100 Years of Keeping People Safe
100 years of policing report
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100 years of policing report
100 Years of Keeping People Safe
Justice Minister Helen McEntee TD: ‘The envy of many police services’ This year, we are marking 100 years since the handing over of the administration of the State to the new Free State administration. Among the many significant events that took place in 1922, one of the most important was the formation of our national police service, An Garda Síochána, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD writes. The establishment of a new police service by the Provisional Government, initially named ‘The Civic Guard’, was one of the key foundation stones of the Irish Free State, and An Garda Síochána remains to this day one of the great successes of this country. Its foundation marking the start of a special relationship between the Irish people and the police service of the new State. Throughout the past century, the organisation has stayed true to its founding principles, with its defining characteristic being its unique connection to our communities. A relationship which is the envy of many police services across the world, rooted in and serving our communities, keeping people safe. Our local gardaí are the people who we turn to in our most difficult moments and, often, they are the ones to break difficult news and support us in our most intense moments of grief. 90
Over its first 100 years, An Garda Síochána has faced a succession of challenges, from establishing the trust of the people following years of unrest and war, to World War II, ‘the Troubles’, the growth of organised crime, Covid-19, and a range of other obstacles in between. On each occasion, individual gardaí have risen to the challenge and kept us safe. Policing during any time in history is hugely challenging and I am always impressed when I see new recruits passing out in Templemore, because I know that the decision to commit so wholeheartedly to public service in the way that gardaí do is not a decision that is taken lightly. The hard work carried out by individual gardaí and management in building and sustaining community relationships over the decades has ensured that serving members can enjoy the high level of respect from the public that is both deserved and necessary to do their jobs.
While recognising the key contribution made by An Garda Síochána over the last century, it is also important that we look forward and develop and modernise our police service for its next 100 years. Indeed, this is a crucial time for policing in this country as the Government works to implement the recommendations made by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. I am honoured to hold the office of Minister for Justice at such an important time of reflection and reform. Central to the Commission’s work was the first key principle that Human Rights are the foundation and purpose of policing and that is the driving motivation behind all of our work. It is important that our focus is on people, whether we are talking about victims of crime, vulnerable or elderly people, people from our ‘new Irish’ communities, or indeed any person who requires the assistance of An Garda Síochána from time to time,
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It is important we also realise that the criminal landscape is changing with increasing speed and we must have the right structures, technology and oversight systems in place in order to combat today’s challenges.
I believe that keeping our criminal law up to date is vital and extending the circumstances in which these important tools can be used will assist gardaí on a daily basis in making sure serious criminals are identified, apprehended and prosecuted.
Yes, this means increased gardaí on the streets and the Government is continuing to invest in increasing the total number of gardaí. The Garda Commissioner is also introducing a new operating model which will provide more front-line gardaí, increased Garda visibility and a wider range of policing services for people in their local area.
As well as increased resources, we are also working to ensure that the best possible structures are in place. In line with the Commission on the Future of Policing’s recommendations, my department is bringing through legislation, including the landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, to ensure the best possible structures and oversight systems are in place.
In addition, thanks to the recruitment of Garda civilian
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This is central to my department’s focus on community safety, a concept which goes beyond my department and An Garda Síochána alone and encompasses all services working in an area.
Under Justice Plan 2022, I have committed to the publication of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill. This important legislation will make provision for Garda powers to use modern digital technology including body worn cameras, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and CCTV.
whether they even know it or not.
I believe it is important too that all members of our
“Throughout the past century, the organisation has stayed true to its founding principles, with its defining characteristic being its unique connection to our communities.” Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD staff, over 800 gardaí have already been reassigned to core policing duties, providing higher visibility, and allowing people to feel safer in their communities. However, it is important we recognise that crime today is not solely about physical break ins. As we have all seen over the course of the pandemic, increasingly criminals are also targeting victims through fraud and other forms of cybercrime. It is therefore essential for gardaí to have access to the latest technologies available and my department is also providing An Garda Síochána with the budget necessary to do this.
Credit: Department of Justice.
In fact, this year, government has provided An Garda Síochána with a record budget of over €2 billion.
communities see themselves represented in An Garda Síochána. I am delighted to see a steady increase in the numbers of new recruits who come from diverse backgrounds and the contribution that they will make to policing cannot be underestimated. The lasting positive effects, especially in the pivotal roles of community policing and human rights, will stand to us well into the future. If you would like to learn more about the actions that gardaí are going to be concentrating on over the next three years, I would encourage you to read the recently published Policing Priorities 2022-24, as well as the Garda Strategy Statement for the same years, which highlight the following five priorities: protecting and supporting victims and the vulnerable; supporting and ensuring community safety; tackling organised and serious crime; rights based and ethical service delivery; and development of the capacity to strategically manage Garda resources. Delivery of these priorities will be another key step in An Garda Síochána’s work of keeping us safe.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD attends the official opening of the the new Dublin Airport Garda Station in May 2022. 91
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A history of policing by consent
An Garda Síochána has gone through many changes in its 100-year history, but its dedication to policing by consent has always remained the same. In 1922, the foundation of An Garda Síochána would turn out to be a momentous event in the history of Ireland by helping bring peace and stability to a country ravaged by conflict.
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When the War of Independence ended, a bitter and divisive Civil War took place. In the midst of this upheaval, thousands of newly recruited Civic Guards, as they were known then, with minimal training and no policing experience were sent to every part of the country to begin their new roles as “guardians of the peace”. In addition to these difficulties, the new gardaí were also subject to threats, intimidation and violence by some of those who saw them as imposing the will of a State they were vehemently opposed to, but, despite this, members of An Garda Síochána gradually began 92
to be accepted by the people they served. Key to this was the organisation’s ethos as espoused by the first Garda Commissioner, Michael Staines, who said: “The Garda Síochána will succeed, not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people.” This statement is prominently displayed in the Garda College and has been seen by countless gardaí during their time there as trainees. This ethos, combined with a policy that gardaí would not be armed, built its credibility among communities regardless of what side they were on in the Civil War. The acceptance of An Garda Síochána as the legitimate policing service of the Irish Free State by the vast majority of Irish people was
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“The Garda Síochána will succeed, not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people.” Michael Staines, first Garda Commissioner
a significant factor in bringing the Civil War to an end. Opponents of the Treaty now tried to achieve their aims by politics, rather than violence. An Garda Síochána also adopted a community policing approach that has since been imitated by many police services around the world. Gardaí were to become integral to local communities by building relationships and acting independently and fairly. This, in turn, saw them become trusted to such an extent that An Garda Síochána now has one of the highest public trust levels for a police service in the world. Policing as part of the community rather than as separate from the community has been vital to maintaining that trust and would not have been possible without the dedication, professionalism, and determination of those first gardaí. This tradition has been carried on by the generations of gardaí since.
A unique feature of An Garda Síochána is its dual mandate as the national policing and security service. The importance of this became paramount with the rise of terrorist activity related to ‘the Troubles’ from the late 1960s. Having a dual mandate has enabled An Garda Síochána to quickly take information and intelligence gathered by gardaí in local communities and turn that into operational action by specialist units to prevent and detect terrorist activity. Many lives have been saved as a result. This work continues in cooperation with the PSNI and international law enforcement agencies to disrupt and degrade terrorist organisations intent on undermining peace on this island. Crime and criminals have continued to adapt and evolve, and An Garda Síochána throughout its history has done the same. One of those innovations was the establishment in 1934 of the Garda Technical Bureau whose role was to assist investigations
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As Irish society changed and the first generation of gardaí retired in the 1950s with new gardaí being recruited en masse for the first time in three decades, there were further changes in the organisation.
organisation, as well as leading roles in specialist and operational units.
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One of the most significant of these was the introduction of female gardaí in 1959. It had taken too long, but the first female recruits commenced training with those 12 pioneers in policing going into service in Dublin that year. Now, in 2022, An Garda Síochána has one of the highest levels of female police officers in Europe, its two Deputy Commissioners are female, and women occupy many senior positions in the 93
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by examining a wide range of evidential material such as firearms, bullets, fingerprints, handwriting, and shoe and tool marks to support investigations. The Technical Bureau has been responsible for breakthroughs in countless investigations that might not otherwise have been solved.
In the 1990s, the ethnic make-up of Ireland began to change, albeit slowly. Realising the importance of being able to work effectively with diverse communities, in 2001 An Garda Síochána became the first police service in Europe to establish a unit dedicated to engaging with these communities.
Crime never stands still and neither does An Garda Síochána. The Garda Analysis Service monitors emerging crime trends to inform the organisation on what crime types it needs to pay particular focus to. This information has played a critical role in preventing and tackling crime.
Education and training has also been central to the development of An Garda Síochána. Ensuring Garda personnel are fully up-to-date with latest policing techniques and processes is critical in providing a modern policing service.
The Garda Racial, Intercultural and Diversity Office, as it was known then, established a nationwide network of ethnic liaison officers to meet and work with individuals from, and representatives of, diverse communities in order to provide reassurance to them.
Sometimes, this also necessitates setting up new bureaus and units. In the last decade, this has seen the establishment of bureaus to tackle the nexus between organised crime and drugs (Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau), the emergence of more sophisticated frauds, particularly online fraud (Garda Economic Crime Bureau), the growth in online crime and exploitation (Garda Cyber Crime Bureau), and crimes against the vulnerable such as domestic abuse, sexual violence, and human trafficking (Garda Protective Services Bureau).
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In 1964, Garda training moved from Dublin to a purpose-built facility in Templemore, County Tipperary. Since then, every garda has gone through the recruitment training programme in the Garda College and returned for the wide range of training courses from driver training to crime investigation, to victim rights, and human rights. Many of these courses are also delivered online through the college’s e-learning platform. The Garda College is an accredited third-level training and educational centre with Garda recruits undertaking a BA in Applied Policing, and is visited by many other police services to learn how An Garda Síochána delivers its training. 94
Under the Garda Diversity and Integration Strategy, which was launched in 2019, the role of these officers has been expanded to diversity officers to reflect the need to reach out to the widest possible range of communities. Working with communities in partnership to keep people safe is critical. The Garda Community Engagement Bureau does this through a range of forums and meetings such as the Rural Safety Forum, the Garda Diversity Forum, and the National Retail Safety Forum, as well as delivering the Garda Schools Programme and crime prevention advice locally and nationally.
This is in addition to the ongoing multiagency work by the Criminal Assets Bureau, which was established 25 years ago, and has seized over €200 million in assets from criminals, particularly those in organised crime gangs. There is no such thing as a victimless crime. Based on feedback from victims and in line with enhanced rights for victims at national and EU level, An
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In the 1990s, approximately 400 people tragically lost their lives per annum as a result of traffic collisions. The Garda National Roads Policing Bureau was established in 1997 as part of An Garda Síochána’s contribution to reducing the number of road fatalities and improving safety on our roads. Since then, through the work of An Garda Síochána in collaboration with partner agencies and successive governments, there has been a significant reduction in the number of fatal road traffic collisions. While every road death is one too many, Ireland now has one of the lowest levels of road deaths in Europe. The policing philosophy first espoused by Michael Staines could clearly be seen in An Garda Síochána’s work during the Covid-19 pandemic. From the early days of the pandemic, in support of public health measures and regulations, An Garda Síochána adopted the 4Es approach: engage, explain, and encourage with enforcement as a last resort. Gardaí focused on providing help and support to the most vulnerable whether it was those cocooning or victims of domestic abuse, as well as public reassurance through high visibility patrolling. An Garda Síochána’s response to a national crisis was another in a long line of examples of its dedication to keeping people safe based on its tradition of policing by consent.
All gardaí know that there may come a time when they have to put their lives on the line to protect others and the State. The first garda to make the ultimate sacrifice was 21-year-old Garda Henry Phelan who was shot dead by antiTreaty IRA volunteers in October 1922 while engaged in community building activities. Since then, 88 other gardaí have lost
their lives in the line of duty. Their individual dedication to duty and to the people of this country is commemorated each year at the Garda Memorial Day and at the Garda Memorial Garden in Dublin Castle.
Major policing events They are etched in our memories – the visit of US President Kennedy in 1963, Pope John Paul coming to Ireland in 1979, the visits within days of each of Queen Elizabeth and US President Barack Obama in 2011, and there have been many more. Behind each of these major occasions is a massive amount of work by gardaí to ensure such visits go off safely for the visiting VIPs and those who attend the events.
activities to support operational policing, such as processing vetting applications; handling crime-reporting calls from gardaí; dealing with fixed-charge penalty notices; developing and running IT systems to aid crime investigation; keeping gardaí informed of the latest policing developments; supporting the mental and physical health of gardaí; and providing analysis of crime trends. This civilianisation over the last number of years has also resulted in over 800 gardaí returning to frontline duties, and garda staff returning to the frontline, and Garda staff are due to take on more functions which will release further gardaí back to operational duties.
W: www.garda.ie
From gardaí on the ground who manage large crowds and traffic with professionalism and good humour, to specialist units such as the Air Support, Mounted Unit, the Dog Unit, and the Water Unit, such visits require significant coordination, planning and dedication.
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In the line of duty
“Policing as part of the community rather than as separate from the community has been vital to maintaining that trust and would not have been possible without the dedication, professionalism, and determination of those first gardaí. This tradition has been carried on by the generations of gardaí since.”
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Garda Síochána established victim service offices in each division to keep victims up-to-date with the progress of their case as it moves through investigation stage and into the justice system, as well as the supports available to them.
Garda staff Policing can’t be delivered without considerable organisational supports. In 2022, there are approximately 3,400 Garda staff involved in a range of 95
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100 years of policing report
A century of An Garda Síochána 1922
February 1922:
The Civic Guard is formed by the Provisional Government of Ireland, undertaking responsibility of policing in the Irish Free State, supplanting the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Irish Republican Police.
May 1922: Civic Guard mutiny begins with Garda recruits occupying the Kildare Depot. September 1922:
The inaugural Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, Michael Staines resigns and is replaced by Eoin O’Duffy.
October 1922:
Garda Henry Phelan becomes the first member to be killed in the line of
duty.
August 1923:
Gárda Síochána (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923 establishes and regulates a police force “to be called and known as ‘the Gárda Síochána’”.
1925:
The Dublin Metropolitan Police (Póilíní Átha Cliath) merges with An Garda Síochána.
February 1933: June 1938:
Éamon Broy appointed as Garda Commissioner.
Michael Kinnane appointed as Garda Commissioner.
July 1952: Daniel Costigan appointed as Garda Commissioner. July 1959:
First female Garda recruits admitted to An Garda Síochána.
December 1960: Electoral Act, 1960 repeals the prohibition of gardaí to vote at Dáil and presidential elections and at referenda.
February 1964:
Garda Síochána College established at McCan Barracks, Templemore,
February 1965:
William P Quinn appointed as Garda Commissioner.
County Tipperary.
March 1967: Patrick Carroll appointed as Garda Commissioner. September 1968:
Michael Wymes appointed as Garda Commissioner.
April 1970: Garda Richard Fallon becomes the first garda killed during the course of ‘the
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1972
Troubles’.
June 1972: A commemorative mass marks 50 years of An Garda Síochána.
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January 1973:
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1973
Patrick Malone appointed as Garda Commissioner.
September 1975: Edward Garvey appointed as Garda Commissioner. January 1978: Patrick McLaughlin appointed as Garda Commissioner. February 1983: Lawrence Wren appointed as Garda Commissioner. November 1987: Éamon Doherty appointed as Garda Commissioner. December 1988: Eugene Crowley appointed as Garda Commissioner. April 1989: An Garda Síochána undertakes its first overseas
mission in Namibia with the UN.
January 1991: Patrick J Culligan appointed as Garda Commissioner. July 1996:
Patrick Byrne appointed as Garda Commissioner.
1997: Garda Air Support Unit is established and comprises a
helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft.
July 2003: Noel Conroy appointed as Garda Commissioner. September 2005:
Requirement for mandatory proficiency in Gaeilge is dropped.
November 2007:
Fachtna Murphy appointed as Garda Commissioner.
December 2010: Martin Callinan appointed as Garda Commissioner. March 2014:
Nóirín O’Sullivan appointed as Garda Commissioner.
September 2017: Dónall Ó Cualáin appointed as Garda Commissioner. September 2018: December 2021:
2022
Drew Harris appointed as Garda Commissioner.
Requirement for proficiency in two languages, one of which had to be Irish or English, is dropped.
February 2022:
Centenary of An Garda Síochána marked. 97
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Garda Commissioner Drew Harris: A tried and tested policing model In the context of the implementation of a new operating model, alongside the imminent introduction of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, Ciarán Galway visits An Garda Síochána’s (AGS) Phoenix Park headquarters to discuss culture, reform, and reflection with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. Beginning a five-year term as Garda Commissioner in September 2018, Drew Harris’ contract was subsequently extended – by two years – until June 2025.
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In 1983, at the age of 19, he joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Six years later, the Provisional IRA killed his father, Alwyn Harris, who was also an RUC officer. Appearing on The Late Late Show in 2021, he reflected on his loss, asserting: “In lots of ways it has had a profound effect on my outlook as to
what policing should be… and what we should do for those who are without a voice or might be marginalised in society.” Ultimately, Harris garnered 34 years of policing experience, principally in the North, with two years secondment in Scotland. By 2006, he had risen to the rank of Assistant Chief Constable responsible for Crime Operations with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), and in 2014 he was appointed Deputy Chief Constable.
Harris’ appointment marked a departure for An Garda Síochána. It was the first occasion in which the new appointment process, managed by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of the Policing Authority, had been deployed and he became the first individual from outside the State to be appointed Garda Commissioner. During his time as Assistant Chief Constable, Harris had responsibility for intelligence within the PSNI, including responsibility for the interface with the
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Security Service, or MI5. As such, his remit included “all covert operations relating to national security and crime”, as well as “the majority of the covert intelligence sources who would report in respect of national security matters”.
Regardless, when, in June 2018, the Government announced the appointment, then Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan TD asserted: “Drew takes up office at a time of major reform and investment which will redefine An Garda Síochána as an organisation. As we approach the centenary of the establishment of An Garda Síochána, the organisation is on the cusp of significant change.”
Transition Widely caricatured as ‘the outsider’, Harris did not find his transition from Belfast to Dublin – from the PSNI to AGS – “as big a challenge as you might think”, certainly not culturally. Although he does allude to some operational contrasts, acknowledging that “it happens in a somewhat different context”. “I was well steeped in a tradition of policing,” he begins, adding: “This is police work, in the end. There were things that I wanted to do but also things that you wanted to respect, build upon, and enhance.” Emphasising his determination to identify An Garda Síochána’s strengths, “rather than throwing everything into the change bucket”, the Commissioner focuses on public confidence. “When you look at confidence in us as a policing service, it is very strong. What we look to all the time is what could threaten that and what should we do in order to mitigate those threats, or indeed counter them, and enhance confidence in the service,” he reveals.
Commonalities One commonality – which is reflected across Europe – is a steady increase in crimes which include domestic abuse, child abuse, online child abuse, serious sexual assault, and, most recently then,
the rise of cybercrime. “Those challenges are consistent. We have moved more from crimes of acquisition – where there had been a huge concentration – across to crimes which can often happen in a more private space. It is more difficult to get a handle on, there are huge issues of underreporting, and the more we invest in it and talk about it, obviously, we will get more reports about it,” he says. Simultaneously, the Garda Commissioner is cognisant of the globalised challenge around visibility and public confidence in policing. Referencing the 2020 murder of George Floyd in the US, alongside policing scandals in the UK and Europe, as illustrative of just how quickly confidence can be eroded, he asserts: “An important part of our role is looking out to see what the trends are elsewhere, how we can learn from them, and how to adapt quickly. “What people say about policing in America or London, such is our interconnection, some of it driven by social media etcetera, that it reflects into us as well. There is no way of avoiding that. That might not have been case 20 years ago, but it certainly is now.”
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Ultimately, the appointment caused some unease at the time, not least within policing circles, with one former Chief Superintendent telling RTÉ: “I know of no State security organisation, and I’m really familiar with that field, in Europe or elsewhere, that would do it that particular way.” structure. “We do everything from community policing right up to organised crime, countering the threat from terrorism, and indeed then we have a national security responsibility as well, which is tackling the threat of espionage from hostile state actors,” he notes. As well as being a distinct among neighbouring policing organisations, it ensures a “golden thread of information within the organisation”, which Harris identifies as a strength. “We are not in silos. Where other jurisdictions might give national or international crime work to some other agency, that always creates a difficulty around demarcation of information and investigations. We avoid a lot of that because we are all on one piece of turf and, therefore, avoid the turf wars. That is good.”
Operating model Published in September 2018, the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was followed by a four-year implementation plan, A Policing Service for our Future. Now, in its third iteration, one major component of the plan is the implementation of a new organisational operating model.
In spite of the often-globalised nature of policing, Harris identifies several characteristics exhibited by An Garda Síochána which have long since dissipated elsewhere. “We have kept doing things which have stopped in a lot of jurisdictions, including smaller stations, the schools programme, even the roads policing. These are things which, certainly in Great Britain, have pretty much withered on the vine. We have kept them going here and to is to our strength as well,” he relates.
Enacted in May 2022, the general scheme of the Garda Síochána (Functions and Operational Areas) Act 2022, provides for the implementation of this new operating model, defined by Garda divisional structure. Designed to liberate specialist gardaí from backoffice functions, the new divisional policing model will ensure that services pivot to divisional level. In practice, this means that the 19 Garda divisions will act as the lynchpin for day-to-day policing delivery across four Garda regions.
While stressing the cliché of gardaí as a loadstone of local communities, the Garda Commissioner also underscores his organisation’s unitary policing
With the first live rollouts of the new operating model timetabled for the coming months, Harris outlines: “The divisions are the units by which we
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deliver policing. We have enlarged them so that they are substantial commands in themselves and a good deal more self-sufficient. “We are going to delegate more responsibility to the divisional officers, the chief superintendents.”
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Indicating that the previous operating model was not resilient enough “to cope with some of the specialisms that are needed at local level”, the Commissioner emphasises the need for divisional structures to deliver service provision that is both
and then as with all these things, there is a balance, and we will follow through with the implementation of what the legislation ultimately turns out to be.”
Culture Reflecting on the challenges of implementing change in a large public sector organisation, the Commissioner defines himself as “behaviouralist”. Discussing the influence of behaviour on culture, he impresses the importance of consistency.
“It is a human condition, particularly in an endeavour such as policing, that things will go wrong, and mistakes will happen. That is opportunity to learn. But malfeasance in a public office, such as being a member of An Garda Síochána is a different matter…” G A R DA C O M M I S S I O N E R D R E W H A R RIS
attentive to local requirements and sufficiently strong to ensure operational resilience. “I want operational autonomy, within a corporate framework, for those divisional officers. They need to be able to make operational decisions locally and be then supported by the regional structure and the national structure in doing that; and that is specialist resources or additional resources as needs be. “That is where we are going. It is a well tried and tested policing model actually that evolved in a lot of other countries other than Ireland,” he insists.
Legislation As a priority in the Programme for Government, the Department of Justice has included reform of An Garda Síochána among its primary goals. Indeed, in February 2022, Justice Minister Helen McEntee TD signalled: “[An Garda Síochána] is currently entering a critical phase with the rollout of the new operating model, and the forthcoming passage and implementation of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill. Once enacted, the Bill will provide for the enhancement of “the governance of An Garda Síochána and to provide for clear and effective oversight and accountability”. Criticising the proposed legislation in a submission to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Harris wrote: “As it is currently drafted, the scheme falls well short of our shared ambition for a transparent, accountable, trusted and effective policing service for the future.” Responding, therefore to the suggestion that there is some disquiet within An Garda Síochána at the prospect of the new legislation, the Commissioner reflects: “We have had the opportunity to contribute to legislation and to make suggestions etcetera. We have been afforded that both through the committee stage but also in our dealings with the Department [of Justice]. That has happened. 100
“That is the process you follow through; exercise your voice
“The one thing that is required from me is consistency of the message. That consistency of the message must also be reflected in what we do and the decisions that we take so that there is no disparity between what we are saying, what we are doing, and the direction that we are going. “There is a huge amount written about cultural change, but I do think it is a little bit simpler than some would say,” he proposes.
Discipline Meanwhile, having called into question the morale within An Garda Síochána during his address at the annual Garda Representative Association (GRA) conference in May 2022, outgoing GRA president Frank Thornton has advocated for a review of the Garda’s suspension policy. With over 90 gardaí currently suspended pending investigation, and a further 90 resignations in 2021, the Commissioner has been variously characterised in the media as a “no-nonsense police officer” and as having a reputation as a “strong disciplinarian”. They are not characterisations which Harris seeks to embrace. “The thing about discipline in a police service is, what is the alternative? Ill-discipline in a police service? That is not credible,” he insists. “Discipline is about the behaviours that the public expect – and rightly expect – of a policing service. It is about behaviours, and it is about behaviours which are so beyond the pale in terms of malfeasance of whatever nature it might be, that they are going to erode public confidence in An Garda Síochána. That is not tolerable to me. “I know people caricature it, perhaps without understanding it. I am not interested in pursuing people for mistakes. It is a human condition, particularly in an endeavour such as policing, that things will go wrong, and mistakes will happen. That is opportunity to learn. But malfeasance in a public office, such as
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being a member of An Garda Síochána, is a different matter and I regard that as being gross misconduct, in its various forms.”
Discretion
“What is the outcome that we seek to achieve? Simply put, it is keeping people safe. We want Ireland to be a safer place to live and work. If we concentrate on that, then ultimately, an element of our work will always be in respect of discretion. Rather than chasing figures, we are chasing the public good that we do.”
Centenary Reflecting on the centenary year of AGS, Harris contends that as well as being a sign of the organisation’s success, it represents an opportunity for the future of policing. “Very few organisations actually do get to 100 years and so we want to celebrate that and celebrate the achievements,” he says, adding: “It is a good moment for us to set out what our manifesto is for the future, how we want to see policing develop here in Ireland.” However, while paying tribute to and expressing his pride in the “very many great people who have donned the uniform and given really excellent service” and referencing the “very positive reputation” AGS enjoys internationally, the Commissioner accepts that the organisation has been embroiled in a significant number of controversial episodes.
instance, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) annual report for 2021 highlights a “sustained increase in the policing oversight body’s caseload” with a 12 per cent increase in public complaints made against AGS.
remarks: “I was asked, and I was happy to say yes.” Overall, in respect of his vision for the organisation, the Commissioner outlines an ambition to “maintain our strengths around our community focus and how responsive we are to local communities”.
“A complaint system is essential for ongoing confidence in the organisation,” says Harris. Accepting that the context of some complaints is grave, for others, he argues, there is an opportunity for the member involved, if not the wider organisation, to embark on a learning curve.
“We need to keep ahead of emerging crime trends. The big challenge for us and other police services is in respect of cybercrime which does not respect international boundaries. We, together with other offices, such as Europol and Interpol, need to use our scarce and finite resources in a far more coordinated way. That is a question of being there, being trusted partner, and cooperating in respect of that.”
“It is another form of feedback. Obviously, we would like to see complaints reducing, but in part, as the Minister said yesterday, it may be just the prominence of GSOC, but also the prominence that we have placed on proper behaviours by members of An Garda Síochána have encouraged people to come forward and report where they think those behaviours have fallen below standard.
“We know, as well, that not everything was as it should be. At times, things were very far from perfect, and we want to also acknowledge that and acknowledge that we have learned from those occasions, and want to keep moving forward,” he affirms
“That gives us plenty to work on and we want to be positive in our relationship with GSOC. We have our own anticorruption unit and are working internally as well, and we are not very far from implementing mandatory drug testing within the organisation. Even when we recruit, recruits will be subject to mandatory drug testing. There is a lot happening in that space,” he details.
Challenges
Vision
Indeed, the current context of policing in Ireland is not without its challenges. For
Commenting on the two-year extensions to his contract, Harris succinctly
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Commenting on Garda discretion, a concept supported by gardaí of all ranks, and the perceived threat posed to it by procedure, Harris acknowledges its importance in policing. “Discretion is important because that is a means of still building and keeping a positive relationship with the public. Everything is not being treated as an absolute matter,” he begins, adding: “We have moved from being, in effect, an output, figures, and performance type regime to a far more outcomes [-based organisation].
Finally, Harris illustrates a desire for AGS to more reflective of the communities it serves. “Now, we are an organisation not just of Garda members, we also will have 4,000 Garda staff and that is another means by which we become more reflective of the society we serve. We are a big employer, we continue to recruit, there is still huge interest in joining An Garda Síochána, all of that is very positive. “We just want to make sure that we keep that positive reputation and with that, public confidence. Public confidence means information, it means reporting, and those are absolutely vital to us in terms of mission around preventing and detecting crime. Public confidence really is our stock value and that is an important determiner of how successful we are as a police service,” he concludes.
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The future of policing As An Garda Síochána 100 years of policing report
celebrates its 100th anniversary, it is timely to consider what the future holds for policing, writes Shane Mohan, Partner and Head of Government and Public Services at Deloitte. Despite the turmoil in which it was founded, the challenges it successfully faced as it established itself as an unarmed force, through to more recent times with the threat of international terrorism, organised crime on a global scale and a rapidly changing political, social and technological landscape, An Garda Síochána has secured and maintained the backing and support of the overwhelming majority of the people it serves. It has consistently shown itself to be deeply rooted in our society and communities.
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In celebrating its achievements and learning from the challenges of the past, An Garda Síochána is now preparing for the next 100 years. Like police and security services globally, the need for transformation is recognised to enable An Garda Síochána to build the capabilities, structures, ways of working, partnerships, and high performing culture necessary to meet the challenges of modern society. Deloitte’s global research into both the future of criminal justice and more particularly the future of policing provides insights into the trends impacting on policing globally, and the capabilities police services are building.
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Global trends and their implications for policing Our research has identified a number of mega-trends which will significantly influence policing now and into the future, including: Demographic shifts and ongoing urbanisation: population movements, an ageing population, an increasingly multi-cultural society, increased urbanisation and associated social dynamics all present challenges for policing and the allocation of police resources. A globalised economy: the quicker, cheaper movement of goods and people also present opportunity for crime, be that the movement of illegal goods, or financial criminal activity targeted at businesses and individuals. Recent times events have also highlighted the importance of the security of critical national infrastructure and supply chains. As an economy highly dependent on international trade, a safe and secure society is particularly important for economic wellbeing in Ireland. Technological acceleration and data abundance: an increasing volume of
human activity now takes place over digital channels with a further proliferation in this trend over the course of the pandemic. As our lives and finances continue to shift online crime will mirror this. However, more positively, the use of digital technology, social media and data have proved very effective for police services globally in preventing and detecting crime. Geo-political events: international tensions, global health crises, climate change and increased focus on national identities and separatism all have the potential to lead to significant social disruption. The positive and negative effects and influence of social media on these events are well documented. Trust and transparency: Trust in government, and its institutions, is a critical challenge globally. Given the powers and role of police services in our society, they must be seen to act to the highest levels of trust, transparency, and integrity. Outside of formal oversight structures, police officers are under constant scrutiny with proliferation of video phones and social media.
Capabilities How police services address these and
other trends will be determined, among other things, by the capabilities they build. We have considered these capabilities under three lenses: workforce, digital transformation, and structures and collaboration.
Digital transformation capabilities: in a world where almost every crime can leave a digital footprint, or technology can otherwise facilitate prevention or detection, police services can harness digital technology to better enable them to do their jobs. These include: •
Citizen relationship management: everything from analytically optimising data from emergency calls through to the use of social media and other channels to engage with the public.
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Workforce enablement: as the complexity of policing increases, police officers need the work tools to perform their jobs. Investment in technology to enable better case management, investigation management, and information and intelligence sharing are critical.
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Data analytic capability: digitisation has led to vast amount of data being created. On one hand this is a significant challenge for police services: understanding, managing and appropriately accessing data. On the other hand, through the use of analytical tools, artificial intelligence and automation this data can be used to predict and track criminal activity, and prevent, detect and prosecute criminals.
Structures and collaboration: the final capability we consider is structures and
“Like police and security services globally, the need for transformation is recognised to enable An Garda Síochána to build the capabilities, structures, ways of working, partnerships, and high performing culture necessary to meet the challenges of modern society.” collaboration, including partnerships and innovation. How police services organise themselves both geographically and by competency, and how flexible and adaptable those structures are has a significant impact on effectiveness. Police services globally are also seeing the benefits of greater and more structured collaboration internally adapting a more ‘networked policing model’, with other polices services, other public bodies, academia, and the private sector. Our society and technology are advancing rapidly, and criminals have shown the ability to leverage and profit from this change. Innovation at all levels of policing is a critical capability for police services.
have brought different ways of working for police services. Developing new capabilities will take time, and the right sequencing of changes and investments to support the future of policing is important. Investments must be guided by a clear view of what the public value and need. With increased resources and capabilities, policing must be as clear as possible about its aspirations, priorities, and mission. For An Garda Síochána, that mission is to “keep people safe.”
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Mobile working tools: police services globally have and continue to make great strides in enabling their officers and members to do their job in the field and reduce subsequent administration.
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Workforce capabilities: as with many public and private sector organisations, police services globally are considering the skills and knowledge required in the future. The emphasis is shifting from a focus on pure police officer number to much more sophisticated workforce planning which match mission and priorities, with demand data and workforce capabilities. Our research has indicated five areas of capability development among police services globally: citizen relationship management; workforce relationship management; relational, influencing and collaborative working capabilities; digital investigative capabilities; and data management and analytical skills.
T: 01 417 2200 E: smohan@deloitte.ie W: deloitte.ie
Conclusion Accelerating technology and societal change is already creating an environment very different to the last century. Globally we have seen how embracing innovation, collaborating in new ways and advances in technology 103
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100 Years of Keeping People Safe
Policing legislative priorities Three major pieces of proposed legislation will consolidate efforts to reform policing in Ireland. eolas surveys the three and the progress they have made thus far. Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill The Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill was introduced by then-acting Minister for Justice Heather Humphreys TD in June 2021, representing a major effort on the part of the Government to modernise and update policing in Ireland, with police powers to be consolidated, targeted reforms to be introduced and new fundamental rights provisions to be included. The Bill is said to “have a strong focus on human rights”, for both the “rights of suspected or accused persons, as well as the human rights of all members of society”. Measures in the Bill include: the introduction of a single power of arrest, increasing the scope of Garda arrest powers, but making the powers “subject to conditions to ensure the arrest is necessary in particular circumstances”; the placing of the Garda caution on a statutory basis; the introduction of a statutory right for an accused to have a lawyer present at their interview; the introduction of new Garda powers to compel a person to provide electronic device passwords when executing a search warrant; a requirement for written records of stop and search incidents; the drawing up of statutory codes of practice for gardaí in using the Bill’s powers; and special measures for child suspects and suspects with impaired capacity. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice issued its report on the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill in June 2022, including 10 recommendations for amendments to the Bill. These recommendations include language clarifications, the inclusion of ethnicity in the recording of stop and searches, that a provision allowing senior Garda members to approve search warrants in urgent circumstances be removed, and that actions including sanctions are introduced in response to illegal searches in order to make gardaí aware of and compliant with their obligations.
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Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill The general scheme of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill was introduced by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD in April 2021. The Bill “provides for the most wide ranging and coherent reform of policing in a generation by improving the performance and accountability of our policing and security services”.
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Provisions included within the Bill include: the recognition that community safety is not the sole responsibility of gardaí and requires all State services working in tandem with local communities; the strengthening of independent oversight of gardaí through a new Policing and Community Safety Authority equipped with extra inspection powers; the expansion of the Garda Ombudsman’s remit and independence; the enhancement of internal governance with An Garda Síochána, with the Garda Commissioner becoming a ‘true CEO’, answerable to a new Garda Board; and the introduction of a new Independent Examiner of Security Legislation to strengthen oversight of national security. The proposed legislation seeks to reform policing based on the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, but its proposals have been variously criticised by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, head of the Policing Authority Bob Collins, head of the Garda Inspectorate Mark Toland and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL). Chief among Harris’s criticisms were that the legislation would see a gradual “seeping away” of his authority as commissioner and lead to him spending “more time reporting and accounting to bodies than actually overseeing policing”. The ICCL stated its support for the oversight measures contained in the legislation but stated that the Bill should remove “all prosecutorial powers” from gardaí.
Chief among Harris’s criticisms were that the legislation would see a gradual “seeping away” of his authority as commissioner and lead to him spending “more time reporting and accounting to bodies than actually overseeing policing”. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice published its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill in June 2022, with 12 recommendations including that the accountability structures proposed be evaluated, “particularly in terms of the various bodies to whom the Commissioner must be accountable and the time it will take to Commissioner to account to these different bodies”, that the re-assignation of prosecutorial powers to a national prosecution service be prioritised, and that a comprehensive review of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission be undertaken.
Garda Síochána (Digital Recording) Bill Former acting Minister for Justice Humphreys published the general scheme of the Garda Síochána (Digital Recording) Bill in April 2021, with the legislation providing the legal basis for the use of body cams by gardaí, as well as extending the use of CCTV and number plate recognition technology. The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland recommended that legislation be introduced to provide for the use of body-worn cameras by gardaí in order to “support their front-line duties in criminal investigations and the maintenance of public safety”. The cameras will “provide accurate depictions of events, which can influence the behaviours of both members of the public and also of members of An Garda Síochána”. The Committee published the report from its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill in December 2021, where it recorded 12 recommendations, including ensuring that body cams and CCTV devices not use facial recognition technology and not be used to racially profile members of the public, that the Department of Justice refer codes of practice to both public consultation and the committee prior to observation, the removal of a provision allowing gardaí to approve temporary access to third-party CCTV live feeds without judicial oversight, and the implementation of a pilot scheme to trial the use of recording devices and body cams in order to test their effectiveness and conduct human rights and data protection impact assessments before a rollout at national level. 105
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Deputy Commissioner McMahon: Garda centenary an opportunity for reflection Deputy Commissioner for Policing and Security, Anne Marie McMahon, talks to Ciarán Galway about the opportunity for An Garda Síochána to reflect in its centenary year and its pursuit of continuous improvement. “An Garda Síochána has evolved into an organisation that we are all very proud of,” McMahon begins, adding: “The centenary is significant in that it not only offers us the opportunity to take stock of how far we have come but also to assess the values which have got us to this point, as well as ensuring that these are embedded in future service delivery, while acknowledging mistakes and using that learning as we endeavour to become a better police service.” Upon the foundation of An Garda Síochána in 1922, the first Garda Commissioner, Michael Staines, articulated an ethos, which McMahon explains, remains at the organisation’s core: “An Garda Síochána will succeed, not by force of arms or numbers, but on its moral authority as servants of the people.” Holding to this central ethos, even as the organisation has adapted and reformed to changing environments over the decades, McMahon believes, has ensured that An Garda Síochána retains one of the highest public trust levels for a police service in the world. This, she says, was emphasised during the Covid-19 pandemic when its front-facing and community-focused services became “an anchor” for communities and individuals across the country. Having first served as a garda in 1986, the Deputy Commissioner is well-placed to remark on the pace of change within the organisation. In 2020, McMahon was appointed Acting Deputy Commissioner and assigned to oversee Governance and Strategy before being formally appointed to the role – which also incorporated performance – the following year. In 2021, she was subsequently assigned the Policing and Security brief. 106
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Female representation Indeed, having prevented women from joining until 1959, An Garda Síochána now boasts one of the highest proportions of female police officers in Europe, at just under 30 per cent. McMahon is a personification of this change, occupying one of the two Deputy Commissioner roles in An Garda Síochána, both of which are currently held by females.
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“The gender diversity that is now evident in the organisation did not materialise overnight. It is a result of more and more young females joining An Garda Síochána and going forward for promotion over the past 60 years. The female perspective is different, and it is important that we reflect that perspective in our units, in our management, including at strategic level,” she says. Highlighting that women now rightly occupy many senior positions in the organisation, as well as leading roles in specialist and operational units, McMahon asserts: “It is reflective of society and shows that we are leading the way when compared to our European counterparts.” Highlighting a recent recruitment campaign, for which 11,000 applications were received, McMahon says that a 40 per cent female applicant rate, “speaks to the diversity and evolution of the Guards”.
“The ultimate aim is for improvements to enable the service we provide to be better, more accessible, more robust, accountable and to ensure a community and human rights focus.” Technology Other significant patterns of change observed by McMahon include technology. While acknowledging that much work is still to be done in the digitalisation sphere, she says that relative to only a decade ago, incremental change has transformed the policing landscape. “Equally, our systems and processes have improved immensely. While I am not suggesting they are perfect, over time we have got better at implementing our own systems, improving governance, and changing dramatically and immeasurably our governance landscape,” she adds.
Multifaceted role With responsibility for policing and security, the Assistant Commissioners across the four regional boundaries – Southern, Eastern, North Western, and Dublin Metropolitan Region – are accountable to McMahon, as is the Garda National Crime and Security Intelligence Service; and the Organised and Serious Crime unit. Outlining the priorities of such a dynamic role, McMahon says: “The security of the State is always a top priority. We are in a fortunate position that our security situation is very stable, but we do not take that for granted, especially in the current international context, and so it is a pressure point we ensure we are on top of. “Organised crime is an ever-present and requires constant managing in our bid to stay ahead of the criminals. To do this we have forged strong relationships with our international partners, but that pandemic has brought around an increase in online and cybercrime, meaning we have had to pivot to meet that challenge by upskilling
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Community policing
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However, McMahon maintains that community policing, retaining close contact with communities, and maintaining current high satisfaction levels remains the top priority. Stressing that relationships with communities requires constant nurturing and cultivation, she adds: “As we reflect on the centenary, amidst much change, the words of Michael Staines remain as relevant today as they did 100 years ago and something we hold up as a constant priority.”
Reform Community policing is central to the ongoing reform programme within An Garda Síochána, and McMahon says that the programme is inextricably linked to her remit of policing and security.
Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin.
Pre-Covid, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris announced the introduction of the Garda Operating Model, aiming to recruit more frontline gardaí and placing a greater emphasis on community policing. Citing the operating model as an example of the pervasive impact of reform, McMahon says: “With an enlargement of the regions, of the vision and a move from a geographical, district structure to a functionality structure, there is an impact on resources, on governance, on technology, and so the reform programme is reflected in everything we do on a day-to-day basis.”
Vision Looking ahead to the future and the significant challenges the organisation faces in the decades ahead. McMahon summarises: “The evolving nature of crime and criminality is always a challenge, and it is something we must always work to be ahead of because we know the impacts they have on communities and individuals. “For me, the most important thing for An Garda Síochána is that it continues to provide a service that supports and protects people. As Deputy Commissioner, it is important for me that we continue to do that consistently at a strategic level.” Concluding, the Deputy Commissioner adds: “This centenary year gives us an opportunity to not only look back but to look forward as well. We want to ensure that in those areas where we have served well, we carry those forward and seek to evolve and grow them with the appropriate resources, to deliver a service that meets the needs of the people.”
PROFILE:
Anne Marie McMahon Deputy Commissioner, Policing and Security, Anne Marie McMahon is a County Clare native and joined An Garda Síochána in 1986. Following a mission with the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), she was promoted to Sergeant in 1995, originally serving as instructor at the Student Probationer School, Garda College before serving as Operational/Community Policing Sergeant in Henry Street District, Limerick city, between 1997 and 2002. Between 2002 and 2016 she gained successive promotions, moving from Inspector through to Superintendent, Chief Superintendent and Assistant Commissioner. In 2020, McMahon was appointed Acting Deputy Commissioner and assigned Governance and Strategy before being formally appointed a year later and assigned Strategy, Governance and Performance. She took up her current post as Deputy Commissioner in February 2021. 108
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Total number of Garda personnel: 17,651
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An Garda Síochána: Key figures Total number1 of gardaí: 14,294
Total number1 of Garda civilian staff: 3,357
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Total number2 of Garda reserves: 405
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Total number2 of vehicles (including cars, vans, motorcycles, and 4X4s) in the Garda fleet: 3,176
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Total number4 of mobility devices for front-line gardaí: 8,839
1. As of 30 April 2022
3. As of 13 May 2022
2. As of 31 March 2022
4. As of 24 March 2022
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Total number3 of Garda stations: 569
Source: Garda Press Office 109
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‘Sustained increase’ in GSOC workload The annual report for 2021 by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) shows a “sustained increase in the policing oversight body’s caseload” with a 12 per cent increase in complaints received from the public and a 40 per cent increase in referrals from An Garda Síochána following incidents of death or serious harm. The report, GSOC in Transition, provides an overview of the work undertaken by the ombudsman during 2021, showing the 12 per cent increase in the volume of complaints from the public, the increase of 40 per cent in referrals by gardaí following incidents of death or serious harm, and a 21 per cent increase in the volume of cases closed in 2021. GSOC made 60 findings of breaches of discipline by members of An Garda Síochána during 2021, which resulted in the imposition of sanctions by the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. Five criminal cases arising from GSOC investigations were decided in court in 2021, involving charges of sexual assault, assault, and theft; there were also 13 charges directed for prosecution by the Director of Public Prosecutions arising from GSOC investigations in 2021, with charges including sexual offences, assault, breaches of the Road Traffic Acts, and the provision of false information. Overall, 2,189 complaints were opened by GSOC in 2021, containing 3,760 allegations; 61 per cent of these were ruled admissible. 557 criminal and 752 non-criminal investigations were opened, with 59 referrals from An Garda Síochána of matters where “it appeared ‘the conduct of a member of the Garda Síochána may have resulted in the death of or serious harm to a person’”. 2,078 complaints were closed, a 21 per cent increase, and 13 public interest investigations, undertaken in the absence of a complaint or referral from the Commissioner, were opened. 20 protected disclosures were also received, and 21 files were sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The report also casts an eye to the future of GSOC and the reforms legislated for in the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill. To prepare for the expansion of its powers, GSOC established a cross organisational transition project group “to ensure that the organisation builds its capacity to undertake the role envisaged in the draft legislation”. GSOC published its observations on the general scheme of the Bill in December 2021, in which it stated that it welcomes the “draft legislation’s proposals for the expansion and restructuring of its investigatory powers, but stress the importance of independence, adequate resourcing, and Garda cooperation”.
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