What is being a garda like?

dylans · 18-11-2014 2:55am #1

Hi.
I am interested in working with the guards when I leave school and get a degree in college (hopefully in Psychology), which won't be for a good few years, but I am interested in knowing what it is like, especially from a woman's perspective, as I am female.

I know that you must work for three years before applying for a promotion or a specialist unit. I was wondering what specialist units there are, and what it is like for the first three years?

What are the hours like, and is it a rewarding job? I would be interested as I want to work in law enforcement. I think I have good interpersonal skills, a lot of empathy and good communication and language skills. I am typically an A or B grade student. Would this help me qualify?

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I appreciate any answers.

King Ludvig · 18-11-2014 10:55pm

Have a look at the careers portal page. Its a bit dated at this stage, but still relevant, theres video interviews with members talking about the job you can have a look at.

http://www.careersportal.ie/careers/detail.php?job_id=200#.VGvAADSsWSp

Good Buddy · 20-11-2014 10:25am

dylans wrote: »

Hi.
I am interested in working with the guards when I leave school and get a degree in college (hopefully in Psychology), which won't be for a good few years, but I am interested in knowing what it is like, especially from a woman's perspective, as I am female.

I know that you must work for three years before applying for a promotion or a specialist unit. I was wondering what specialist units there are, and what it is like for the first three years?

What are the hours like, and is it a rewarding job? I would be interested as I want to work in law enforcement. I think I have good interpersonal skills, a lot of empathy and good communication and language skills. I am typically an A or B grade student. Would this help me qualify?

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I appreciate any answers.

I hear the salary is now woeful and progression very slow. It's a consideration especially if you are well qualified and can earn 2 or 3 times Garda pay.

TheNog · 20-11-2014 8:45pm

dylans wrote: »

Hi.
I am interested in working with the guards when I leave school and get a degree in college (hopefully in Psychology), which won't be for a good few years, but I am interested in knowing what it is like, especially from a woman's perspective, as I am female.

I would advise definitely go to college first, get your degree and gain some life experience. Also would advise to live life a bit before joining. Shift work is demanding and you would be working when most of your friends are out on a Saturday night.

I would also suggest you talk to as many Gardai about the job as you can. Some Gardai will hate the job, some will love it and some are indifferent. Every one will have an opinion on the job so talking to as many people as you can will give you a better idea if it suits you or not. I am a male so cannot give you a female perspective.

I cannot say this enough to people but this job is not for everyone.

I know that you must work for three years before applying for a promotion or a specialist unit. I was wondering what specialist units there are, and what it is like for the first three years?

There are plenty of specialist units focusing on very different aspects of the job. You have to know the scope of AGS role is enormous varying from public order, fraud, domestic violence unit, surveillance, ERU, Drugs, local Detective, Special Detective Unit, Dog unit, Air Support etc I could go on and on. If you found yourself in the job in a few years you will develop a taste for one or more part of the job and go with that.

It is difficult to get into a specialist unit but can be done.

What are the hours like, and is it a rewarding job? I would be interested as I want to work in law enforcement. I think I have good interpersonal skills, a lot of empathy and good communication and language skills. I am typically an A or B grade student. Would this help me qualify?

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I appreciate any answers.

The hours are 10 hr shifts with 6 days on and 4 days off. The 6 days on are a bitch and the 4 days off go too quick

.

Is it a rewarding job? For me it most certainly is. My last job was a great job with great money working in the computer industry but I hated it. I hated going to the same place, meeting the same people (good people mind) and doing the same thing more or less day in, day out. I love being in AGS because of the variety. Every day is more or less different and you never know what you will be doing in 10 minutes time which is a fecker when you make plans to meet witnesses. Include absolute boredom on occasion to pure adrenaline 5 minutes later. Also you will have great days and really really bad days. So long as the good days outweigh the bad days I will be happy.

EganTheMan · 20-11-2014 8:53pm

Any work dealing with the public can be really rewarding, fulfilling yet challenging.

I would advise you to speak to as many Gardaí as you can but, as TheNog says, shift work is not easy - your life tends to be "at odds" with everyone else's routine . . . e.g. You're going to bed when people are heading to work . . .

A third level Qualification gives you loads of options - I really feel sorry for kids that abandon secondary school without even a Leaving - they are closing down so may avenues for themselves.

Well done on doing your research and inviting people's opinions . . . .

D Trent · 20-11-2014 11:31pm

TheNog wrote: »

I would advise definitely go to college first, get your degree and gain some life experience. Also would advise to live life a bit before joining. Shift work is demanding and you would be working when most of your friends are out on a Saturday night.

I would also suggest you talk to as many Gardai about the job as you can. Some Gardai will hate the job, some will love it and some are indifferent. Every one will have an opinion on the job so talking to as many people as you can will give you a better idea if it suits you or not. I am a male so cannot give you a female perspective.

I cannot say this enough to people but this job is not for everyone.

There are plenty of specialist units focusing on very different aspects of the job. You have to know the scope of AGS role is enormous varying from public order, fraud, domestic violence unit, surveillance, ERU, Drugs, local Detective, Special Detective Unit, Dog unit, Air Support etc I could go on and on. If you found yourself in the job in a few years you will develop a taste for one or more part of the job and go with that.

It is difficult to get into a specialist unit but can be done.

The hours are 10 hr shifts with 6 days on and 4 days off. The 6 days on are a bitch and the 4 days off go too quick .

Is it a rewarding job? For me it most certainly is. My last job was a great job with great money working in the computer industry but I hated it. I hated going to the same place, meeting the same people (good people mind) and doing the same thing more or less day in, day out. I love being in AGS because of the variety. Every day is more or less different and you never know what you will be doing in 10 minutes time which is a fecker when you make plans to meet witnesses. Include absolute boredom on occasion to pure adrenaline 5 minutes later. Also you will have great days and really really bad days. So long as the good days outweigh the bad days I will be happy.

An excellent and very informative post.
Thank you

dylans · 23-11-2014 3:23am

TheNog wrote: »

I would advise definitely go to college first, get your degree and gain some life experience. Also would advise to live life a bit before joining. Shift work is demanding and you would be working when most of your friends are out on a Saturday night.

I would also suggest you talk to as many Gardai about the job as you can. Some Gardai will hate the job, some will love it and some are indifferent. Every one will have an opinion on the job so talking to as many people as you can will give you a better idea if it suits you or not. I am a male so cannot give you a female perspective.

I cannot say this enough to people but this job is not for everyone.

There are plenty of specialist units focusing on very different aspects of the job. You have to know the scope of AGS role is enormous varying from public order, fraud, domestic violence unit, surveillance, ERU, Drugs, local Detective, Special Detective Unit, Dog unit, Air Support etc I could go on and on. If you found yourself in the job in a few years you will develop a taste for one or more part of the job and go with that.

It is difficult to get into a specialist unit but can be done.

The hours are 10 hr shifts with 6 days on and 4 days off. The 6 days on are a bitch and the 4 days off go too quick .

Is it a rewarding job? For me it most certainly is. My last job was a great job with great money working in the computer industry but I hated it. I hated going to the same place, meeting the same people (good people mind) and doing the same thing more or less day in, day out. I love being in AGS because of the variety. Every day is more or less different and you never know what you will be doing in 10 minutes time which is a fecker when you make plans to meet witnesses. Include absolute boredom on occasion to pure adrenaline 5 minutes later. Also you will have great days and really really bad days. So long as the good days outweigh the bad days I will be happy.

Thank you very much, I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me all this!
I agree, I don't want to miss out on the college experience, and according to a Garda I talked to before, you get paid more with a degree, which is always a bonus.

FGR · 23-11-2014 5:58pm

dylans wrote: »

Thank you very much, I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me all this!
I agree, I don't want to miss out on the college experience, and according to a Garda I talked to before, you get paid more with a degree, which is always a bonus.

TheNog summed it up quite nicely. The most important thing to do is think about how a career in AGS will affect you as a person.

You must consider whether you can afford to work shift patterns, work Christmas/Easter/St Patrick's Day i.e. any day that your friends and family will be having fun. You also need to consider whether you'll be willing to move to potentially any part of the country as you'll be stationed wherever you are required.

The job itself will be challenging but also rewarding. Opportunities are few and far at the moment but like everything they will return. Do you enjoy teamwork but also have a personal drive to achieve goals? Many decisions will be your own however you'll have to stand over each and every one. You'll be required to account for yourself and of those with you - regardless of not being allocated the same amount of time for those decisions as the ones who'll be going through them with a fine tooth comb the following day.

If you feel you're up for it - go for it. You'll reap the rewards. Mind my asking where you'd like to see yourself after you join AGS?

Alfasudcrazy · 23-11-2014 10:58pm

Well it is a rewarding job - at least I found it so (retired last year) but there are many in the force who hate it or are indifferent to it which can be a bit of a pain if your interested in the job and want to get ahead. But don't ever do it for the money as it is not so good now but I am sure it will return to an OK level eventually. Money is a very bad motivating factor anyway in my opinion.
Many Gardai joining now have degree's too so don't expect that to be an exceptional qualification within the force.

It can be a stressful job with shift work, heavy paperwork and computer work. You always have to be thinking 10 steps ahead all the time with every case. You especially have to watch legal deadlines as many summary cases are statute barred after 6 months. It can be an organisation that loads up hard workers with work (more than they can do sometimes) while it leaves dossers relax so you have to be careful not to allow yourself to be abused in this regard.
Bullying and harrassment can be an issue as some recent high profile cases highlighted and internal procedures and managerial appetite for dealing with these issues properly are lacking in my opinion.
Advancement as in promotions is slow. I was promoted to sergeant after 15 years service but I was a bit lazy doing the sergeants exam but the best you can expect for promotion to sergeant is 8 years. Specialist unit vacancies arise more often in the larger cities - mainly Dublin. Elsewhere you should take it on board before you join that you may never gain admission to a specialist unit. Everybody wants to be in a specialist unit these days but I loved being just a regular uniformed Garda and Sergeant and never wanted anything else so from my perspective the uniformed section has a lot going for it in its own right and joining a specialist unit can narrow the diversity of the experience you would get in uniform.

Flynners89 · 05-12-2014 5:57pm

Hi quick question. I'm a current applicant, all stages done and waiting to be called. Obviously the pay starting out isn't great and with rent allowance gone things may be tougher. If there are any current serving members on here can you confirm if it's through that the overtime does help financially. If so how much roughly would you be lookin at at then end of each month in overtone pay etc? Cheers.

kjbsrah1 · 05-12-2014 6:13pm

Flynners89 wrote: »

Hi quick question. I'm a current applicant, all stages done and waiting to be called. Obviously the pay starting out isn't great and with rent allowance gone things may be tougher. If there are any current serving members on here can you confirm if it's through that the overtime does help financially. If so how much roughly would you be lookin at at then end of each month in overtone pay etc? Cheers.

Overtime does exist, but it is not widely available. Its generally available for attending court. It used to be available for special crime patrols, burglary patrols and weekend public order patrols. But with the cut backs, these are not incorporated into the working units detail - meaning that regularly the members who might call to take details of an assault or another incident, are now directed to patrol a particular area at a given time. As opposed to members on OT patroling areas for the full 10 hours leaving the regular members to deal with all other calls. OT might be available for a resting unit when something comes up unexpectedly - such as policing the water protests at the minute, a prisoner escort [if your station is near a prison], or for door-to-door enquires after a serious incident [such as a murder].

Going to court now involves loads of paper work and so a member generally only has to attend on hearing dates whereas previously, the member had to attend on each and every court date - turned into OT if those court date fell on resting dates.

You would not want to depend on ANY overtime at all, as many rosters you may be looking at a maximum of 5 or 6 hours if any at all. As it currently stands, with the Haddington Road Agreement, we have to work 3 x 10 hour shifts as well as 10 singular hours for free, and it can take a while to work those hours up before you can look at being able to claim OT. Also, if you are required to take training or attend a course on a rest day or that might be expected to incurr OT, you may well find that your local Superintendent will not pay OT but will insist on Time Off In Lieu [TOIL]. So getting OT not something that can be 'banked' on.

Also, the situation with OT will be dependant on your District, whether you are in a City or country area, and dependant on how busy your station is. As well as how tight the hold is on the purse strings by your station Financial Officer [not just the Supt]...

Flynners89 · 05-12-2014 8:40pm

kjbsrah1 wrote: »

Overtime does exist, but it is not widely available. Its generally available for attending court. It used to be available for special crime patrols, burglary patrols and weekend public order patrols. But with the cut backs, these are not incorporated into the working units detail - meaning that regularly the members who might call to take details of an assault or another incident, are now directed to patrol a particular area at a given time. As opposed to members on OT patroling areas for the full 10 hours leaving the regular members to deal with all other calls. OT might be available for a resting unit when something comes up unexpectedly - such as policing the water protests at the minute, a prisoner escort [if your station is near a prison], or for door-to-door enquires after a serious incident [such as a murder].

Going to court now involves loads of paper work and so a member generally only has to attend on hearing dates whereas previously, the member had to attend on each and every court date - turned into OT if those court date fell on resting dates.

You would not want to depend on ANY overtime at all, as many rosters you may be looking at a maximum of 5 or 6 hours if any at all. As it currently stands, with the Haddington Road Agreement, we have to work 3 x 10 hour shifts as well as 10 singular hours for free, and it can take a while to work those hours up before you can look at being able to claim OT. Also, if you are required to take training or attend a course on a rest day or that might be expected to incurr OT, you may well find that your local Superintendent will not pay OT but will insist on Time Off In Lieu [TOIL]. So getting OT not something that can be 'banked' on.

Also, the situation with OT will be dependant on your District, whether you are in a City or country area, and dependant on how busy your station is. As well as how tight the hold is on the purse strings by your station Financial Officer [not just the Supt]...

Cheers for the reply. And wat about nights and Sunday's?

Officer Giggles · 05-12-2014 8:52pm

Flynners89 wrote: »

Cheers for the reply. And wat about nights and Sunday's?

You get double pay for Sundays and an allowance for working between 6pm and 8am, not a whole lot though

joe912 · 05-12-2014 8:56pm

I thought this thread would be a lot funnier.

wannabegard · 05-12-2014 9:12pm

Keep in mind that the garda as well as any public service job is incredibly diffiult to get into. I am currently in band 2 for the recruitment process. I have no idea if i will get called for the next stage. The initial aptitude tests are incredibily difficult and i am lucky to have even gotten as far as i have. I know people who have been elimanated from the process already.
Also i dont know if some gardaí disagree with me on this but if you do not know any gardaí you might consider applying for the garda reserve.I understand the feeling some people have toward the reserve but from personal experience it is a great way to get to know some gardaí and to see what the job is like. Be under no illusions about the fact that you are not a police officer while on duty but you get the see what the job is like first hand.
Keep in mind that this job is incredibly difficult to get into. I recently appilied for the PSNI to try and get in there but i was not successful. I am currently considering upping ship to the UK and doing my three years there so i can be eligable to join a UK police force. Pratice psycometric tests every day and get good at them. you will need to be highly proficent in them. Best of luck,

kjbsrah1 · 05-12-2014 9:33pm

Officer Giggles wrote: »

You get double pay for Sundays and an allowance for working between 6pm and 8am, not a whole lot though

But you work them as part of your roster - typically two sundays and two or three saturdays in the roster - the roster is four weeks long. A saturday is worth €15 euro before tax and the sunday is worth more but i can't remember off hand, but its the only day worth working, albeit an eight hour shift and not a ten hour one. Its the only eight hour shift in the whole roster.

The night allowance are not worth mentioning. After tax you hardly notice it anyway!

hopeful8 · 05-12-2014 11:10pm

Flynners89 wrote: »

Hi quick question. I'm a current applicant, all stages done and waiting to be called. Obviously the pay starting out isn't great and with rent allowance gone things may be tougher. If there are any current serving members on here can you confirm if it's through that the overtime does help financially. If so how much roughly would you be lookin at at then end of each month in overtone pay etc? Cheers.

As in any job of course ot helps. I can tell you this 100% the average amount of overtime in stations in my division is not 50 hours a year. Take that as 4 hours a roster you're talking a tenner a week, I've 7 years service, ot for anyone around my service pays a tenner an hour.

mycro89 · 05-12-2014 11:41pm

wannabegard wrote: »

Keep in mind that the garda as well as any public service job is incredibly diffiult to get into. I am currently in band 2 for the recruitment process. I have no idea if i will get called for the next stage. The initial aptitude tests are incredibily difficult and i am lucky to have even gotten as far as i have. I know people who have been elimanated from the process already.
Also i dont know if some gardaí disagree with me on this but if you do not know any gardaí you might consider applying for the garda reserve.I understand the feeling some people have toward the reserve but from personal experience it is a great way to get to know some gardaí and to see what the job is like. Be under no illusions about the fact that you are not a police officer while on duty but you get the see what the job is like first hand.
Keep in mind that this job is incredibly difficult to get into. I recently appilied for the PSNI to try and get in there but i was not successful. I am currently considering upping ship to the UK and doing my three years there so i can be eligable to join a UK police force. Pratice psycometric tests every day and get good at them. you will need to be highly proficent in them. Best of luck,[/quote

Have you sat the stage 2 assessments yet?

Alfasudcrazy · 06-12-2014 2:25am

Anyone got a link for the psycometric tests that most closely reflect the Garda one? Id like to do one for the crack.

wannabegard · 06-12-2014 4:45pm

mycro89 wrote: »

wannabegard wrote: »

Keep in mind that the garda as well as any public service job is incredibly diffiult to get into. I am currently in band 2 for the recruitment process. I have no idea if i will get called for the next stage. The initial aptitude tests are incredibily difficult and i am lucky to have even gotten as far as i have. I know people who have been elimanated from the process already.
Also i dont know if some gardaí disagree with me on this but if you do not know any gardaí you might consider applying for the garda reserve.I understand the feeling some people have toward the reserve but from personal experience it is a great way to get to know some gardaí and to see what the job is like. Be under no illusions about the fact that you are not a police officer while on duty but you get the see what the job is like first hand.
Keep in mind that this job is incredibly difficult to get into. I recently appilied for the PSNI to try and get in there but i was not successful. I am currently considering upping ship to the UK and doing my three years there so i can be eligable to join a UK police force. Pratice psycometric tests every day and get good at them. you will need to be highly proficent in them. Best of luck,[/quote

Have you sat the stage 2 assessments yet?

No mate i havent heard anything about stage 2. Im on the waiting list to do it. No idea when that will be. Im not feeling that hopeful tbh...

wannabegard · 06-12-2014 4:46pm

Alfasudcrazy wrote: »

Anyone got a link for the psycometric tests that most closely reflect the Garda one? Id like to do one for the crack.

Get onto careers services . com. You can buy aptitude tests of them. Itll cost ya but they are the best ones.

ann.lewis · 06-12-2014 5:06pm

Just have a google for Analytical Reasoning aptitude tests and Verbal Reasoning. There's plenty of free ones, don't be paying for any if you only want to have a go to see what they were like.

mycro89 · 07-12-2014 2:05pm

wannabegard wrote: »

mycro89 wrote: »

No mate i havent heard anything about stage 2. Im on the waiting list to do it. No idea when that will be. Im not feeling that hopeful tbh...

Ok, who knows what will happen.....

wannabegard · 07-12-2014 10:07pm

Just dont put all your eggs into one basket. I did and now im screwed.

whoahya · 09-12-2014 10:23pm

wannabegard wrote: »

Just dont put all your eggs into one basket. I did and now im screwed.

When did you do stage one, so?
That was in January wasnt it

How could you not have heard of anything since then?
I mean, even if you failed you would have been let know that
you were not going to progress any further...

wannabegard · 09-12-2014 10:27pm

I didnt fail technically but i dont know how long i will be waiting until i get called for stage 2. I kind of committed to getting into the gards once i finished my undergraduate and did a masters in criminal justice to get through the year. When i ended up in band 2 that kind of destroyed my plans. I could be waiting about 2 or 3 years. At the moment im not too sure about what im going to do with myself. Im considering going and doing a social work quailification but i really truly dont know what to do next. My hands are tied when i go in as a garda reserve as i want to take the next step in my career.

whoahya · 09-12-2014 10:32pm

wannabegard wrote: »

I didnt fail technically but i dont know how long i will be waiting until i get called for stage 2. I kind of committed to getting into the gards once i finished my undergraduate and did a masters in criminal justice to get through the year. When i ended up in band 2 that kind of destroyed my plans. I could be waiting about 2 or 3 years. At the moment im not too sure about what im going to do with myself. Im considering going and doing a social work quailification but i really truly dont know what to do next. My hands are tied when i go in as a garda reserve as i want to take the next step in my career.

But when did you actually do stage one?
I know I did my stage one in January...

wannabegard · 09-12-2014 11:28pm

Ya around the same time

whoahya · 09-12-2014 11:31pm

wannabegard wrote: »

Ya around the same time

There must have been some kind of mistake.
Pass or fail, you should have gotten your results 2-3 weeks
after doing the assessment. In an email

wannabegard · 09-12-2014 11:35pm

I passed but didnt score high enough to get to the next stage

whoahya · 09-12-2014 11:41pm

wannabegard wrote: »

I passed but didnt score high enough to get to the next stage

You should email them to find out, just for peace of mind.
Theres always next time anyway, as long as youre still in your twenties

What is being a garda like?

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