Do guards get a hard time when they socialise?

Dixie24

Hi,

i am just interested in getting some opinons on what i am about to describe, as it is bothering me lately...and i assume there is some guards here that may be able to enlighten me....

My brother in law is a guard on the drugs unit and would be fairly well known by the public on a professional basis......but a few weeks ago we were on a night out and the amount of abuse that we had shouted at ALL of us was unreal, and it wasn't just a once off that it happened every time we were on the street it has happened and nearly everytime we go out. The lads didn't seem to be phased by it, (they must be used to it!) but we were! I think that it is very unfair if this is what guards have to put up with whilst off duty on a night out.

I have a lot of friends that are guards, and when i meet them in the pub on a saturday night, i now notice their heads constantly on the move, like they have to constantly watch their sourroundings. I know a certain amount comes with the job, but i don't think i would bother even going out if i had to put up with constant harrasment like that.

bill_ashmount

I meet a guard once who said he had to sit with his back to the wall in a pub in case anyone tried to put a hit on him. :rolleyes:

Some of them live in Walter Mitty land...

I know plenty of others who couldn't care less and never receive the slightest hassle when out. I'd say getting hassle is the exception rather than the rule.

Fyr.Fytr

Does he work in the area you socialise??

Simple rule "Dont sh*t where you eat"

Keep work and home seperate

fermoyboy

Exactly, if he works in a small enought town or area then he is gonna be known when he gots out socialising. And small minded people will end up abusing him.

Thing that bugs me is when someone tells yu aout a run in with a Garda they had years ago and expects you to explain why that Garda did what he did!!!!!

Dixie24

[Simple rule "Dont sh*t where you eat"

Keep work and home seperate[/quote]


well as i said they are not phased by it so i don't think it would stop him or any the others going out, and the town would be big enough. Think having to go to a different spot to go out would be rather costly so i think we will have to grin and bear it, think i was suffering from shock!

Eru

I have rarely if ever felt intimidated or threatened when out. I say rarely as I cannot remember a time off hand but then again I dont socialise where I work.

Get recognised a lot when Im shopping in my area but its mostly by security guards, shop managers etc. The scum just see a uniform and wouldnt recognise you ten minutes later most of the time or if they do they know well that the badge is still in your pocket if needed.

My only concern is being followed when leaving the station or the occasions where I lift someone with an address near mine.

Having said that I know a fair few lads that have been followed, had their car and house attacked. Had mail and 'items' left for them to find in the morning and the every popular, having your address or car reg mentioned in a not too pleasant manner. Also know one guy who was told his wife looked lovely as she dropped the kids to such and such school in a certain car with the correct reg. The guy also gave a pretty good description.

Then of course theres a reason why Gardai can register their cars and vote usingn the stations address.

the biggest problem is big mouth mates who feel the need to tell everyone your name, job, address and station. Its a great feeling to spend the night answering questions then being dropped home the worse for wear by a taximan who has an obvious chip on his shoulder and then being the last stop!

yayamark

Limerick is actually ok, the lowlifes dont venture much into city centre.

Happened a couple of timeswalking down the street, had a few coins thrown at me from afar during the middle of the day kind of funny actually, people looking at me wondering what was goin on.

Am conscienses (sp) allright of been followed home and taxi drivers.

What i hate i been introduced as this is my friend he's a Garda! Cue the stunned look and the 2 second silence and "oh right"
5 drinks later it turns into "My friend was stopped one night for blah, blah"

Sometimes i'd like to be introduced as a student or even on the dole.

Over all not too bad just have to watch certain pubs. I like to sit with my back to the wall too when i go into a place but that could be just from the bourne identity :cool:

bryanmurr

Karlitosway1978 wrote: »

the biggest problem is big mouth mates who feel the need to tell everyone your name, job, address and station. Its a great feeling to spend the night answering questions then being dropped home the worse for wear by a taximan who has an obvious chip on his shoulder and then being the last stop!

nothin worse than a taxidriver knowing ur a guard, i find they always go a bit slower once they find out so they can fit more stupid questions in

bryanmurr

yayamark wrote: »

What i hate i been introduced as this is my friend he's a Garda! Cue the stunned look and the 2 second silence and "oh right"
5 drinks later it turns into "My friend was stopped one night for blah, blah"

Sometimes i'd like to be introduced as a student or even on the dole.

I never know why people feel the need to introduce as a guard, we never introduce people as an accountant etc

Eru

bryanmurr wrote: »

I never know why people feel the need to introduce as a guard, we never introduce people as an accountant etc

Accountants are humans with jobs. Apparantly were robots that were built in a factory then wheeled out too work 24/7 unless were having our battery recharged. We dont socialise, we dont like sports, have any idea about 'real life', women (or men) and have never ever had partners, sex or kids.

Blackwall

^ I know what you're saying but it's something about the police that puts people on their guard,I'd hate it if a friend of mine brought a Garda along again for a few drinks etc and never said what he was,I'd also hate to be chatting away normally to someone and then at the end of the night find out the man I was talkin to was a priest kinda the same thing.
My brother's girlfriend is startin training in August and already I'm on the defensive with her even though I've no reason to be it's just something that comes out in people but you do have to be careful talking to them even when they're with you havin a pint or whatever as friendly as they may seem .

yayamark

Blackwall wrote: »

but you do have to be careful talking to them even when they're with you havin a pint or whatever as friendly as they may seem .

You only have to be careful f u have something to hide!

If u have nothing to hide u dont have to watch yourself, we dont care that ur car is a month without tax or u have yet to pay your tv, dog licence.

Turbodreams

i think most guards can seperate their work from their social life, so not wanting your friend to bring a guard out is abit childish.
a friend of mine who is a guard brought his new girlfriend, who is also a guard, down to my house for a houseparty. when we saw them coming we got some icing sugar and put some lines of it on the table and some under our noses. was hilarious to see the girls reaction!
back to the original point, that same friend has got some hassel when he was on a night out in his home town, some 20 miles away from his place of work.

Blackwall

yayamark wrote: »

You only have to be careful f u have something to hide!

I know,I've got nothing to hide but as I said I think it's just an in built thing in people when they see one.
Once you're a Gard no matter what you loose that image of 'you can talk to him about anything' like you can to your friends who aren't in the police,suppose it's just one of the downsides of the job.

yayamark wrote: »

we dont care that ur car is a month without tax or u have yet to pay your tv, dog licence.

that all depends on the type of Garda they are, if they're going around thinkin they are the be all and end all of the force then you're fooked

But in general people just put the defenses up when paling around with police men as I said above my brother's GF is startin in August and I am already always now on the defensive with her anytime I see her and with my brother now I think of it incase I'd say something about someone etc to him and he goes and tells her in a passing comment etc etc-yet I don't know why cause I want to join the force when I'm done with college and I'm currently waiting to start training as a Reserve Garda,strange one I know

Eru

Blackwall wrote: »

^ I know what you're saying but it's something about the police that puts people on their guard,I'd hate it if a friend of mine brought a Garda along again for a few drinks etc and never said what he was,I'd also hate to be chatting away normally to someone and then at the end of the night find out the man I was talkin to was a priest kinda the same thing.
My brother's girlfriend is startin training in August and already I'm on the defensive with her even though I've no reason to be it's just something that comes out in people but you do have to be careful talking to them even when they're with you havin a pint or whatever as friendly as they may seem .

Have too be honest, I find both comments offensive.

What business is it off you what my occupation is? Its my choice to inform people or not. Does a priest give out too you for not saying your prayers? A tax man organise an audit? Thats the kind of comment that cause Gardai to be segregated and then people complain that we have an 'us and them' mentality. :rolleyes:

As for the last comment, WTF?

Blackwall

Karlitosway1978 wrote: »

Have too be honest, I find both comments offensive.

What business is it off you what my occupation is? Its my choice to inform people or not. Does a priest give out too you for not saying your prayers? A tax man organise an audit? Thats the kind of comment that cause Gardai to be segregated and then people complain that we have an 'us and them' mentality. :rolleyes:

As for the last comment, WTF?

I was meaning that if a friend of mine brought say his friend who I mightn'd know who is a Garda along I think that he should let people know either before they meet up or subtly on the night as people may talk about stuff that a Garda mightn'd like and couldn't ignore,people in situations like that want to be comfortable with the people they are out with and not want to have to watch what they say for the fear of repercussions that's all,sorry I offended didn't mean to .

yayamark

Blackwall wrote: »

I was meaning that if a friend of mine brought say his friend who I mightn'd know who is a Garda along I think that he should let people know either before they meet up or subtly on the night as people may talk about stuff that a Garda mightn'd like and couldn't ignore,people in situations like that want to be comfortable with the people they are out with and not want to have to watch what they say for the fear of repercussions that's all,sorry I offended didn't mean to .

I dont know what your on about, it doesnt matter who is in the your group. Y ou should be able to talk about anything, if you cant talk about a subject it means that you have something to hide.

What sort of stuff do you talk about that a Garda couldnt ignore?

Have you examples?

Blackwall

yayamark wrote: »

I dont know what your on about, it doesnt matter who is in the your group. Y ou should be able to talk about anything, if you cant talk about a subject it means that you have something to hide.

What sort of stuff do you talk about that a Garda couldnt ignore?

Have you examples?

As I said I don't have anything to hide or talk about stuff that a Garda wouldn't like I was trying to give an opinion on why people behave the way they do when they are in the company of a Garda,obviously it's coming out all wrong,sorry lads

tallaght01

out of curiouslity, say we were out with a copper and we all went back to one of my mate's gaffs. Then everyone there starts snorting coke or whatever. What's the official line on what's supposed to happen then?

I think that might be what the guy above is getting at.

deadwood

tallaght01 wrote: »

out of curiouslity, say we were out with a copper and we all went back to one of my mate's gaffs. Then everyone there starts snorting coke or whatever. What's the official line on what's supposed to happen then?

Well, it's polite to share.:D

Eru

tallaght01 wrote: »

out of curiouslity, say we were out with a copper and we all went back to one of my mate's gaffs. Then everyone there starts snorting coke or whatever. What's the official line on what's supposed to happen then?

I think that might be what the guy above is getting at.

You walk away. Your not encouraged to whip out your badge and arrest an entire house!

TBH though, I wouldnt associate with drug users or dealers in the first place and before we go down the road of defending or attacking coke users I have to say I have a coke addicted relative so its a sore point with me.

Eru

city4life wrote: »

and why the **** must everyone i know tell me about times they were stopped at checkpoints?? friend of mine drives atrics, yet i dont tell him everytime i see a tryck on the road.....

Classic!

Fyr.Fytr

yayamark wrote: »

You only have to be careful f u have something to hide!

If u have nothing to hide u dont have to watch yourself, we dont care that ur car is a month without tax or u have yet to pay your tv, dog licence.

Whats a tv dog?

tallaght01 wrote: »

out of curiouslity, say we were out with a copper and we all went back to one of my mate's gaffs. Then everyone there starts snorting coke or whatever. What's the official line on what's supposed to happen then?

I think that might be what the guy above is getting at.

boom boom

Karlitosway1978 wrote: »

You walk away. Your not encouraged to whip out your badge and arrest an entire house!

TBH though, I wouldnt associate with drug users or dealers in the first place and before we go down the road of defending or attacking coke users I have to say I have a coke addicted relative so its a sore point with me.

Ditto exact same situation as myself, have no time for anyone who associates in anyway with drugs, "oh its just a line at the weekend2 my hole it is!

One thing i will give the former minister for justice is he put it outright to the users that their money wether they like it or not is funding the shootings and pipe bombings that are plauging out citys currently, let alone gang wars throughtout the world.




And guards are human, its a job get over it, its a shame you must be defensive and to be honest childish, good luck in templemore, you wont last pissing time as last time i checked the place is full of them

Eru

Fyr,
I actually liked McDowell. He did a lot that pissed me off but I think he was genuine and wasnt it refreshing to see a politician that said what was on his mind? My god he said it straight against Adams and his friends. J

Just a shame that he became so concerned with his image that he watered down what started as great new laws and decided to fight with everyone in the legal system.

Ah, he could have been a great Justice minister

Fyr.Fytr

Yea your right, but alas thats modern day politics.

Just wait until im in charge then youll see

the_syco

yayamark wrote: »

What sort of stuff do you talk about that a Garda couldnt ignore?

Have you examples?

It may be less of what they can't ignore, to putting the Garda in an uncomfortable position of knowing what you did, but not wanting to warn you, as you're his mates mate.

Karlitosway1978 wrote: »

TBH though, I wouldnt associate with drug users or dealers in the first place

You'd swear you've never been to a house party with more than 10 people. I've been the a house party, where a mate knew one of the people. Somewhere along the line, there was someone smoking gawd-knows-wot. Did I, my mate, or half the people at the party know them? No.

My point: it's not a case of associating with the dealer, it's going to a party where one or two people are known to smoke the stuff. You see, this wouldn't be a problem for me, as I wouldn't give a damn, but as my mate would be a guard, he may be uneasy with it, and as I'd prefer he was enjoying his night, him being uneasy with being in the same area as lads smoking the sh|t wouldn't be the great night in the end, if you see what i mean?

=-=

I've gone drinking with him, and he's a guard. And I've been to a house which was full of Gardai, but I was told before that they were Gardai, and I was cool with it. Had I not known they were Gardai, I may have offended them by accident, by saying "ah, the pigs here are lazy sh|tes", as opposed to "ah, the Gardai here have it a bit handy". A simple wrong phrase may upset the entire night. Esp if 2 of them are rugger heads.

=-=

As for the Gardai looking around him: it's a habit. Once as a kid, I played Counter-Strike for weeks on end, and I'd be seeing sniping spots walking down the road. For the Garda, he'd no doubt be so used to looking left and right, to have proper awareness of his surroundings, that even when not working, it's not a case of not switching off, it's a case of staying alert. Some people are at ease when they know that there is nothing nearby that would threaten them.

Eru

the_syco wrote: »

It may be less of what they can't ignore, to putting the Garda in an uncomfortable position of knowing what you did, but not wanting to warn you, as you're his mates mate.


You'd swear you've never been to a house party with more than 10 people. I've been the a house party, where a mate knew one of the people. Somewhere along the line, there was someone smoking gawd-knows-wot. Did I, my mate, or half the people at the party know them? No.

My point: it's not a case of associating with the dealer, it's going to a party where one or two people are known to smoke the stuff. You see, this wouldn't be a problem for me, as I wouldn't give a damn, but as my mate would be a guard, he may be uneasy with it, and as I'd prefer he was enjoying his night, him being uneasy with being in the same area as lads smoking the sh|t wouldn't be the great night in the end, if you see what i mean?

=-=

I've gone drinking with him, and he's a guard. And I've been to a house which was full of Gardai, but I was told before that they were Gardai, and I was cool with it. Had I not known they were Gardai, I may have offended them by accident, by saying "ah, the pigs here are lazy sh|tes", as opposed to "ah, the Gardai here have it a bit handy". A simple wrong phrase may upset the entire night. Esp if 2 of them are rugger heads.

=-=

As for the Gardai looking around him: it's a habit. Once as a kid, I played Counter-Strike for weeks on end, and I'd be seeing sniping spots walking down the road. For the Garda, he'd no doubt be so used to looking left and right, to have proper awareness of his surroundings, that even when not working, it's not a case of not switching off, it's a case of staying alert. Some people are at ease when they know that there is nothing nearby that would threaten them.

I would have to say thats one of the fairest points I have read here.

msg11

Have a friend who is a garda, and been too some of his house partys. I know his brothers also, so I get invited either way.

Personally, I enjoy them, cause you know its just going too be a good owl drinking all night party and nothing else.

I also rather nothing else, As I don't do drugs. And it deep down pisses me off too know that if there was drugs there, that the people taking them do not seem to understand the half of what there doing. They just see it as an illegal drug, I see it as another person either waiting to be shot/ or the funding for more drugs/ arms for more hold ups etc...

He dose get some slagging from his brother the usual name calling, but nothing serious.. Cannot comment on him going out, as never been out with him, but would have no problem going out with him or any off his garda friends.

As for the questions people ask too garda, I could just see it as been part of it, after all people are just more interested in certain jobs, IE, garda/police , pilot of a 747, certain jobs just attract attention. Everyone gets it, some people just get it more than others.

Originally Posted by tallaght01
out of curiouslity, say we were out with a copper and we all went back to one of my mate's gaffs. Then everyone there starts snorting coke or whatever. What's the official line on what's supposed to happen then?

I would say the offical line is too just walk out of the house and leave it at that, I would also take these lines, people "outta it", have a tendency to be either very cocky and or very very annoying, which in turn is not good for your mental state

And just too add, he may be on here! You do make exceedingly nice cocktails. Seen as the taste last for 2 days. :pac:

Dave!

I have to say I do understand people's nervousness when socialising with Gardaí.

Is it not the case that a Garda is never really 'off duty' as such? Like if they witness a crime then they still have the power to arrest someone even if it's at a party, do they not? (correct me if I'm wrong here!)

As such if a Garda did witness something illegal (say illegal drugs being used) then they would surely feel that they are neglecting their duties if they don't report it (if not take action there and then). Would they be leaving themselves open to claims of misconduct or something if they just walked off and ignored the crime?

I certainly don't think that Gardaí should feel compelled to report every out of date tax disc they see when they're walking their dog, but I'm sure it's dodgey legal/disciplinary ground for a Garda if they do happen to witness a crime and do nothing about it.

Can't say I've knowingly socialised with a Garda though, so haven't experienced the nervousness myself! I have a mate who is a trainee though, so perhaps I'll have to tone down my stories about doing coke off a hooker's ass in the future

Trojan911

There is the flip side of the coin to this also, where a few of us lads were out having beers and a fella we know who is a member came over to us half tanked and wouldn't shut up about the job.

He became so tedious that one of the lads administered a large dose of "Foxtrot Oscar" pills before he got the message & moved on.

Bless, he had just recently finished his probation.

I have no issue with off duties being in my company when out & I rarely discuss job related issues with them unless they initiate the conversation.

Dinter

Tbh I'd most of the stuff that happens is just people looking for free advice.

It happens, whatever the job you work in.

If you're a solicitor you can bet one of your mates wants to know "what's a reasonable price for a transfer order?"

If you're an accountant you can bet one of your mates will want to ask about "some problem with their tax".

If you're a sparks they'll want to know "how to run two sockets into the kids room".

If you work for a shop they'll want to know "when the sale starts!"

Anyone who's not a guard on this thread think of all the times you've been asked for advice etc about your own particular field of expertise. Anyone who is a guard think of all the times you've asked for advice.

Anyone just giving out about all guards to a guard is probably just a dick who'd be as quick to put down any profession on the strength of one bad experience.

meathstevie

One of my pals is a copper...the only hard time he gets when he goes out is when he comes home and the morning after

deadwood

Dave! wrote: »

I have a mate who is a trainee though, so perhaps I'll have to tone down my stories about doing coke off a hooker's ass in the future

You're right to be very careful. The GAArds are suspicious of rugby types.

Turbodreams

deadwood wrote: »

You're right to be very careful. The GAArds are suspicious of rugby types.

ha! very witty.

Scouser

I was once told by an experienced Garda, when I asked 'did your social circle change when you joined the gardai?", that 'you dont change, your friends do'.

its reasonable for people to be a lil edgy and tight lipped when socialising with a Garda(especially one they dnt know very well). Did you ever discuss women/sex etc in front of your parents?

its just uneasyness in front of an authorative figure.

---

its a job of interest. Its like when people meet a solider. suddenly its, "What rank are you?" "What Unit you in?" "What weapons have you used" "Ever been over seas" "Ever killed anyone" "Dya know Sgt So and So or Captain Whats-his-face?"

it goes with the teritory. Gardai possess a job of interest and (percieved) extreme excitment. Just look at Law and Order/CSI/the bill etc.

deadwood

What the hell?

Disgusting thread title and, frankly, none of your business.
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Oh sorry, a hard TIME when they socialise. I see.:P

Bren1609

Karlitosway1978 wrote: »

Accountants are humans with jobs. Apparantly were robots that were built in a factory then wheeled out too work 24/7 unless were having our battery recharged. We dont socialise, we dont like sports, have any idea about 'real life', women (or men) and have never ever had partners, sex or kids.

Were you an accountant?

Relevant

My dad is a Gard and one thing that i've noticed is people asking me things as though i should know. the question usually starts off as "your dad is a gard, do you know why xyz"

People also feel the need to waffle on to me about the time they were stopped or their house being broken into or what my opinion is on whatever. My only connection is that I have a relative in the Gards, happens to my Mum too.

Also does any members notice that their house becomes like a neighbourhood watch station for people in their area to report local goings on? For my whole life we have had people calling to the door to just let my dad know that there is a suspicious car around or whatever. This was bad enough until I started getting it. One night someone called to the door to tell us that they thought someone had broken in next door. I was 12! My parents were out and the guy asked me to go in and check! Told him to f*ck off and ring the local station!

brayblue24

In 20 years I've never had any grief about it but it depends on who you choose as your friends and the type of pub you socialise in IMO. I still have the same set of friends from school and we're in our 40s now so at this stage it's certainly not a problem with any of them. I often go to England for football matches and I wouldn't go into a pub there that I would not go into here. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to smell potential grief.

On the contrary when I was single and in my 20s it was a bit of a help with the girlies though....

miju

yayamark wrote: »

Sometimes i'd like to be introduced as a student or even on the dole.

You should get them to introduce you as loads of members I know introduce their job. a civil / public servant

Lomu

brayblue24 wrote: »

On the contrary when I was single and in my 20s it was a bit of a help with the girlies though....

Do you mean to say it helped or didnt help with the women??

seanybiker

Relevant wrote: »

My dad is a Gard and one thing that i've noticed is people asking me things as though i should know. the question usually starts off as "your dad is a gard, do you know why xyz"

People also feel the need to waffle on to me about the time they were stopped or their house being broken into or what my opinion is on whatever. My only connection is that I have a relative in the Gards, happens to my Mum too.

Also does any members notice that their house becomes like a neighbourhood watch station for people in their area to report local goings on? For my whole life we have had people calling to the door to just let my dad know that there is a suspicious car around or whatever. This was bad enough until I started getting it. One night someone called to the door to tell us that they thought someone had broken in next door. I was 12! My parents were out and the guy asked me to go in and check! Told him to f*ck off and ring the local station!

ha ha used to be like that in my house also. Neighbours who wouldnt say hello to you on the street calling in with the passport photos and yoke filled in. Me father used to just tell then to ring the station.

brayblue24

Lomu wrote: »

Do you mean to say it helped or didnt help with the women??

I think it helped but then again most of my 20s passed in a drunken haze so memories might be somewhat rose tinted....

Eru

Bren1609 wrote: »

Were you an accountant?

I dont know, when they reprogrammed me they erased my memory

djtechnics1210

brayblue24 wrote: »

I think it helped but then again most of my 20s passed in a drunken haze so memories might be somewhat rose tinted....

Did these rose tinted memories occur in coppers by any chance
I know how you feel.... that place has taken far too much money off me over the years :eek:.
Its like a third credit union every week....... St copper face jacks

Local-womanizer

tallaght01 wrote: »

out of curiouslity, say we were out with a copper and we all went back to one of my mate's gaffs. Then everyone there starts snorting coke or whatever. What's the official line on what's supposed to happen then?

I think that might be what the guy above is getting at.

Id say after the first few parties you broke up by arresting people who were doing illegal things you would soon be stopped being invited to future parties.

brayblue24

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Did these rose tinted memories occur in coppers by any chance

Alas, Copper Face Jack's was not even a twinkle in an entrepeneur's eye in the late 80s/early90s. I'm not sure if Copper Face jack himself was even dead at the time!

No, city centre socialising then for the ES was a night falling along the unlit pre-Temple Bar Fleet Street trying to avoid the oil from the buses outside the old ESB shop. Then to Bad Bobs. That place was the choice. That's how colourful it all was then. In fact the only thing of colour in Dublin then were the tracksuits.

Which leads to another matter- Is it possible that I am the only Guard, in Dublin at least, who has never set foot in Copper Face Jacks?
(Might start a new thread about that and see!).

deadwood

brayblue24 wrote: »

Bad Bobs.

Naughty Roberts . . . .aahh.
Copper Stained Cacks is only for pups.

brayblue24

deadwood wrote: »

Naughty Roberts

Ah yeah that's the lad...sawdust everywhere

Geri Boyle

Eh.. Naughty Roberts? No lads seriously...its Rotten Roberts! And Bray Blue, you have to go to Coppers.. Everyone should experience it at least once in their lives!

Trojan911

Blue Belle wrote: »

you have to go to Coppers.. Everyone should experience it at least once in their lives!

Yep, went there in 2000 with a group of lads from the Met & got the nod from an officer in Grafton Street. We were over for a stag. Pulled in there within twenty mins, went back to hers after & well..... Nuff said but, cracking bird........ Great meat market back then............. is it still like this? We never got any hassle.