Garda Reserve Experiences

Abed

Hi Lads,

I applied to the Reserve back in 2007 got call for interview and exams in March 2008, passed them and did very well with Sergeant and Superintendent (lovely man) who even offered to give me a mock interview if I apply for the full time force.

I really wanted to go full-time and even went and did leaving cert maths (only one week study got A1) as my foreign equivalent to leaving cert did not have maths

Anyways, I got a letter in early 2009 saying that I do not fulfil the residency requirement (5 years) at the time of application (was couple of months short).

I applied again in 2009 passed interview and test in April 2010 and the local interviews in June. Got my call to the medical on November 24th

Just hang on there lads, and be determined, it will all happen in time (sometimes a very long time).

Best of luck to everyone

Abed

brotherrabbit

hey guys, im awaiting the medical my self. just wondering do the full time members find the reserves useful or more of a hindrance on duty?

WilcoOut

brotherrabbit wrote: »

hey guys, im awaiting the medical my self. just wondering do the full time members find the reserves useful or more of a hindrance on duty?

Your helpful if your on the ball, have a passion for policing and working in the local community aswell as a good work ethic and appreciation of teamwork

your a hinderance if your a useless, lilly livered, spineless coward

only time will tell which one you are

brotherrabbit

cheers. cant wait to get stuck in. i was in the order of malta for 8 years so getting stuck in wont be a problem.. Cant wait :cool:
On duty do the reserves get to think for them selves or dose the full time member have to get the ball rolling..can reserves use their own initiative..( see a problem..react)

Im just trying to give my self a good idea of the operating culture to as not to put my foot in it

Spartan09

brotherrabbit wrote: »

cheers. cant wait to get stuck in. i was in the order of malta for 8 years so getting stuck in wont be a problem.. Cant wait :cool:
On duty do the reserves get to think for them selves or dose the full time member have to get the ball rolling..can reserves use their own initiative..( see a problem..react)

Im just trying to give my self a good idea of the operating culture to as not to put my foot in it

Yeah we do get to think for ourselves after a period, but its important not to lose the run of yourself and go off reacting to everything. We also have limited powers so its important to bear that in mind and if we react to something and it ends up in an arrest remember its the full time member who has to process the paper work, prosecute it if it goes to court etc.

You are always with a full time member so if I see something happening I usually draw their attention to it and take their advice / guidance on whether or not we need to intervene. In the situation itself you have intiative in terms of how you interact with the person. The best advice I can give is the advice which was given to me over and over again, listen, ask questions, learn and follow the lead of the full time member, and if they need help get stuck in. Thats how you are of benefit to the member.

The common negative reflections that I hear about reserves are of ones who try to intervene in everything, ie every person who might drop a piece of litter, every person who is drunk in public etc. The Gardai have a lot of powers of discretion and it takes a lot of experience to know how and when to utilise those powers of discretion. It would take us years to get even a fraction of the experience that a full time member gets so therefore it makes sense to in the first instance turn to the full time member for guidance. Follow their lead and you reduce the risk of putting your foot too much in it, although the other piece of advice they mention a lot is you will make mistakes, expect it, learn from it.

WilcoOut

I agree fully with what spartan has just said

its like any job, on your first day, take it all in. on your second day, take it all in, learn. third day the same etc etc etc

after a while you will find your feet. You will be then able to be more proactive in your approach. Your part of a team. Your not a puppet. You can contribute as much or as little as you want. YOU have powers of arrest. YOU can exercise them. you will not be told what to do for 8hours.

Get stuck in, Make mistakes, Learn and Get stuck back in!

brotherrabbit

cheers for all the 1st call advise. really cant wait to start training. dose anyone know were the training centers for the monaghan louth area are? and do the GR have to go to court ?

reg121corp

Your training will be delivered in your district hq or if there are more people in your phase from a neighbouring district you may have to travel to that district !!! gr will have to got court but not to often you will be a witness in court !!

brotherrabbit

any one know were the district HQ in louth is?

TylerIE

I think the Louth Training takes place in Drogheda.

Monaghan and Cavan take place in Monaghan.

However the training centres in use depend on the number of reserves doing phase 3 in each area, e.g. if there is one person in Monaghan and one on Meath they are likely to merge them in one class.

Also if the nearest training centre doesnt suit the staff in GR Office in HQ could not be more helpful, you can give them a call and see if there are other local options for training (e.g. if Drogheda doesnt work for you perhaps Navan, Santry or Monaghan may).

brotherrabbit

Oh i see, and dose anyone know any good busy stations in the louth area were you would be kept busy as a GR! And dose anyone want to post some good stories and things they seen and experienced on duty( without implicating anyone/laws):pac:

trail man

So close to Christmas this story could have been so different, spare a thought today for the two brave Gardai in Cork. Saving an 87 year old woman's life in a house fire - risking their own and ending up in hospital this morning. One of those was a Reserve Garda. Well done lads.;)
***************

why has this post been removed.. we are not living in commmunist north korea... OR ARE WE....

kerry4sam

trail man wrote: »

So close to Christmas this story could have been so different, spare a thought today for the two brave Gardai in Cork. Saving an 87 year old woman's life in a house fire - risking their own and ending up in hospital this morning. One of those was a Reserve Garda. Well done lads.;)
***************

why has this post been removed.. we are not living in commmunist north korea... OR ARE WE....

It was moved by me over into Reserve News Thread, post number 33. It is more suited in the actual news thread anyways.

Thanks for highlighting your concern,
kerry4sam

trail man

kerry4sam wrote: »

It was moved by me over into Reserve News Thread, post number 33. It is more suited in the actual news thread anyways.

Thanks for highlighting your concern,
kerry4sam

thats okay kerry 4 sam....
its nice to be kept in the picture..

Shield

Mod note:

Please also familiarise yourself with the forum charter. In particular, this bit:

# Moderator actions are not to be discussed anywhere on the forum. PM the moderator in question, or take it to the Feedback forum.

No further comment on this post, and back on topic please.

trail man wrote: »

thats okay kerry 4 sam....
its nice to be kept in the picture..

Destiny

kerry4sam wrote: »

Mod Note: I have copied your posts over into the thread relating to the meetings with the Sergeant/Inspector and Superintendent here. You would find the relevant information relating to these meetings over in that thread.

Thanks for that.:) I was looking through that thread earlier but didn't come across anything. I came across some tips before, pretty sure it was in this thread, but God knows what page!

Cheers

kerry4sam

Destiny wrote: »

Thanks for that.:) I was looking through that thread earlier but didn't come across anything. I came across some tips before, pretty sure it was in this thread, but God knows what page!

Cheers

Every section in the Reserve process is well documented here in this Reserve Forum. Have a look here at this Reserve Guide which will could also help you negotiate your way around. Please keep the threads on topic.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

Destiny

kerry4sam wrote: »

Every section in the Reserve process is well documented here in this Reserve Forum. Have a look here at this Reserve Guide which will could also help you negotiate your way around. Please keep the threads on topic.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

Yes Sir!

kerry4sam

Destiny wrote: »

Yes Sir!

Moderator Warning on thread to Destiny: I asked you here to keep the threads on topic. Don't try to derail the threads or I will make it a formal warning on your profile for failing to follow moderator note.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

bitter_lemon

do members of the reserve force have access to the "pulse" system?

munster4868

bitter_lemon wrote: »

do members of the reserve force have access to the "pulse" system?

Why?

bitter_lemon

munster4868 wrote: »

Why?

because i would think its important that they don't. same way as i think its important that they should not have access to sensitive information.

but i'm sure they do?

munster4868

All relevant information concerning the duties, powers and what or what not a Reserve Guard does is contained within threads on boards.ie or can be access on garda.ie. Other than that, any member of A.G.S. Reserve or Full Time can't and won't discuss day to day duties OR activates on any public forum or with any person outside A.G.S. Sorry dude... you just have to keep on wondering;)

bitter_lemon

munster4868 wrote: »

All relevant information concerning the duties, powers and what or what not a Reserve Guard does is contained within threads on boards.ie or can be access on garda.ie. Other than that, any member of A.G.S. Reserve or Full Time can't and won't discuss day to day duties OR activates on any public forum or with any person outside A.G.S. Sorry dude... you just have to keep on wondering;)

oh thats grand. proper order too.

i'll find out tomorrow in work.

clayton1

this is a bit ridiculous i think...

I am an active reserve about 2 years now. My employment here ends at the end of January, so i have decided to go to new zealand on a one year working holiday visa in February.
What i have been told i have to do, is resign from AGS. I said i'll be back at the start of the following year, but they said i'd have to apply for the reserves again..
ha ha

lehanemore

clayton1 wrote: »

this is a bit ridiculous i think...

I am an active reserve about 2 years now. My employment here ends at the end of January, so i have decided to go to new zealand on a one year working holiday visa in February.
What i have been told i have to do, is resign from AGS. I said i'll be back at the start of the following year, but they said i'd have to apply for the reserves again..
ha ha

and you'll find that if you ask someone else they'l have a different story..

do not resign, when you come back just contact your skipper and see how it goes.

clayton1

lehanemore wrote: »

and you'll find that if you ask someone else they'l have a different story..

do not resign, when you come back just contact your skipper and see how it goes.

yeah but another reserve on our unit left to oz without saying anything, and they went to her house for the uniform.

Going to speak to the kig in the new year and see what happens.

ZoneAlarm

Yes that is why they are no keeping tabs on reserve members who are active, and any reserves that have not been in for a long, or no longer come in they are sending Garda personal out to collect their uniforms.

New books have appeared in stations now that reserves fill in on each tour of duty.

lehanemore

My unit always get me to do a few hours on the book when I go in.

I'm up as far as page 46.

da__flash

o ya is that the folens colouring book, i m stuck on page 45 its a tricky one:D:cool: