Roads Policing scandal

[marhay70]

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/08 ... we-report/



Don't know how many people will be surprised, let alone shocked by this revelation. Whatever about the odd speed trap, tax checkpoint, the no. of Gardaí who will pick up the normal offences like parking, illegal lighting, tyres etc, seems to be diminishing fast.

[Bubblypop]

'A number of gardai were also reported "eagerly" looking forward to retirement.'

Can't say I blame them

[BrianD3]

It's the age old public sector problem and what has been described in the article will likely be familiar to anyone with experience of the sector with some organisations being worse than others. Plenty of great staff doing their best in chaotic conditions but also plenty of dead wood lifers, counting down the day to their pension, 20 years before they reach the minimum age.

I'm acquainted with couple of Gardai, one a sergeant and we have compared experiences.

it's adversarial and shambolic and there are various self perpetuating, chicken and egg scenarios - what comes first, demotivated staff or inept management? What comes first, inadequate resources or poor use of resources resulting in fewer resources being allocated as "they'll just waste what we give them".

See HSE. As bad as the HSE is though, their contractors are worse IME, on the other site I have posted extensively about my experience with despicable homecare workers engaging in everything from psychological abuse of clients to record falsification and defrauding the taxpayer. At least we'll never see AGS outsourcing policing - or will we.

[marhay70]

It's the age old public sector problem and what has been described in the article will likely be familiar to anyone with experience of the sector with some organisations being worse than others. Plenty of great staff doing their best in chaotic conditions but also plenty of dead wood lifers, counting down the day to their pension, 20 years before they reach the minimum age.

I'm acquainted with couple of Gardai, one a sergeant and we have compared experiences.

it's adversarial and shambolic and there are various self perpetuating, chicken and egg scenarios - what comes first, demotivated staff or inept management? What comes first, inadequate resources or poor use of resources resulting in fewer resources being allocated as "they'll just waste what we give them".

See HSE. As bad as the HSE is though, their contractors are worse IME, on the other site I have posted extensively about my experience with despicable homecare workers engaging in everything from psychological abuse of clients to record falsification and defrauding the taxpayer. At least we'll never see AGS outsourcing policing - or will we.

From the report I heard, it seems middle management sees no point in calling out the perpetrators, as no action will be taken. They will then be "snitches" among the officers they have to work with, but when you hear of ANPR cameras, which could be instrumental in apprehending serious criminals, being virtually turned off, it amounts to a serious breach of discipline which needs to be dealt with ASAP. Even more shocking, IMO. is that the Senior Officer being interviewed in the matter didn't seem to have a set course of action to take. Something is rotten

[The big fella]

It's all down to the supervision, let's face it ,in any job if you can get away with it ,your going to do it ,

[NattyO]

The Gardaí find themselves in a peculiar position. An organisation that was once respected by much of the population, and feared by the rest, has lost it's way badly. From the constant drip feed of incompetence (the Sophie Toscan de Plantier case, the Tina Satchwell case etc.) the corruption (the above story, the more breath tests done that breathalyzers bought story, the 3,000 domestic violence calls cancelled etc.) and the individual scumbaggery (the Guard that tried to have a woman and her daughters raped, the lad that participated in a porn film, the one that sexually abused his partners two kids, the one that was drug dealing, the one that assaulted his partner etc. etc. etc.). They are now seen in a poor light by a large section of the law-abiding population, who would once have seen them as "pillars of the community" - the traffic corps are widely seen as glorified tax collectors, the beat gardai as uncaring with a "sure there's nothing we can do" attitude, and the public order unit as thugs.
It is a pity, as there are so many brilliant individuals, Gardaí who genuinely care about the job and the public, and want to do their best. I have a close friend who is a guard, and he has lost his love for the job like so many others. He feels that the sins of the judiciary (suspended sentences, sex crimes being treated as misdemeanors, thought crime legislation etc.) are visited upon the Gardaí in many people's minds, and I think he is correct on that. He also feels that the appointment of Drew Harris was a huge mistake, and one that will live long in the memories.
Hard to see where exactly they went wrong, and how to arrest the slide (forgive the pun), but at the current rate, public disaffection will only grow, and recruitment, both quantity and quality, will get worse.

[marhay70]

The Gardaí find themselves in a peculiar position. An organisation that was once respected by much of the population, and feared by the rest, has lost it's way badly. From the constant drip feed of incompetence (the Sophie Toscan de Plantier case, the Tina Satchwell case etc.) the corruption (the above story, the more breath tests done that breathalyzers bought story, the 3,000 domestic violence calls cancelled etc.) and the individual scumbaggery (the Guard that tried to have a woman and her daughters raped, the lad that participated in a porn film, the one that sexually abused his partners two kids, the one that was drug dealing, the one that assaulted his partner etc. etc. etc.). They are now seen in a poor light by a large section of the law-abiding population, who would once have seen them as "pillars of the community" - the traffic corps are widely seen as glorified tax collectors, the beat gardai as uncaring with a "sure there's nothing we can do" attitude, and the public order unit as thugs.
It is a pity, as there are so many brilliant individuals, Gardaí who genuinely care about the job and the public, and want to do their best. I have a close friend who is a guard, and he has lost his love for the job like so many others. He feels that the sins of the judiciary (suspended sentences, sex crimes being treated as misdemeanors, thought crime legislation etc.) are visited upon the Gardaí in many people's minds, and I think he is correct on that. He also feels that the appointment of Drew Harris was a huge mistake, and one that will live long in the memories.
Hard to see where exactly they went wrong, and how to arrest the slide (forgive the pun), but at the current rate, public disaffection will only grow, and recruitment, both quantity and quality, will get worse.

Their behaviour at public protests leaves a lot to be desired too, sending the ERU and other "specialty" units as first responders to hitherto quiet rural towns and villages has further removed the picture of the friendly local Garda, from public consciousness.

[Bubblypop]

Their behaviour at public protests leaves a lot to be desired too, sending the ERU and other "specialty" units as first responders to hitherto quiet rural towns and villages has further removed the picture of the friendly local Garda, from public consciousness.

Never happened. The ERU have never been sent to deal with public protests

[ceannairceach]

Their behaviour at public protests leaves a lot to be desired too, sending the ERU and other "specialty" units as first responders to hitherto quiet rural towns and villages has further removed the picture of the friendly local Garda, from public consciousness.

I’m assuming you’ve been “told” this never happened???

https://extra.ie/2024/09/19/news/irish- ... ion-dublin

[marhay70]

I’m assuming you’ve been “told” this never happened???

https://extra.ie/2024/09/19/news/irish- ... ion-dublin

On the contrary, my nephew is part of the protest movement in one of those rural villages and he reports that the POU from the nearest town is very often the firs to arrive.

[ceannairceach]

On the contrary, my nephew is part of the protest movement in one of those rural villages and he reports that the POU from the nearest town is very often the firs to arrive.

Oh I well believe you - i just find it hilarious that the usual suspects trot out the “nope never happened” when anyone with a brain and questions know it does.

There’s none so blind etc ….

[Hadjibey]

The heavy handed action of Garda units during the water charge protests really alienated the Gardai from the public at a time when calls for Garda assistance at other incidents was met with "no one available" from the local station

[Bubblypop]

I’m assuming you’ve been “told” this never happened???

https://extra.ie/2024/09/19/news/irish- ... ion-dublin

Public order units are not ERU. it amazes me the amount of people stating things as facts when they clearly don't understand the first thing about them.

[ceannairceach]

Public order units are not ERU. it amazes me the amount of people stating things as facts when they clearly don't understand the first thing about them.

I’m genuinely amazed at people ego are go fcking arrogant they can’t have a debate, they simply tell others how wrong they are.

And back in on ignore because I came here to get away from Boards.

[Bubblypop]

I’m genuinely amazed at people ego are go fcking arrogant they can’t have a debate, they simply tell others how wrong they are.

And back in on ignore because I came here to get away from Boards.

You learn something by reading posters that know more then you do, of course if you don't want to learn anything, you should put everyone on ignore and just shout into the open yourself.