle from drunks and there are not enough garda to deal with stiuations that often arrise!!! the garda reserve can help control the drunkin bastards on our streets after nightclubs! fair play to anyone who would VOLUNTARLY give up their time AND PUT THEIR LIFE AT RISK to help save ur ass if u are in danger

by Tom Tue Oct 17, 2006 21:45

Yow,
It is a very interesting topic ' the Garda Reserve Force'. Are the people going to get behind them and most importantly are the Guards going to get behind them. Several Remarks will be made about how they will operate efficiently and effectively basically letting the gardai get on with their more serious work. I believe the Gardai go through their two year training and two year probationery period for a very good reason, To operate the nation under the law and the peoples constitutional rights. I put it to you, How are the reserves going to know what powers they or a guard might have??? I predict a major amount of cases whre the public will be sueing the Government over breach of their Human Rights. More so i would love to know what method is in Place to pick these Reserves as i have heard of a few lads who are interested in joining for one reason, 'TO POWER TRIP'.

by Anon - Anon Sat Apr 14, 2007 02:32

I am a member of the garda reserve- - i can tell you that my experience so far from working with the professional Gardai has been extremely positive-infact I have found the professional gardai much more supportive of the reserve than i initially expected- I am equally impressed by their professionalism in the service that they provide to the community- .
my very short experience with the Gardai has shown me just how unappreciated the gardai are- by the people, media and especially the courts..What i have personally experienced/witnessed is that the Professional Gardai are focused on protecting those most vulnerable in our society-and this is the truth-
,however they are not being properly equipped by the State-i mean most member's don't even have access to the net/email. maybe one or two PC's per station- its a joke in modern Ireland- having been on Patrol with them I really do think that they need more protection that an antiquated truncheon- and i do not mean pistols-an Garda Siochana are immensely proud of being an unarmed Police force-but i do feel that they need more modern methods to protect the serving officers-
However -I am very proud and honoured to serve alongside with these dedicated men and women- and to serve the Irish nation.

by Seán Ryan Sat Apr 14, 2007 19:37

I'm confused by the use of the term 'professional gardaí.' It's hard to know if Anon means that some gardaí are amateurs or that Anon considers him/herself to be a garda.

Overall (and in an idealistic case) I agree with the concept of the Garda Reserve. However, I do envisage some very severe difficulties with regard to the present situation.

I would disagree with some of what Anon has said. It isn't for the Courts to appreciate the gardaí, that's not why they're there. And as a person who attends court on a weekly basis, I can say with my hand on my heart, that the courts appreciate the gardai much more than they appreciate the public. Proof of this is quite simple to offer. Stories are coming out all over the country of garda corruption and I'm sure I don't need to quote examples. Garda corruption has resulted in two certainties: Gardaí have perjured themselves in court and Gardaí have practiced open contempt for the courts in the court. How many gardaí have been prosecuted for perjury or held in contempt of the courts in the last 10 years?

Onto the problems with the Garda Reserve.

What function will a member of the reserve force serve in a court room setting. For example, summary charges are normally prosecuted by the investigating or arresting officer. How will a reserve garda fit into this picture? Will a Reserve be allowed to prosecute?

What of the power of arrest itself? It normally follows as I've said, that the arresting garda prosecutes the case (in a summary matter). If the Reserve is allowed to perform an arrest at his/her discretion, then it follows that s/he should prosecute. Besides being a minefield it opens up another issue. If the arresting Reserve is not allowed to prosecute, then it follows that s/he must prepare a file for the DPP. Now the DPP must prosecute a summary issue (they normally don't do this). There is already an extensive waiting list to have the DPP prosecute serious crime (see the statictics on the prosecution of rapes for example). This will stretch the DPP further and burden the Justice system well beyond where it is now, which is pretty considerable.

Will a Reserve be allowed to issue cautions - in road traffic accidents, for example.

That's just the tip of the old iceberg.

It might be the situation however, that the Reserve, might have none of the duties or powers I've outlined, and my worrying might be in vain. If this is the case, prosecuting and the rest of the functions of the courts might be kept at a status quo - they wont become more complex and slower than they already are. This in itself however, leads onto my worst fear. That the reserves become nothing more than extra muscle for the gardaí and they become cheerleaders for the force. For example, what would a Reserve's function be, if s/he were sent up to Rossport?

Are the reserves nothing more than an exercise in propaganda?

by Cian Quigley - Garda Reserve Mon Nov 05, 2007 15:40

I am a garda reserve just a short while. I have not seen very much but more than expected. On my first beat we had to deal with an assault. Now i am going to clarify we ARE able to place someone under arrest. We are taught the Power of Arrest and arrestible offences. I myself had to place the young man under arrest and call for backup. now 3 other guards arrived. there were now 5 of us in this group on youths, it was hard enough with the five of us 1 reserve and 4 Gardas. We delt with it but just barely....I believe we were needed a long time ago. the Gardas i have made friends with so far have all been very supportive and happy with the reserve. I will give one example of how we help. Say there are 10 Gardas on Duty at a station. They are all payed. 3 Garda Reserves. not payed. now say there are 3 beat routes for that area of town. That would mean normally there would be 6 Gardas out at once. leaving 4 availible. Now the 3 GRs pair up with a Garda, now leaving 7 in the station to do duties that are of more inportance. GRs are perfectly fine with a nother Garda. The Garda advises and teaches. We are a great asset to the An Garda Sciocana. And yes, we are all under-protected. We have a Trunchion that seems like its from the 1800s. But stab-proof vests are now availible.

I know i dont have much experience with the GR so far, but i will. And to have people to serve for the public to make the community a safer place is wonderfull. Some yes, do have a power rush but that is everywhere. I also work with the Ambulance service and the number of EMT's and Paramedics with power rushes is unbelievable. but they still do their job.

We need as much support from the public as possible.
Thnx

by Up Yours! Mon Nov 05, 2007 20:36

There is other types of policing that you will come across I am sure. Be sure to come back soon and tell us what happens in the cells on Saturday night. How you deal with protecting the troops going through Shannon Airport and on the subject of protection.

You arr better protected than I was at Belnaboy in November 9th 2006 when your bastard mates ran in with their fucking old batons.

by Kean Quinn - Garda Reserve Thu Nov 15, 2007 15:43

Of course you have the right to express your opinions about the Gardai...however, like in every occupation there are the bad eggs and the truly dedicated ones. Those riots you talked about were a mess yes and i totally agree that the Gardai were way out of line with that...and just so you know...I was also attacked by a Garda that day, while i was walking past i was not involved. I was hit with the batton BUT!!! The reason i joined is i believe that even if there are bad Gards that have a power rush and take advantage of things like that and just want to be in the authoritarial position, there are also the ones like me who want to make a difference for the good in the community...Now you can slate the Gards all you want...but the day you need them...slate them then...when you call on us to help you...think about what you say. Not all Gardai are idiots...some of us care...and the even better thing is, the Garda reserve is made up of people from the community! So they now what kind of policing they need!
About protecting the troops in shannon....yea so what....it is a job...the government made that decision not An Garda Sciochana...we have to do what we are told to do...and thank you very much I have seen the saturday night brawls in the cells....It is ALWAYS caused by the inmate...drunk, abusive and doesn't care less. I in day to day life work as a Paramedic. I get this every weekend...

So know what you are talking about before judging!!!

by Seán Ryan Thu Nov 15, 2007 17:08

I wonder would either of the two reserves who've posted here be prepared to grant me an interview, to be published here on Indymedia.

I think there are many questions that beg to be answered, some of them I've gone into above. I faithfully believe that the vast majority of people who enter the Gardaí do so because they honestly believe that they can help their fellow man and I believe that they honestly want to. I've said this on many occasions and I've said it to Gardaí too.

That said, I honestly believe that An Garda Síochána is structured in a way that moulds young Irish men and women to be very anti-social, elitist in outlook and operation and that it smothers any honest Garda who would dare to come forward and tell the truth.

I've intended to interview a Garda reserve for some time now, but haven't found the time to arrange it via the normal protocols. I suppose I'm an opportunist, hoping to interview a reserve who has decided to post here. Mea culpa on that regard.

Either way, in the near future, I do intend to interview a reserve. The questions will not be easy, that goes without saying - but they will not be asked with the intention of ambush.

Find me at uselessgits(at)eircom(dot)net

by soundmigration Thu Nov 15, 2007 17:29

the reality is you''l be serving the irish state and its market based 'democracy'. wonder what the difference will be in GR policing in castle knock and coolock?