New Powers

EnterNow wrote: »

Grand so aside from whatever R.85's I submit, the college hours & probationary 40 will be added on top? Cool. Finally, does the minimum hour period begin from when the initial training begins?

If you are fully attested what ever hours you done training, plus your 40 hrs station training they will be added to your total hours, if you do over your 208 hrs for the year you do not get paid for the extra hrs worked, they are down to yourself.

Your yearly account starts from the first day in collage, so if you say started the 30th May 2012, your r85 will be due to be sent away 30th May 2013.

Yep got an email about it last week, seems like the upskilling, as its called in the documentation will cover public order, theft, child protection, domestic violence and more road traffic legislation. New powers won't be rolled out until all attested reserves have completed the training. From what I've been told Feb 13 is when the new powers will become operational for reserves on the streets.

Gsk2011 wrote: »

I dont know if the new powers are a good or bad thing, If we have those powers will it put off full time recruitment even longer as they will have us doing it for free.

The few times reserves are fully utilised would not be enough to hold back recruitment.

Reserves may save a bit on overtime at major events but that would be it - they don't prepare cases, perform investigations, drive, do SO or Member in charge, etc. I don't know if they even do save overtime - more likely than not events / big public order nights would be run on a skeleton staf with members re rostered from other units as there isn't even the money for the overtime.

It's already happened in one district in our area where reserves are never used - skeletal Garda numbers with members rerostered divisionally (with a few hours overtime + travel). No reserves used.

Yogi Bear wrote: »

Any update on these new powers we were supposed to get at the start of the year. Its 8 months now since we gave up a days pay to be up-skilled in Templemore.

Since you travelled down to Tipperary at your own expense to pay for your own lunch for upskilling in addition to losing a days work... For new powers that were referred to in the Dail a year or more ago... And powers that originally reserves were supposed to have.

A.G.S wrote: »

Rumor flying round that they will be announced at the Garda reserve graduation on the 15th of this month,

.

Thats great news. Thanks A.G.S

msg11 wrote: »

Nearly sure that from today we can now use the new powers :pac:

Afraid not

Tyron Jara wrote: »

New Powers
Some time ago, following a review of the Garda Reserve, the Commissioner decided to extend their powers. These new powers cover such areas as Domestic Violence, Child protection, Conflict Resolution, Bullying and Harassment, Out of Vehicle Safety Training and other matters. You have been trained in all these additional powers and I hope you use these powers well. I understand from the Commissioner that the training of all the other Reserve members will be completed in the very near future.


Dont have them yet but soon though

Don't believe it... Last three training days had only about a hundred people at most - meaning there's still about two hundred to train.


Bear in mind that many of them probably haven't been seen in years and nobody cares in their stations and that some are overseas and we will have to wait until they are dismissed "in absentia",

So it will be a long time before we see these powers! I would be far from shocked if some reserves havnt started in the regular by then.

Don't forget that despite the review making a recommendation regarding reserves access to intelligence and that recommendation was rejected by the commissioner.

blueforce wrote: »

Can I just ask, people seam extremely keen to get these new powers (me included) but are people going to really seize a car from someone or arrest someone for public order? Remember what is involved with an arrest, the paper work, other offences that might occur when back in the station (drug search + detection, etc), the prospect of going to court, etc. Why would the full time member not be preforming the arrest or seizing the car if it was that bad?

Reserves should already have been summonsing for no insurance which is one of the common reasons for seizing vehicles.

There is minimal paperwork for public order arrests, once a GR learns they should be able to do it quickly thereafter. Many GRs already spend some of the night in the station if the reg they are with makes an arrest.

Seizing a car also requires no more follow up then a few notes, maybe one form (if needed in your area) and a phone call.

Court attendance was always on a reserves list of duties. Many public order incidents don't need court - they may get an adult caution of public order fixed charge.


Some reserves have been issuing FCPNs and seizing from the start, meaning they had to attend court if these went unpaid, others have often went as witnesses to assaults etc. Local arrangements can be made to minimise time spent in court and some judges will be very accommodating of adjournments to suit GRs being able to combine cases. Witness expenses can be applied for if there is a loss of earnings.



If the reserve concept is to be taken seriously ALL reserves must be willing to take responsibility and utilise powers instead of just turning up, sitting in the back of the car or walking the beat, and jumping in when there is physicality needed. I can understand why any regular Garda would get frustrated if they were with a reserve who expected them to do everything.

blueforce wrote: »

TylerIE, you make some very good points. But to say that there isn't a lot of follow on work involved around seizing a car or a public order arrest is wrong. A considerable amount of paper work, statements, reports, files, pulse incidents needs to be done.

While we'd all like to go around arresting everyone that does one thing wrong or giving tickets to every car parked illegally, its just not sustainable. One wrongful arrest and you'll find the Ombudsman come knocking. The GRA isnt there to protect reserves and a civil suit could end up costing a lot of money.

At the end of the day, your with a full time member for a reason. It's there call to make an arrest, etc. Discretion is the best tool a guard has i think and not everything involves an arrest or ticket.

I'm afraid your grossly incorrect re seizing a car and what's involved. Public forum and all but if your a reserve ask a full timer or reserve whose done it whats involved!

For most public order incidents the paperwork is routine apart from the statement. Reserves should already be creating pulse incidents.

Personally I'd not like to go round arresting everyone, nor do most guards I know. Maybe you would. But when action is required a reserve shouldn't expect the full timer to do it always.

You may and probably should discuss with the regular what their opinion is, but they shouldn't have to be the ones to proceed if action is to be taken. The reserve taking the incident doesn't preclude discussing it with the reg - the exact same way as two regs Working together would do. And the wrongful arrest your afraid of will be avoided by discussion, although anybody with an ounce of sense will only be using Said powers when clearly needed!