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Sam Boal

'People are blaming us': Gardaí say scandals are making it harder for them to do their jobs

The general secretary of AGSI said “the finger of blame is pointing downwards without any evidence”.

GARDA SERGEANTS AND inspectors have expressed concern about where the blame will fall as investigations continue into breath tests and fixed charge notices.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) John Jacob said there is a sense that “people are looking at us and they’re blaming us for the current problems that are in An Garda Síochána”.

He said he did not believe the blame would rest with sergeants and inspectors, instead it is likely to fall on processes and training.

“Our members are concerned, and that’s understandable because there is a fear that the finger will be pointed at them and as our president has already said, the finger of blame is pointing downwards without having the evidence and that can’t be correct.”

Of course they’re feeling a little bit under siege, every time you open the paper there’s something new coming. That said, our people are out there doing a thorough job as best they can with the resources they have and they’re committed to delivering a service to the public. It’s not all the fault of the people who are on the frontline that results in scandals and that’s why I keep saying – let these investigations conclude and let us look at the results and then we’ll be in a better position to comment.

At the AGSI conference in Killarney, which kicked off yesterday evening, Sergeant Nicola Brady summed up the mood at her station in Blanchardstown, Co Dublin: “Our job and not just mine, every members’ job is being made a lot more difficult recently with all the negativity that’s on the ground, but ultimately there is a job to be done and is being done and will continue to be done regardless.”

“I live and work in Westport and members of the public wouldn’t say anything to you when you are in uniform. But when you’re off duty people would say it to you; they’d be asking you ‘what is going on in the gardaí?’ They are interested to know how all of this is happening” Sergeant Rory Brennan said.

They are asking ‘where did it all go wrong, how did it come to this?’ And, basically, we don’t have the answers to those questions.

Paul Wallace who is a crime prevention community relations officer in Donegal, told reporters it “dents your confidence” to have allegations “swirling in a vortex above your head”.

“You still have to provide a service to the public. We have to do the best we can, with the resources we have. That hasn’t changed I suppose, it’s the perception is the big one for us.”

Wallace referenced a poll carried out by Red C for AGSI which found 90% of people believe gardaí have a unique and dangerous role.

“There’s no other section of the public service that has to walk down a darkened alleyway as we do and disarm somebody, may be with a knife or something even more sinister – that’s doesn’t happen across the public service routinely,” he said.

“There are frontline services that have to do dangerous work, but I think we’re up there. People know the police do a unique job, we are the thin blue line.”

We’ll have more from the conference in Killarney over the next two days. Follow @michellehtweet for updates.

Read: Children of gardaí subjected to ‘horrendous harassment’ on social media sites>

More: ‘No wonder we feel abandoned’: Gardaí hit out at Minister for being ‘too busy’ for them>

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41 Comments
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    Mute Paul Mc Manus
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:45 AM

    The Garda have brought this on themselves. Even their attitude in general is disgraceful. Completely unapproachable and rude at the best of times. Sorry but I used to defend them with people but over the years I’m afraid I’ve lost a lot of respect for them.

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    Mute David Murphey
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    Apr 11th 2017, 8:39 AM

    @Paul Mc Manus: I haven’t had much dealings with Gardaí , but I never found them to be rude.

    56
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    Mute Christy Nolan
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    Apr 11th 2017, 11:38 AM

    @Paul Mc Manus:
    They get radicalised by their superiors

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    Mute Damian O' Leary
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    Apr 11th 2017, 12:16 PM

    @Paul Mc Manus: used be the same until recently. Was in Killarney and the paddys day parade was on so there was road closures. Approached a guard and explained i was trying to get to a certain hotel, his response.. ‘that’s nice for you’…

    15
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    Mute Karl
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    Apr 11th 2017, 12:34 PM

    @Damian O’ Leary: in all fairness, did you not know the day?

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    Mute Damian O' Leary
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    Apr 11th 2017, 1:14 PM

    @Karl: manners Cost nothing Karl, was only asking the man a question.

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    Mute Gerry Carroll
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:18 AM

    And who else exactly is to blame??? It wasn’t lack of resources that input a million non-existent breathalysers. We the taxpayers who pay the Gardai wages and expenses were denied Garda resources on the streets while all those false breathalysers were being input one by one on computers to make them look good. Certainly there is blame at Management level too which enabled such widespread practices. Why then is endless Enda still fully supporting the commissioner???? In times of crisis, deputy heads will roll (as an absolute last resort in Ireland) but the top dogs are always protected by ‘bullet catchers’ sacrificed instead.

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    Mute Christy Nolan
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    Apr 11th 2017, 11:34 AM

    @Gerry Carroll:
    I blame me granny!

    6
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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:45 AM

    Even now, members of An Garda Siochana continue in some cases to deny and in other cases to justify past misconduct. Many of the problems arise from an abuse of authority and power.

    An Garda Siochana receive immense legal authority and power. It is crucially important that there are effective controls to prevent abuse of power and authority. Part of the rot is due to political policing.

    I once had total trust in An Garda Siochana. I trusted the institution and the members. I no longer trust An Garda Siochana.

    199
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    Mute Tom Fennelly
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:56 AM

    On whose hand was the finger that pointed down the instructions to destroy a man and his entire family with false allegations of him being a pervert and sex predator. Who owned the finger that instructed Clare Daly to be put in handcuffs on the side of the road while the papers were being contacted. Who gave the instructions to have a car drive from Kildare to the Dail to arrest her because she was less than 5mph over the limit?

    216
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    Mute Karl
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    Apr 11th 2017, 12:37 PM

    @Tom Fennelly:
    A, senior management
    B, people should be handcuffed before being placed behind the driver in a garda car. It’s a safety issue
    C, she was arrested for a warrant for failing to appear on court.

    11
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    Mute Tom Fennelly
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    Apr 11th 2017, 5:33 PM
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 24th 2017, 8:23 AM

    @Tom Fennelly: you are ćorrect Tom. You dont handcuff everyone that is arrested and certainly not in Daly’s case.

    2
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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:50 AM

    Guards have always done what they pleased in this country. Seen them pick up mates, sons daughters, smoking in squad cars… Doing what they like in heavy traffic to get ahead or home. All this culminates and when the hardened criminal r drug dealer gets one over on them, they vent their annoyance and authority unnecessarily on law abiding Joe public.
    Sort yourselves out , you are in trouble with yourselves

    205
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    Mute Karl
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    Apr 11th 2017, 12:39 PM

    @Eugene Walsh: Jesus, a cop smoking? Well I never.

    Certainly wouldn’t see that in every other country in the world

    17
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    Mute DeFonz
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:22 AM

    Don’t come all Garda Diddums on us.

    This line should not be allowed to wash.

    What the public are sick of is that you have not been doing your job.

    You are tied up with corrupt parts of society and you are unaccountable.

    Once these matters are sorted out, public support will return ( with no need for bleating).

    198
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    Mute Eddie Kelly
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    Apr 11th 2017, 7:14 AM

    No, it’s because of the way they behaved during the water protests. I’ve met some genuinely lovely Guards, but the ones covering the protests were a disgrace.

    137
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    Mute Lucille Ball
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    Apr 11th 2017, 7:08 AM

    Gardai on the ground get what they deserve, I saw them in action during water protests… they(gardai)were a disgrace to humanity with their bully boy tactics.. I’ve no sympathy for them..

    144
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    Mute mickmc
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:51 AM

    If the cap fits wear it. While I not saying it was the average guard on the street that came up with the idea of fake breath test the AGSI member must have know what was going on. If they didn’t can you have any faith in them as officers of the law if they can’t see that practice going on right under their noses.

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    Mute Willy Malone
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:37 AM

    Who’s to blame so ?

    87
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    Mute The Irish Bull
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    Apr 11th 2017, 8:26 AM

    No sympathy for most of them. Law unto themselves since the founding of the state.

    75
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    Mute CatManDo
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:58 AM

    The Gardai are corrupt and incompetent. Absolutely zero respect for any of them.

    145
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    Mute Kevin Slater
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    Apr 11th 2017, 8:13 AM

    So the commissioner went out on her own and breathalysed 1m drivers?

    69
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    Mute Gulliver Foyle
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    Apr 11th 2017, 8:07 AM

    Not one delegate had come out and said the gardai need to regain the trust of the public, either by being fully accountable, or requesting that there needs to be a watchdog over them with teeth and power. While they would like these jollies to talk about pay and equipment, they have to bite the bullet and admit they as a whole are not fit for purpose, and have completely lost the respect of those they are supposed to serve.

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    Mute Neal, not Neil.
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    Apr 11th 2017, 7:56 AM

    We need to stop blaming the Gardai for the stuff that the Gardai do.

    74
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    Mute Breandán O Conchúir
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    Apr 11th 2017, 8:43 AM

    How dare people have concerns about the long list of scandals. We have a hard job you know so sometimes we need to be let do what we want to who we want.

    And don’t take pictures of us manhandling people, it makes us look bad when people see us abuse our power

    58
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    Mute john
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    Apr 11th 2017, 6:53 AM

    Ye have a neck like a jockeys bol….!
    and can do no wrong . Worry not old school Ireland will protect ye.

    87
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    Mute The Clarifier
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    Apr 11th 2017, 9:43 AM

    Jonny Public might have more respect if the AGSI actually had an opinion on anything. McCabe is a Sergeant who is represented by this crowd, anyone heard them defend him or speak out against bullying in the force? Not a dicky bird from them or GRA. Protecting themselves and their monopolies as usual

    46
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    Mute Karl
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    Apr 11th 2017, 12:33 PM

    @The Clarifier: he is not a member of agsi. Not all sergeants are

    6
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    Mute Darren Mccarthy
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    Apr 11th 2017, 9:41 AM

    Tell that to anyone who lost a family member to drink driving while your lot were sitting in the station falsely recording checkpoints and tests. Maybe if you done your job and stop crying about money all the bloody time…

    34
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    Mute Paul
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    Apr 11th 2017, 11:36 AM

    @Darren Mccarthy: or maybe if the drunk driver wasn’t drunk……

    14
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    Mute Tom Goss
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    Apr 11th 2017, 9:31 AM

    With regard the Gardai (and our politicians and bankers…) too many people have experienced aggression, non-compliance with their own laws and rules…and a general sense that we are their subordinates, with the expectation that we should behave as such.

    Instead of orchestrating yet another media campaign designed to deflect blame onto us and get people even more divided, it would be better for all involved if our supposed ‘superiors’ would finally just get it into their heads that they’re not.

    26
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    Mute oliverjumelle
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    Apr 11th 2017, 2:42 PM

    Look. The day my sister was stopped for holding a moblie phone while driving. Which she was not. That was the day i lost all respect for gardai. When she questioned him about it. He hesitated before saying he saw her. When she rang the garda station to have the fpn cancelled they backed up the garda! Thats why so many people have penalty points on there licenses! Its due to gardai being able to bully motorists into fines and points. And if anyone fights them! Its conviction= 5 penalty points and 400 fine.

    16
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 24th 2017, 8:27 AM

    @oliverjumelle: how do you know your sister wasn’t holding a mobile? Were you there?

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    Mute Peter Whelan
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    Apr 11th 2017, 10:08 AM

    Aw lads my heart bleeds for you, who do you think is responsible for this mess so the bus men?You deserve what your getting you deserve it

    28
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    Mute BERTIE
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    Apr 11th 2017, 11:57 AM

    Garda: Do you know why I stopped you sir?

    Me: Because you did sh 1te in your leaving cert?

    16
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    Mute Les Behan
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    Apr 11th 2017, 10:28 AM

    Not only are they corrupt, they are extremely whiny too!

    23
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    Mute Dan Henry
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    Apr 11th 2017, 9:50 PM

    Who’s blaming who Garda

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    Mute The Clarifier
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    Apr 11th 2017, 9:40 AM

    Jonny Publ

    1
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