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Garda Síochána

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Garda Síochána



 
 
(; Irish
Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic languages of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people....
 for "Guard(ians) of the Peace of Ireland", often rendered as "The Guardians of the Peace (of Ireland)") is the police force
Police

Police are agents or agencies, usually of the executive , empowered to enforce the law and to ensure public and social order through the legitimized use of force....
 of the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
.

The force is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government
Irish Government

The Government of Ireland is the Cabinet that exercises executive authority in Republic of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach, and a deputy prime minister called the T?naiste....
. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park

The Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed urban public park in Europe located 3 km to the north west of Dublin city centre in Ireland. It measures , with a walled circumference of 16 km that contains large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues....
 in Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
.

former English language
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 name of the force was the Civic Guard; this is no longer used. In Hiberno-English
Hiberno-English

Hiberno-English also known as Anglo-Irish and Irish English is English language as spoken in Ireland, partly the result of the interaction of the English and Irish languages....
 the force is known (in decreasing order of formality) as ( pronounced ); the ; the (in the preceding names, "guard" is a collective noun, like police); the (; "guards", plural); or the guards.






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(; Irish
Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic languages of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people....
 for "Guard(ians) of the Peace of Ireland", often rendered as "The Guardians of the Peace (of Ireland)") is the police force
Police

Police are agents or agencies, usually of the executive , empowered to enforce the law and to ensure public and social order through the legitimized use of force....
 of the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
.

The force is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government
Irish Government

The Government of Ireland is the Cabinet that exercises executive authority in Republic of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach, and a deputy prime minister called the T?naiste....
. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park

The Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed urban public park in Europe located 3 km to the north west of Dublin city centre in Ireland. It measures , with a walled circumference of 16 km that contains large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues....
 in Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
.

Terminology

The former English language
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 name of the force was the Civic Guard; this is no longer used. In Hiberno-English
Hiberno-English

Hiberno-English also known as Anglo-Irish and Irish English is English language as spoken in Ireland, partly the result of the interaction of the English and Irish languages....
 the force is known (in decreasing order of formality) as ( pronounced ); the ; the (in the preceding names, "guard" is a collective noun, like police); the (; "guards", plural); or the guards. Police is used infrequently and policeman rarely.

An individual officer is also called a (plural ), or, informally, a guard. A police station
Police station

A police station or stationhouse is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary Prison cell and interrogation rooms....
 is called a station. is also the lowest rank within the force, also used as a title (e.g. " John Murphy", analogous to the British term "constable
Constable

A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in Police. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions....
" or the American "officer
Police officer

A police officer is a Warrant employee of a police force. Police officers are generally responsible for apprehending criminals, maintaining public order, and preventing and detecting crimes....
" ("deputy
Deputy

Deputy is a rank or title, or part of a title, used in various organizations with a codified command structure. It often designates someone who is "second-in-command," and as such, may precede the name of the rank directly above it....
/trooper
Trooper

Trooper may refer to:* Trooper , a Canadian rock band* Trooper , a Romanian heavy metal band* Trooper , a military private rank* Trooper , a rank used by some state police agencies in the United States...
/etc."). "Guard" is the most common form of address used by members of the public speaking to a garda on duty. A female officer was once officially referred to as a (; "female guard"; plural ). This term was abolished in 1990, but is still used colloquially in place of the now gender-neutral
Gender-neutral language

Gender-neutral language, gender-inclusive language, or gender neutrality is Word usage that aims at minimizing assumptions regarding the gender of human reference....
 .

One United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 politician, the Ulster Unionist party's Lord Laird, has called for a change in the name of the force to / drawing a comparison with the renaming of the Northern Ireland police force from the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary

The Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary , the Belfast Borough Police Force and the Londonderry Borough Police Force ....
 to the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland

The Police Service of Northern Ireland George Cross is the police service that covers Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary a controversial police force which , in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary....
. There is no indication that Lord Laird's proposal is under consideration.

Organisation

Rank Number of operatives (2005)
Commissioner 1
Deputy Commissioners/Chief Administrative Officer 3
Assistant Commissioners 13
Chief Superintendents 50
Superintendents 178
Inspectors 307
Sergeants 2,173
11,821
NA


The force is headed by the Commissioner
Commissioner

Commissioner is in principal the title given to the holder of a commission, in the sense of a mandate, whether individually or shared, notably as member of a collegial commission....
. His immediate subordinates are two Deputy Commissioners - in charge of "Operations" and "Strategy and Change Management", respectively - and a civilian Chief Administrative Officer with responsibility for resource management (personnel, finance, ICT and accommodation). There are twelve Assistant Commissioners: one for each of the six geographical Regions, and the remainder dealing with various national support functions. At an equivalent or near-equivalent level to the Assistant Commissioners are the civilian positions of Chief Medical Officer, Executive Director of ICT and Executive Director of Finance. The position of Assistant Commissioner (Human Resource Management) is to be civilianised in the near future.

The six geographical "Assistant Commissioners" command the six " Force Regions", which are currently:
  1. Dublin Metropolitan
  2. Eastern
  3. Northern
  4. Southern
  5. South-Eastern
  6. Western


Directly subordinate to the Assistant Commissioners are approximately 50 Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent

Chief Superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the United Kingdom model....
s, about half of whom supervise what are called Divisions
Police division

A division was until recently the usual term for the largest territorial subdivision of most British police forces, similar to a police station in United States city police departments, and is still used in some forces....
. Each Division contains a number of Districts, each of which is commanded by a Superintendent
Superintendent (police)

Superintendent , often shortened to "Super", is a rank in Policing in the United Kingdom and in most English-speaking Commonwealth of Nations nations....
, who is assisted by a team of Inspector
Inspector

Inspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force....
s. Within each District there are a number of Subdistricts, which are usually commanded by Sergeant
Sergeant

Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
s.

Garda
Typically each Subdistrict contains only one police station
Police station

A police station or stationhouse is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary Prison cell and interrogation rooms....
. A different number of will be based at each station depending on its importance. Most of these stations employ the basic rank of , which was referred to as the rank of Guard until 1972. The most junior members of the force are students, whose duties can vary depending on their training progress. They are often bestowed with clerical duties, as part of their extra curriculum studies.

The Garda organisation also has over 2,500 civilian support staff encompassing a diverse range of areas such as human resources, finance, IT, photographers
Photography

Photography is the process, activity and art of creating still or moving by recording radiation on a sensitive medium, such as a photographic film, or an ....
, research and analysis, teaching and general administration. The figure also includes industrial staff such as traffic wardens, drivers and cleaners. It is ongoing government policy to bring the level of civilian support in the organisation up to international standards - thus enhancing its capacity and expertise in a range of specialist and administrative functions, and releasing more of its police officers for operational duties.

Reserve

The Act 2005 provided for the establishment of a Garda Reserve
Garda Síochána Reserve

The Garda S?och?na Reserve is the volunteer reserve section of the An Garda Siochana - the police of the Republic of Ireland. It was created in 2006 and the first 36 Reserves graduated on 15 December 2006 at the Garda College, in Templemore....
, consisting of 4,000, to assist the force in performing its functions, and supplement the work of members of the .

The intent of the Reserve is "to be a source of local strength and knowledge". Reserve members are to carry out duties defined by the Commissioner and sanctioned by the Minister for Justice. With reduced training, these duties and powers must be operated under the supervision of regular members of the Force, and are also limited from those of regular members.

As of December 2006 more than 7,000 had applied to join the Reserve, and the first 36 graduated on 15 December 2006 at the Garda College
Garda Síochána College

Garda S?och?na College located at McCann Barracks, Templemore, County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland is the place at which members of An Garda S?och?na receive formal education and training before commencing their duties as members of the force....
, in Templemore
Templemore

Templemore is a town in County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland. Since February 1964, the former Richmond Barracks in the town has been the site of the Garda S?och?na College, the centre for training Ireland's police force....
.

Gmupatrol

Sections

  • Garda Traffic Corps
  • Criminal Assets Bureau
    Criminal Assets Bureau

    The Criminal Assets Bureau operates in the Republic of Ireland in order to recover the proceeds of organised crime. It is a division of the Garda S?och?na , but reports annually to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform....
  • Special Detective Unit
    Special Detective Unit

    The Special Detective Unit is a unit of an Garda S?och?na, the police force of the Republic of Ireland. They are a replacement for the older Special Branch unit, which itself replaced the Criminal Investigation Department in 1923....
  • Water Unit
    Garda Water Unit

    The Garda Water Unit is a unit of the Garda S?och?na, the police service of the Republic of Ireland. Formerly known as the Garda Sub-Aqua Unit, the name was changed to incorporate the services of the non-diving surfaced based marine section....
  • Dog Unit
    Garda Dog Unit

    The Garda Dog Unit is a unit of an Garda S?och?na, the police force of the Republic of Ireland. Formed in 1960, its main duties involve assisting in public order situations and searches....
  • Mounted Unit
  • National Bureau of Criminal Investigation
    National Bureau of Criminal Investigation

    The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation , is a branch of Republic of Ireland national police force, Garda S?och?na. It investigates serious crime throughout the country....
  • National Immigration Bureau
  • Bureau of Fraud Investigation
  • Public Order Unit
    Garda Public Order Unit

    The Garda Public Order Unit is the unit within An Garda S?och?na that deals with situations where public disorder may be encountered. i.e riots and protests....
  • National Surveillance Unit
  • Emergency Response Unit
    Emergency Response Unit (Garda)

    The Emergency Response Unit of An Garda S?och?na is a specialist armed intervention unit, formed to deal with situations that cannot be handled by regular Garda officers....
  • Technical Bureau
    Garda Technical Bureau

    The Garda Technical Bureau is the longest established Specialist unit in An Garda S?och?na. The Bureau comprises eight Sections each providing a specialist service to An Garda S?och?na:...
  • Central Vetting Unit
  • Garda Information Services Centre
  • Air Support Unit
    Garda Air Support Unit

    The Garda Air Support Unit is a unit of an Garda S?och?na, the police force of the Republic of Ireland which was formed in 1997. The GASU's aircraft are maintained and flown by the Irish Air Corps, and based at Casement Aerodrome near Dublin....
  • Organised Crime Unit


An unarmed force

Uniformed members of do not routinely carry firearm
Firearm

A firearm is a tool that projects either single or multiple projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion. The firing is achieved by the gases produced through rapid, confined combustion of a propellant....
s. It is a tradition of the service that standard policing should be carried out in both rural and urban areas by uniformed officers equipped only with a wooden truncheon. From March 2007 all new Gardaí have been issued with ASP
ASP, Inc.

Armament Systems and Procedures, Inc. , is a weapons manufacturer providing equipment to Law enforcement agency and private security companies....
 extendable batons, with existing members to be trained in their use as training allows. In addition, the Garda Commissioner announced in October 2008 that all Gardaí are to be issued with Pepper Spray
Pepper spray

Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control, and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears....
. A timescale for the implementation of this measure has not yet been announced.

The force when originally created was armed, but the Provisional Government decided to reverse the decision and reconstitute the force as an unarmed police force, in contrast to the attitude of the British Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, is a major Republic of Ireland governmental complex, formerly the fortified seat of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland rule in Ireland until 1922....
 administration which had refused appeals from the Royal Irish Constabulary
Royal Irish Constabulary

The armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital....
 that that force be disarmed. In the words of first Commissioner, Michael Staines
Michael Staines

Michael Staines was an Ireland Irish republicanism and politician. He was born in Newport, County Mayo, his mother's home village, and where his father was serving as an Royal Irish Constabulary officer....
, TD
Teachta Dála

A Teachta D?la is a member of D?il ?ireann, the lower chamber of the Oireachtas of Republic of Ireland. The official translation of Teachta D?la is Deputy to the D?il, a more literal translation is...
:

According to Garvin
Tom Garvin

Tom Garvin is an Ireland political scientist and historian. He is Professor Emeritus of Politics in University College Dublin. He retired from lecturing duties in August 2008....
 such a decision gave the new force a cultural ace: "the taboo on killing unarmed men and women who could not reasonably be seen as spies and informers."

According to a recent government report, 3,000 (out of 12,000) members of the force are armedthis includes the Emergency Response Unit
Emergency Response Unit (Garda)

The Emergency Response Unit of An Garda S?och?na is a specialist armed intervention unit, formed to deal with situations that cannot be handled by regular Garda officers....
 and Special Detective Unit
Special Detective Unit

The Special Detective Unit is a unit of an Garda S?och?na, the police force of the Republic of Ireland. They are a replacement for the older Special Branch unit, which itself replaced the Criminal Investigation Department in 1923....
 (SDU) as well as most detectives. All officers are trained in the use of firearms while undergoing police training.

On the 2nd of September 2008, Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy announced the establishment of the Regional Support Unit (RSU). The RSU is an elite armed unit. The officers wear uniform, however it is designed so that it is distinctly different from regular unarmed officers eg. Baseball caps, combat trousers etc. The RSU is available to provide support to other Garda units engaged in front-line policing in the event of a hostile situation. The Gardai involved receive intensive training in firearms and less lethal weapons, the training also includes a Tactical driving course.

They will patrol unarmed with their weapons in a gun safe in the vehicle until an incident arises, upon which they change into protective body armour. They deal with the incident as best they can, pending the arrival of the Emergency Response Unit, which is centralised in Dublin.

It is expected that there may be up to 30 units based around the country in the near future.

Vehicles

patrol cars are mainly white, with yellow and blue fluorescent livery whereas traffic unit vehicles adopt the battenburg
Battenburg markings

Battenburg refers to a pattern of high-visibility markings used to maximise conspicuity, primarily on the emergency service vehicles but also in other applications such as uniforms....
 pattern. The crest is also present on vehicles. patrol cars are usually standard civilian vehicles in particular the Ford Focus
Ford Focus

Ford Focus can refer to two models of a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company:* Ford Focus * Ford Focus , the model sold in the United States and Canada....
, Ford Mondeo
Ford Mondeo

The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. The name "Mondeo" derives from the Latin word mundus, meaning "world"....
 and Ford Fiesta
Ford Fiesta

The Ford Fiesta is a small front wheel drive supermini car designed by the Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India and South Africa....
, with the latter being used mainly as the equivalent of a British Panda Car
Panda car

The phrase panda car refers to a small or medium-sized police car operated by Policing in the United Kingdom. They are used for ordinary patrol work, with larger and more powerful vehicles being used for emergency response, Road Policing Unit duties and as Armed Response Vehicles...
. Certain other specific-purpose vehicles are also used such as 4x4s and high-performance cars. The Gardaí are also involved in the operation of presidential and ministerial transport.

History

Tostal1954
The Civic Guard
Civic Guard

Civic Guard may refer to:* Garda S?och?na*Civil Guard...
 was formed by the Provisional Government in February 1922 to take over the responsibility of policing the fledgling Irish Free State
Irish Free State

The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand....
. It replaced the Royal Irish Constabulary
Royal Irish Constabulary

The armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital....
 (RIC) and the Irish Republican Police
Irish Republican Police

The Irish Republican Police was the police force of the 1919-1922 Irish Republic and was administered by the Interior minister of that government....
 of 1919-1922. In August 1922 the force accompanied Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)

Michael John Collins was an Ireland revolutionary leadership, Minister for Finance and Member of Parliament for South Cork in the First D?il of 1919, Director of Military intelligence for the Irish Republican Army, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations....
 when he met the Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland , also known as the Judiciar in the early mediaeval period and as the Lord Deputy of Ireland as late as the 17th century, was the King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ....
 in Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, is a major Republic of Ireland governmental complex, formerly the fortified seat of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland rule in Ireland until 1922....
.

The Garda Síochána (Temporary Provisions) Act 1923
List of Acts of the Oireachtas

This is a list of Act of Parliament of the Oireachtas for the years 1922 to present....
 enacted after the creation of the Irish Free State on 8 August 1923, provided for the creation of "a force of police to be called and known as 'The '". Under section 22, The Civic Guard were deemed to have been established under and to be governed by the Act. The law therefore effectively renamed the existing force.

During the Civil War of 1922-23, the new Free State set up the Criminal Investigation Department
Criminal Investigation Department (Ireland)

The Criminal Investigation Department in the Irish Free State was an armed, plain-clothed counter-insurgency police unit that operated during the Irish Civil War....
 as an armed, plain-clothed counter-insurgency unit. It was disbanded after the end of the war in October 1923 and elements of it were absorbed into the Dublin Metropolitan Police
Dublin Metropolitan Police

The Dublin Metropolitan Police was the police force of Dublin, Ireland, from 1836 to 1925, when it amalgamated into the new Garda S?och?na....
.

In Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
, policing remained the responsibility of the Dublin Metropolitan Police
Dublin Metropolitan Police

The Dublin Metropolitan Police was the police force of Dublin, Ireland, from 1836 to 1925, when it amalgamated into the new Garda S?och?na....
 (DMP, founded 1836) until it merged with the in 1925. Since then the has been the only police force in the state now known as the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
, with the exception of the Military Police
Military police

Military police are normally the police of a military organization.Military police may refer to:* a section of the military solely responsible for policing the armed forces ...
 within the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces

The Irish Defence Forces encompass the army, navy, air force and reserve forces of Republic of Ireland. Their official title in Irish language is ?glaigh na h?ireann; the more literal translation F?rsa? Cosanta na h?ireann is also attested in Irish-language literature....
, the Airport Police, and Dublin Port and Dun Laoghaire Harbour police forces.

Scott Medal

First established in 1925, the Scott Medal
Scott Medal

The Scott Medal is a medal awarded annually for bravery to Garda S?och?na police officers. It is not a state award being at the gift of the commissioner but the medals are awarded by the Minister for Justice....
 for Bravery is the highest honour for bravery and valour which can be awarded to a member of the Garda Síochána. The first medals were funded by Colonel Walter Scott, an honorary Commissioner of the New York Police Department. The first recipient of the Scott Medal was Pat Malone of St. Luke's Cork City who - as an unarmed - disarmed Tomás Óg Mac Curtain (the son of Tomás Mac Curtain
Tomás Mac Curtain

Tom?s Mac Curtain was a Sinn F?in Lord Mayor of Cork, Ireland. He was elected in January 1920.He was born at Ballyknockane in the Parish of Mourne Abbey in March 1884....
).

To mark the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 link, the American English
American English

PhonologyIn many ways, compared to English language in England, North American English is conservative in its phonology. Some distinctive accents can be found on the East Coast of the United States , partly because these areas were in contact with England, and imitated prestigious varieties of English English at a time when those varieties we...
 spelling of valor is used on the medal. The Commissioner chooses the recipients of the medal, which is presented by the Minister for Justice.

In 2000, Anne McCabe - widow of Garda Jerry McCabe
Jerry McCabe

Detective Garda Jerry McCabe was a member of the Garda S?och?na, the police force of the Republic of Ireland. McCabe was killed in Adare, County Limerick on 7 June 1996, by members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army during the attempted robbery of a post office....
, who was killed by armed Provisional IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army

The Provisional Irish Republican Army , is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that considers itself a direct continuation of the Irish Republican Army that fought in the Irish War of Independence....
 bank robbers, accepted the Scott Medal for Bravery that had been awarded posthumously to her husband.

The Irish Republican Police
Irish Republican Police

The Irish Republican Police was the police force of the 1919-1922 Irish Republic and was administered by the Interior minister of that government....
 had at least one member killed by the RIC 21 July 1920.
The Civic Guard had one killed by accident 22 September 1922. Likewise 4 members of the Oriel House
Oriel House

Oriel House is a hotel in the west end of the town of Ballincollig, County Cork, Ireland. It was built shortly after the Ballincollig Gunpowder Mills which was built in 1794 by Charles Henry Leslie....
 Criminal Investigation Department
Criminal Investigation Department (Ireland)

The Criminal Investigation Department in the Irish Free State was an armed, plain-clothed counter-insurgency police unit that operated during the Irish Civil War....
 were killed/Died of wounds during the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War

The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independence from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....

The Roll of Honor lists 31 members of the killed between 1922 and 1999.

Commissioners
Name From Until Reason
Michael Staines
Michael Staines

Michael Staines was an Ireland Irish republicanism and politician. He was born in Newport, County Mayo, his mother's home village, and where his father was serving as an Royal Irish Constabulary officer....
February 1922 September 1922 resigned
Eoin O'Duffy
Eoin O'Duffy

Eoin O'Duffy , was in succession a Teachta D?la , the List of IRA Chiefs of Staff of the Irish Republican Army, the second Commissioner of the Garda S?och?na, leader of the Army Comrades Association and then the first leader of Fine Gael , before leading the Irish Brigade to fight for Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War....
 
September 1922 February 1933 dismissed for
encouraging military coup
Eamon Broy
Eamon Broy

Colonel Eamon Broy was successively a member of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, the Irish Republican Army, the Irish Army, and the Garda S?och?na of the Irish Free State....
 
February 1933 June 1938 retired
Michael Kinnane June 1938 July 1952 died
Daniel Costigan July 1952 February 1965 resigned
William P Quinn February 1965 March 1967 retired
Patrick Carroll March 1967 September 1968 retired
Michael Wymes September 1968 January 1973 retired
Patrick Malone January 1973 September 1975 retired
Edmund Garvey September 1975 January 1978 replaced (lost
government confidence)
Patrick McLaughlin January 1978 January 1983 retired (wiretap
scandal)
Lawrence Wren February 1983 November 1987 retired
Eamonn DohertyNovember 1987 December 1988 retired
Eugene CrowleyDecember 1988 January 1991 retired
Patrick CulliganJanuary 1991 July 1996 retired
Patrick Byrne July 1996 July 2003 retired
Noel ConroyJuly 2003 November 2007 retired
Fachtna Murphy
Fachtna Murphy

Fachtna Murphy is the current Commissioner of An Garda S?och?na, prior to this appointment he was the Deputy Commissioner with responsibility for operational policing strategies in An Garda S?och?na....
November 2007 Present current


Commissioners

The first Commissioner, Michael Staines
Michael Staines

Michael Staines was an Ireland Irish republicanism and politician. He was born in Newport, County Mayo, his mother's home village, and where his father was serving as an Royal Irish Constabulary officer....
, who was a Pro-Treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty

The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the de facto Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of Independence....
 member of , held office for only eight months. It was his successors, Eoin O'Duffy
Eoin O'Duffy

Eoin O'Duffy , was in succession a Teachta D?la , the List of IRA Chiefs of Staff of the Irish Republican Army, the second Commissioner of the Garda S?och?na, leader of the Army Comrades Association and then the first leader of Fine Gael , before leading the Irish Brigade to fight for Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War....
 and Éamon Broy
Eamon Broy

Colonel Eamon Broy was successively a member of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, the Irish Republican Army, the Irish Army, and the Garda S?och?na of the Irish Free State....
, who played a central role in the development of the force. O’Duffy was Commissioner in the early years of the force when to many people’s surprise the viability of an unarmed police force was established. O'Duffy later became a short-lived political leader of the quasi-fascist Blueshirts before heading to Spain
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
 to fight alongside Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco

Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Te?dulo Franco y Bahamonde, Salgado y Pardo de Andrade , commonly known as Francisco Franco or Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was the dictator and Head of State of Spain from October 1936, and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in 1975....
's Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted coup d'?tat by a group of Spanish Army generals, supported by the conservative Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right , Carlist groups and the fascistic Falange, against the government of the Second Spanish Republic, then under the leadership of pr...
. Broy had greatly assisted the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army

The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation descended from the Irish Volunteers, established 25 November 1913 and who in April 1916 staged the Easter Rising....
 (IRA) during the Anglo-Irish War, while serving with the Dublin Metropolitan Police
Dublin Metropolitan Police

The Dublin Metropolitan Police was the police force of Dublin, Ireland, from 1836 to 1925, when it amalgamated into the new Garda S?och?na....
 (DMP). Broy's fame grew in the 1990s when he featured in the film Michael Collins
Michael Collins (film)

Michael Collins is a List of Irish films#1990s List of historical drama films biographical film about Michael Collins , the Ireland patriotism and revolutionary who died in the Irish Civil War....
, in which it was misleadingly suggested that he had been murdered by the British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name and the state form of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927....
 during the War of Independence, when in reality he lived for decades and headed the from 1933 to 1938.

One later Commissioner, Edmund Garvey, was sacked by the government of Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch

John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the fourth Taoiseach of Republic of Ireland, serving two terms in office; 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979.Lynch was first elected to D?il ?ireann as a Teachta D?la for Cork in 1948, and was re-elected at each general election until his retirement in 1981....
 in 1978 after it had lost confidence in him. Garvey won 'unfair dismissal' legal proceedings against the government. The case made its way to the Supreme Court which found the action of the government improper. This outcome required the passing of the Act 1979 to retrospectively validate the actions of Garvey's successor since he had become Commissioner. His successor in turn, Patrick McLaughlin, was forced to resign along with his deputy in 1983 over his peripheral involvement in a political scandal. The current Commissioner, since November 2007, is Fachtna Murphy.

Past reserve forces


During the Emergency there were two reserve forces to the , and the Local Security Force.

had the power of arrest and wore uniform, and were allowed to leave the reserve or sign-up as full members of the at the end of the war before the reserve was disbanded. The reserve was established by the Emergency Powers (Temporary Special Police Force) Order, 1939.

The Local Security Force (LSF) did not have the power of arrest, and part of the reserve was soon absorbed into the Irish Army Reserve
Irish Army Reserve

The Army Reserve , is the reserve force of the Irish Army. It is a part-time, fully voluntary organisation, and is one of two elements of the Reserve Defence Forces of the Irish Defence Forces of Republic of Ireland, the other element being the Naval Service Reserve....
 under the command of the Irish Army
Irish Army

The Irish Army is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces . It was first formed in 1922 after the implementation of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the subsequent foundation of the Irish Free State....
.

Policing abroad

Since 1989, the has undertaken United Nations
United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, Social change, human rights and achieving world peace....
 peace-keeping duties. Its first such mission was a 50 strong contingent sent to Namibia
Namibia

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa on the Atlantic Ocean coast. It shares borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south....
. Since then the force has acted in Angola
Angola

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordering Namibia to the south, Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, and Zambia to the east, and with a west coast along the Atlantic Ocean....
, Cambodia
Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in South East Asia with a population of over 13 million people. The kingdom's capital and largest city is Phnom Penh....
, Cyprus
Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is an island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, east of Greece, west of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, south of Turkey and north of Egypt....
, Mozambique
Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest....
, South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
 and the former Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and in Slovene language: Socialisticna Federativna Republika Jugoslavija The Slovene language name also uses this Gaj?s Latin alphabet version with a slight difference in spelling....
. The force's first fatality whilst working abroad was Sergeant Paul M. Reid, who was fatally injured while on duty with the United Nations UNPROFOR at "Sniper's Alley" in Sarajevo
Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the Capital and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,065 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 419,030 people in the Sarajevo Canton ....
 on 18 May 1995.

Members of the also serve in the Embassies of Ireland in London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, The Hague
The Hague

The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with a population of 475,904 and an area of approximately 100 km?....
, Madrid
Madrid

Madrid is the Capital and largest city of Spain. It is the Largest cities of the European Union by population within city limits in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its Madrid metropolitan area is the Largest urban areas of the European Union in the European Union after Paris aire urbaine, Greater London Urban Area, a...
 and Paris
Paris

Paris is the Capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the ?le-de-France Regions of France ....
. Members are also seconded to Europol
Europol

Europol is the European Union's criminal intelligence agency. It became fully operational on 1 July 1999.The establishment of Europol was agreed to in the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, officially known as the Treaty on European Union that came into effect in November 1993....
 in The Hague, Holland and Interpol
Interpol

The International Criminal Police Organization, better known by its Electrical telegraph Interpol, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation....
 in Lyon, France. There are also many members working directly for UN and European agencies such as the War Crimes Tribunal.

officers also co-operate with members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland

The Police Service of Northern Ireland George Cross is the police service that covers Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary a controversial police force which , in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary....
 in order to combat cross-border crime. They have also accompanied politicians from the Republic, such as the President
President of Ireland

The President of Ireland is the head of state of Republic of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms....
 on visits to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland

conventional_long_name = Northern Ireland|native_name= Tuaisceart ?ireannNorlin Airlann|motto =|image_map = Europe location N-IRL2.png...
.

Under an agreement with the British Government and the United Nations
United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, Social change, human rights and achieving world peace....
 Convention on the Law of the Sea, the and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland
Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland

The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland is the national institute in the Republic of Ireland responsible for ionising radiation and radioactive contamination matters since its establishment in April 1992 by the ....
 are allowed to inspect the Sellafield
Sellafield

Sellafield is a nuclear processing and former electricity generating site, close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria, England....
 nuclear facility in Cumbria
Cumbria

Cumbria is a non-metropolitan county in the North West England of England. Cumbria came into existence as a county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
.

Controversy and allegations involving the force

Like most police forces there have been many allegations of discourtesy, harassment, confiscating a person's property but using it for their own purposes, aggressive interrogation techniques, perjury, etc. While most allegations have not been proven, many out-of-court settlements have been made. A total of 1,173 complaints were made by the public against the in 2005. Some incidents involving the have attracted wide scale attention - such as those which resulted in the Morris
Morris Tribunal

The Morris Tribunal is a Public Inquiry to address allegations of the 1990s and early 2000s against the Garda S?och?na , the national police force of the Republic of Ireland....
 and Barr Tribunal
Barr Tribunal

The Barr Tribunal was a Public Inquiry established by Resolutions passed by the D?il ?ireann and the Seanad ?ireann on the 17 and 18 April 2002, and by Instrument entitled Tribunals of Inquiry Evidence Acts 1921 Instrument 2002 made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 1 July 2002....
's - and have resulted in broad reform initiatives.

The force has also attracted scrutiny in how it deals with existing and prospective members. For example, in 2007, there was some debate when a Sikh
Sikh

Sikh is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. The term has its origin in the Sanskrit ' "disciple, learner" or ' "instruction"....
 recruit was not allowed to wear a turban
Turban (Sikhism)

Dastar or Pag?i in Punjabi language and Hindi is a mandatory headgear for Sikhs. Dastar is closely associated with Sikhism and is an important part of the Sikh culture....
 while on duty.

Shell to Sea controversy


The 's handling of the Shell to Sea
Shell to Sea

Shell to Sea is a campaign based in County Mayo, Ireland which opposes the proposed construction of a high-pressure raw natural gas gas pipeline through Rossport, and continues to oppose the ongoing construction by SEPIL, a conglomerate of Shell, Statoil and Marathon, of a refinery at Bellanaboy intended to refine the untreated gas from th...
 protests in Erris
Erris

Erris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Republic of Ireland. The main town is Belmullet. While officially most of Erris is a Gaeltacht area, in reality Irish language is spoken in isolated pockets only....
 has attracted criticism for using excessive force. No arrests were made as the did not want to make "martyrs" of the protesters. The former Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)

The Green Party is a Worldwide green parties political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes....
 leader Trevor Sargent
Trevor Sargent

Trevor Sargent is a senior Republic of Ireland Green Party politician. He is a Teachta D?la for Dublin North and is the current Minister of State ....
 condemned the 's handling of the protest at the time, saying it displayed "...the worst signs of law and order...It is a disgrace for people to be manhandled and beaten in the way that the community has been in that area." Several complaints were made to the Garda Complaints board, relating to incidents occurring in late 2006. A section of road used by the protesters has been dubbed the Golden Mile by Gardaí because of the overtime
Overtime

Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:*by custom ,*by practices of a given trade or profession,...
 opportunities.

Allegations involving mishandling of cases and complaints


The Kerry Babies
Kerry Babies Tribunal

The Kerry Babies case is an unsolved murder case dating from 1984 in County Kerry, Ireland, that dominated the Irish headlines for some months during that year and resulted in a public Public Inquiry#List of selected Irish public inquries into the behaviour of the Garda S?och?na during the investigation....
 case was one of the first public inquiries into mishandling of a investigation. Later in the 1980s, the Ferns Report
The Ferns Report

The Ferns Report was an official Irish government inquiry into the allegations of clerical sexual abuse in the Irish Catholic Diocese of Ferns in County Wexford....
 (an inquiry into allegations of clerical sexual abuse) described as 'wholly inadequate' the handling of one of eight formal complaints made to Wexford
Wexford

Wexford is the county town of County Wexford in Republic of Ireland. It is situated near the south-eastern tip of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort....
 gardaí , but noted that the remaining formal complaints were handled in an effective, professional and sensitive manner.

Other more recent reports (including one released by gay rights organisation Johnny) suggest that people who frequent gay and lesbian establishments feel that the are not doing enough to tackle reported homophobic crime in Ireland, and that should be sent for training in anti-homophobia and heterosexism.

Allegations resulting in Tribunals of Inquiry

In the 1990s and early 2000s the faced a series of allegations, including suggestions of corrupt and dishonest policing in County Donegal
County Donegal

County Donegal is a county located in the west of the Province of Ulster, in the northwest of Ireland. It is one of three counties in the Province of Ulster that do not form part of Northern Ireland....
. This became the subject of a judicial inquiry: the Morris Tribunal
Morris Tribunal

The Morris Tribunal is a Public Inquiry to address allegations of the 1990s and early 2000s against the Garda S?och?na , the national police force of the Republic of Ireland....
. The tribunal found that some County Donegal gardaí had invented an Provisional IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army

The Provisional Irish Republican Army , is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that considers itself a direct continuation of the Irish Republican Army that fought in the Irish War of Independence....
 (IRA) informer, made bombs and claimed credit for locating them, and attempted to frame Raphoe
Raphoe

Raphoe is a town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Republic of Ireland. It is the main town in the fertile district of East Donegal known as the Laggan, as well as giving its name to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe and the Church of Ireland Diocese of Raphoe and Derry....
 publican Frank McBrearty Junior for murder the latter case was recently settled in a €1.5m settlement with the State. In a report to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Ireland)

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is the senior government minister at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the Government of Ireland....
 the Morris Tribunal expressed grave concern about "organised insubordination" within the force that "proper discipline has been lost from ", suggesting that a few mischief-makers have abused their positions within the and used the disciplinary process to damage the force. The tribunal also expressed concern that recruits are brought into an undisciplined culture that has the potential to do great damage to them in the longer term, and warned that a "terrible and costly" waste of talent will occur if the situation continues.

On 20 April 2000, members of the Emergency Response Unit
Emergency Response Unit (Garda)

The Emergency Response Unit of An Garda S?och?na is a specialist armed intervention unit, formed to deal with situations that cannot be handled by regular Garda officers....
 shot dead, from behind, 27-year-old John Carthy
John Carthy

John Carthy was a 27-year-old Irish citizen with a psychiatric illness. On Holy Thursday 20 April 2000 he was shot dead in controversial circumstances by the Emergency Response Unit of An Garda S?och?na at his home in Toneymore, Abbeylara, County Longford, Ireland after a twenty-five hour siege....
 at the end of a 25-hour siege as he left his home in Toneymore, Abbeylara
Abbeylara

Abbeylara is a village in the easternmost portion of County Longford, Republic of Ireland, located about three kilometers east of Granard on the R369 road regional road....
, County Longford
County Longford

Image:Royal Canal Longford long.JPGCounty Longford is a county situated in the Irish Midlands, in northwest Leinster. With an area of 1,091 km? and a population of 34,361, it is Ireland's third smallest county....
 with a loaded shotgun in his hands. There were allegations made of inappropriate handling of the situation and of the overuse of armed force by the ; a "shoot to kill" policy. This led to a inquiry, and subsequently, a Tribunal of Inquiry
Barr Tribunal

The Barr Tribunal was a Public Inquiry established by Resolutions passed by the D?il ?ireann and the Seanad ?ireann on the 17 and 18 April 2002, and by Instrument entitled Tribunals of Inquiry Evidence Acts 1921 Instrument 2002 made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 1 July 2002....
 under the Chairmanship of Mr Justice Robert Barr.

This inquiry (into the facts and circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting - in which four bullets were fired; two by McCabe and two by Sgt Jackson) was established on 1 July 2002, and the hearing of evidence was completed on 7 December 2004. It was expected to report its findings within six months, but publication of its Report was delayed until 20 July 2006. The official findings of the Barr Tribunal
Barr Tribunal

The Barr Tribunal was a Public Inquiry established by Resolutions passed by the D?il ?ireann and the Seanad ?ireann on the 17 and 18 April 2002, and by Instrument entitled Tribunals of Inquiry Evidence Acts 1921 Instrument 2002 made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 1 July 2002....
 were that Sgt Michael Jackson made 14 mistakes in his role as negotiator during the siege, and that he failed to make real efforts to achieve resolution during the armed stand-off. It further stated however that Sgt Jackson was limited by lack of experience and resources (psychologists, solicitors, dogs). The tribunal recommended that there be an urgent review of command structures, and that the ERU be equipped with stun guns and other non-lethal options, including "non-compliant firearms support police dogs". (Non-compliant dogs are 'attack' dogs that will bite or bring a person to the ground on command.)

The Barr tribunal further recommended a formal working arrangement between Gardaí and State psychologists, and improvements in Garda training (especially in the context of ERU in siege situations, including those with mental illness as a factor). This included a recommendation that local superintendents undergo refresher training for one week every year as scene commanders and a similar refresher course for ERU officers of the rank of inspector or superintendent. Commissioner Conroy, in a letter to the family of John Carthy, stated that the force was 'truly apologetic' for his death.

Former Superintendent Joe Shelley, whose failure to interview John Carthy
John Carthy

John Carthy was a 27-year-old Irish citizen with a psychiatric illness. On Holy Thursday 20 April 2000 he was shot dead in controversial circumstances by the Emergency Response Unit of An Garda S?och?na at his home in Toneymore, Abbeylara, County Longford, Ireland after a twenty-five hour siege....
 was cited in The Barr Tribunal
Barr Tribunal

The Barr Tribunal was a Public Inquiry established by Resolutions passed by the D?il ?ireann and the Seanad ?ireann on the 17 and 18 April 2002, and by Instrument entitled Tribunals of Inquiry Evidence Acts 1921 Instrument 2002 made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 1 July 2002....
 Report as "extraordinary", and who was also severely criticised in the Report of the Morris Tribunal
Morris Tribunal

The Morris Tribunal is a Public Inquiry to address allegations of the 1990s and early 2000s against the Garda S?och?na , the national police force of the Republic of Ireland....
 into the controversial death of Richie Barron, was awarded a top-up bonus of €110,000 when he took early retirement in July 2005. Mr Justice Morris described Shelleys probe as "prejudiced, tendentious, utterly negligent in the highest degree".

Allegations involving abuse of powers

One of the first charges of serious impropriety against the force rose out of the handling of the Sallins Train Robbery
Sallins Train Robbery

The Sallins Train Robbery occurred on 31 March 1976 when the Cork to Dublin mail train was robbed near Sallins in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland....
 in 1976; this case eventually led to a serious miscarriage of justice
Miscarriage of justice

A miscarriage of justice is primarily the conviction and punishment of a person for a crime that he or she did not commit. The term can also be applied to errors in the other direction "errors of impunity" and to civil cases, but those usages are rarer, though the occurrences appear to be much more common....
 and accusations of a "Heavy Gang" operating within the force which intimidated and tortured the accused. This eventually led to a Presidential
President of Ireland

The President of Ireland is the head of state of Republic of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms....
 pardon
Pardon

A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it. It is granted by a head of state, such as a monarch or president, or by a competent Roman Catholic Church authority....
 for one of the accused.

In 2004, an RTÉ
RTE

RTE may mean any of:...
 Prime Time
Prime time

Prime time or primetime is the block of television program during the middle of the evening.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period, for example, from 8:00 p.m....
 documentary accused elements within the of abusing their powers by physically assaulting people arrested. A retired Circuit Court
Circuit court

Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions. Originally it meant a court that would hold sessions in multiple locations within its judicial district; the judge or judges would travel in a circuit in order to adjudicate cases across a wide area....
 judge (W. A. Murphy) suggested that some members of the force had committed perjury
Perjury

Category:Limited geographic scopeCategory:USA-centricPerjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or Affirmation in law to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding....
 in criminal trials before him but later stated that he was misquoted, while a Minister of State
Minister of State (Ireland)

A Minister of State , in Republic of Ireland, is a 'junior minister', and is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Department of State of the Government of Ireland....
 (Dick Roche
Dick Roche

Dick Roche is a senior Irish Fianna F?il politician. He is currently a Teachta D?la for Wicklow . Roche has also served in Seanad ?ireann . He is married with four grown-up children....
) (junior government minister) accused Gardaí in one instance of "torture". The Commissioner accused the television programme of lacking balance.

The Prime Time documentary followed footage published by the Independent Media Centre Ireland
Indymedia.ie

Indymedia.ie is an Irish people alternative media website affiliated with the global Independent Media Center network. It operates on the principles of open publishing and the Creative Commons....
 showing scuffles between and Reclaim the Streets
Reclaim the Streets

Reclaim the Streets is a collective with a shared ideal of community ownership of public spaces. Participants characterize the collective as a resistance movement opposed to the dominance of corporation forces in globalisation, and to the automobile as the dominant mode of transport....
 demonstrators. One shown in this footage was later convicted of common assault
Common assault

Common assault was an offence under the common law of England, and seems to now be a statutory offence. It is committed by a person who causes another person to apprehend the immediate use of unlawful violence by the defendant....
 which is a summary matter, while several other were acquitted of all offences.

Allegations involving cross-border policing

The family of Eddie Fullerton
Eddie Fullerton

Edward "Eddie" Fullerton was a Sinn F?in councillor from County Donegal, Ireland. He was killed at his Buncrana home in May 1991 by members of the Ulster Defence Association....
, a Buncrana
Buncrana

Buncrana is a town in County Donegal, the northwest of Republic of Ireland, located on the Inishowen peninsula, along Lough Swilly, 10 kilometres from Derry and 43 kilometres from Letterkenny....
  councillor killed in his home by members of the Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association

The Ulster Defence Association is a Ulster loyalism paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland. Its main objective has been to reject unification of Ireland, seeking to do so through maintenance of the Act of Union 1800....
 in 1991, have criticised the 's handling of the investigation and in 2005 they started a campaign for an inquiry.

The Smithwick Tribunal
Smithwick Tribunal

The Smithwick Tribunal is a judicial inquiry being held in Dublin, Ireland, into the events surrounding the murders of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan of the Royal Ulster Constabulary ....
 is also investigating allegations of collusion following the deaths of two Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary

The Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary , the Belfast Borough Police Force and the Londonderry Borough Police Force ....
 officers killed by the Provisional IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army

The Provisional Irish Republican Army , is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that considers itself a direct continuation of the Irish Republican Army that fought in the Irish War of Independence....
 as they returned from a meeting with the in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 following a recommendation from the Cory Collusion Inquiry
Cory Collusion Inquiry

The Cory Collusion Inquiry was established to conduct an independent inquiry into deaths relating to the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland.A retired Canadian supreme court judge, Peter Cory was appointed to undertake a thorough investigation of allegations of collusion between British and Irish security forces and paramilitaries in six particu...
.

Reform initiatives

Arising from some of the above incidents, the has undergone a number of reform initiatives in recent years. The Morris tribunal in particular identified areas that required redress, and highlighted that reforms were required in order to effect such a redress.

It was also stated by the tribunal Chairman, Mr Justice Morris, that the code of discipline was extremely complex and, at times, "cynically manipulated" to promote indiscipline across the force. Judicial reviews, for example, were cited as a means by which disciplinary action could be delayed.

The Act 2005 was the key vehicle put in place to facilitate change, the provisions for which arise from the fall out and findings of the tribunal and from the events in Donegal and elsewhere.

While fifteen members of the force were sacked between 2001 and 2006, and a further 42 resigned in lieu of dismissal in the same period, Commissioner Conroy stated that he was constrained in the responses available to deal with members whose misbehaviour is cited in public inquiries.

New procedures and code of discipline

With strong support from opposition parties, and reflecting widespread political consensus, the Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Ireland)

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is the senior government minister at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the Government of Ireland....
 responded to many of these issues by announcing a new draft code of discipline on 17 August 2006. The new streamlined code introduced new procedures to enable the Commissioner to summarily dismiss a alleged to have brought the force into disrepute, abandoned duties, compromised the security of the State or unjustifiably infringed the rights of other persons.

In addition, a four member "civilian management advisory team" was appointed on 2 August 2006 to advise on implementing change options and addressing management and leadership challenges facing the . The advisers are also mandated to promote a culture of performance management; succession planning; with the recruitment of civilians with specialist expertise and improving training. The advisory team include Senator Maurice Hayes
Maurice Hayes

Maurice Hayes is an Ireland politician and was an independent member of the 21st and 22nd Seanad ?ireann, nominated as a senator by the Taoiseach....
, Emer Daly (former director of strategic planning and risk management at Axa Insurance), Maurice Keane (former group chief executive at Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland

The Bank of Ireland is a commercial bank operation in Ireland, which is one of the 'Big Four ' in both parts of the island.Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, today Bank of Ireland is number two to Allied Irish Banks....
), Michael Flahive (Assistant Secretary at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Dr Michael Mulreany (assistant director general at the Institute of Public Administration).

Enhanced civilian support


Civilian clerical and administrative support has been significantly enhanced in recent times. In the two-year period from December 2006 to December 2008 civilian staffing levels were increased by over 60% (from under 1,300 to approximately 2,100 in whole-time equivalent terms), in furtherance of government policies to release more desk-bound for operational duties and to bring the level of civilian support in line with international norms. A new tier of senior civilian management is also being introduced in a range of administrative and technical/professional support areas such as human resources, training, information technology, research and analysis, legal affairs, finance and procurement, accommodation and fleet management, and communications/public relations. A civilian Chief Administrative Officer at Deputy Commissioner level was appointed in October 2007 to oversee many of these key support functions, which in time will be largely if not completely managed by civilian staff.

Inspectorate

In accordance with Section 115 of the Act, the Inspectorate consists of three members who are appointed by the Irish Government. The functions of the Inspectorate, inter alia, are as follows:
  • carry out, at the request or with the consent of the Minister, inspections or inquiries in relation to any particular aspects of the operation and administration of the ,
  • submit to the Minister (1) a report on those inspections or inquiries, and (2) if required by the Minister, a report on the operation and administration of the Garda Síochána during a specified period and on any significant developments in that regard during that period, and any such reports will contain recommendations for any action that the Inspectorate considers necessary.
  • provide advice to the Minister with regard to best policing practice.


The first Chief Inspector (since July 2006), is former Commissioner of Boston Police
Boston Police Department

The Boston Police Department has the primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the 20th largest department in the United States and is one of the oldest if not the oldest....
 , Kathleen M. O'Toole
Kathleen O'Toole

Kathleen M. O'Toole is the Chief Inspector of the Garda Inspectorate, set up to audit Ireland's national police force, the Garda S?och?na and report to Ireland's Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on changes to improve efficiency in line with best international practice....
, who reports to the Minister for Justice
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Ireland)

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is the senior government minister at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the Government of Ireland....
.

The two other inspectors are Robert Olsen and Gwen M. Boniface
Gwen M. Boniface

Gwen M. Boniface, Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Order of Ontario, is a Canada police officer, former lawyer, and the former Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police ending in 2006....
. Olsen was Chief of Police for 8 years of the Minneapolis Police Department. Boniface is a former Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police

The Ontario Provincial Police is the state police force for the province of Ontario, Canada....
, and was one of 3 female police commissioners in Canada when appointed in May 1998. She recently suggested that rank and file Gardaí are not equipped to perform their duties or protect themselves properly. She also suggested routine arming may become a reality but dismissed the suggestion that this was currently being considered.

Ombudsman Commission

Also newly instrumented, the replaces the earlier system of complaints (the Complaints Board). Becoming fully operational on 9 May 2007, the Commission is empowered to:
  • Directly and independently investigate complaints against members of the Garda Síochána
  • Investigate any matter, even where no complaint has been made, where it appears that a Garda may have committed an offence or behaved in a way that would justify disciplinary proceedings
  • Investigate any practise, policy or procedure of the with a view to reducing the incidence of related complaints


The are: Justice Kevin Haugh (High Court Judge and Chairman of the Commission), Carmel Foley (former Director of Consumer Affairs), and Conor Brady
Conor Brady

Conor Brady was the editor of The Irish Times for 16 years, between 1986 and 2002, having previously edited the Sunday Tribune. During his tenure at the Times, Ireland's "paper of record", circulation grew from 80,000 to about 120,000....
 (former Editor of The Irish Times
The Irish Times

The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet news paper launched in the late 1850s. The current editor is Geraldine Kennedy, who succeeded Conor Brady in 2002....
 and author of a book on the history of the ).

Public Attitudes to An Garda Siochana


The Garda Public Attitudes Survey 2008, showed 81% of the population were satisfied with the , although 72% believed the service needed improvement, 91% described their local as being approachable.

The poll showed 8% of people believed a Garda has acted unacceptably towards them, the rate was highest in Dublin South Central at 14%, lowest in Mayo at 2%. The most common complaint was of being disrespectful or impolite.

Band


The Band is a public relations branch of the , and was formed shortly after the foundation of the force. It gave its first public performance on Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire

D?n Laoghaire is a suburban seaside town and county town of County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Republic of Ireland.The town is situated some 12 kilometres south of Dublin city centre, and is a major port of entry from Great Britain....
 Pier on Easter Monday
Easter Monday

Easter Monday is the day after Easter and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christianity cultures, especially Roman Catholic Church cultures....
, 1923. The first Band Master was Superintendent
Superintendent (police)

Superintendent , often shortened to "Super", is a rank in Policing in the United Kingdom and in most English-speaking Commonwealth of Nations nations....
 D.J. Delaney and he formed a céilí and pipe band within the Band. In 1938, the Dublin Metropolitan Band (based at Kevin Street
Kevin Street

Kevin Street is an England footballer who currently plays for Altrincham F.C.....
) and the Band amalgamated and were based at the Headquarters in Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park

The Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed urban public park in Europe located 3 km to the north west of Dublin city centre in Ireland. It measures , with a walled circumference of 16 km that contains large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues....
.

The band was disbanded in 1965. However to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the it was reformed in 1972.

Besides providing music for official functions (such as Graduation Ceremonies at the Garda College) the band undertakes a community orientated programme each year performing at schools, festivals and sporting events. It has a long association with Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road

Lansdowne Road was a sports stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union . It was used primarily for rugby union, but also for major association football matches and music concerts....
 for Rugby union
Rugby union

Rugby union is a competitive outdoor contact sport, played with an oval ball, by two teams of 15 players. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league....
 and Soccer
Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players, and is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world....
 Internationals, the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
 and the Rose of Tralee Festival.

In 1964 the band toured America
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 and Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 under Superintendent
Superintendent (police)

Superintendent , often shortened to "Super", is a rank in Policing in the United Kingdom and in most English-speaking Commonwealth of Nations nations....
 J. Moloney, and has also traveled to international events and represented the country at police festivals and concerts in Switzerland, Germany and Northern Ireland.

External links