Gardai to get pepper spray

metman

Gardaí to be issued with pepper spray

Thursday, 23 October 2008 08:10

Gardaí are to be issued with pepper spray canisters to enable them to deal with the increasing number of attacks on unarmed officers.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern is to announce that the Government has sanctioned the supply of the less-than-lethal weapon to all uniformed and unarmed Gardaí. The decision was taken following approval by the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy. It was originally recommended by the Garda Inspectorate Kathleen O'Toole following her consideration of the Barr Tribunal Report. There has long been concern about the safety of unarmed uniformed gardaí who are usually first to respond to violent or critical incidents. The number of attacks on unarmed gardaí doubled between 2005 and 2007 and Kathleen O'Toole recommended they be supplied with pepper spray.

The Garda Commissioner agreed and the Minister for Justice has sanctioned the measure following Cabinet approval. He is due to announce today that all unarmed gardaí will, as soon as possible, be issued with the aerosol-type can that will spray a liquid containing chilli-pepper.

The cost of the measure is estimated at around a €250,000 and will come from the garda budget.
Source
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'Bout bloomin' time.

Esel

I'm crying already!

Trojan911

metman wrote: »

'Bout bloomin' time.

Agreed. Watch the assaults on officers drop. Great for clearing out the sinuses as well...

TheNog

Great to hear and about time too.

The question I have is why does the Minister of Justice have to get Cabinet approval?

I mean if the Inspectorate (respect to the Inspectorate) recommend the issuing of the pepper spray and the Commisioner agrees, should it not go any further for recommendations. Maybe the MoJ should be informed of it but if it is coming out of our budget then we shouldn't have to ask Mrs Brennan down the road if its okay with her. And what makes any cabinet member an expert on front line policing? People inside the AGS know what we need but we are constantly being ignored.

Do away with this red tape crap. It costs money and unnecessary delay. This unnecessary delay could have prevented the two members being seriously assaulted in Cork a couple of weeks ago.

fermoyboy

Glad to hear this is finally gonna happen!!

Only question now is how long is 'as soon as possible' gonna take!!!!

Frisbee

About time in my opinion.
I reckon its only a matter of time before this thread is full of posts with people saying that now Guards will be wandering around blinding people left right and center.

They wont, do they go around nightsticking people willy-nilly at the moment? No

deadwood

€250,000?
I can see it now -
"Gardai, today arrested 7 pensioners for public order offences.
Trouble flared up again today on the streets of Dublin due to rising unrest at the recent budget cuts.The pensioners, including elements of the continuity presentation brothers, were arrested for lewd conduct and threatening behaviour when protests about the recent withdrawl of medical cards for people earning more than €7 a week.

In an ironic twist, Gardai were forced to pepper spray some of the more roguish elements. The twist being that this pepper spray was bought with some of the money saved by the withdrawl of the medical cards. The Garda overtime was paid for out of the slight reduction in the €70million given annually to the horse and dog industry.

This irony wasn't lost on Dick O'Toole, 78 with all his own teeth. He told this reporter "I can't believe it. 3 of my sons, including one girl, are guards. I didn't raise them to go around assaulting old people in public where they can be seen. Who are you? The nurses are stealing my clothes!"

Although no complaint has been made by any of the protesters, this reporter has learned that the Garda Omdudsman Commission has received certain information leading them to believe that the arresting guards were, in fact, guards. A full enquiry will be carried out involving high-visibility GSOC jeeps parked at various garda stations.

The Garda Press Office has made no comment other than to say that a tense atmosphere permeates Dublin tonight and Gardai are closely monitoring Bingo Halls, restaraunts with early bird menus and boiled sweet dealers for signs of unrest. A high visibilty presence will be maintained until the Late Late Show starts.

In a seperate development, a cache of tartan car blankets and Irelands Own magazines were found in a shopping cart in the north inner city. Gardai said the two incidents are completely unrelated but to come back to them in the morning and they'd come up with something"

TOPDAWG

Well looks like it's finally happening.

Peoples thoughts??

TheNog

LMAO

Oh Deadwood you should be doing stand-up

punchestown

my eyes, my eyes.

metman

Same topic being discussed here.

Dave!

Good to hear, now give them decent radios too and it'll be happy days..... Communication by carrier pigeon isn't really practical anymore

source

I say, about bloody time.

metman

I note that in his address Dermot Ahern said Garda overtime is to be cut and recruitment is to be halved next year......every silver lining has a cloud...

djtechnics1210

handy to have for the steak on the grub!!! save havin to buy pepper sauce

CLADA

see post 43.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055273230&highlight=oleoresin+capsicum&page=3

TheNog

metman wrote: »

I note that in his address Dermot Ahern said Garda overtime is to be cut and recruitment is to be halved next year......every silver lining has a cloud...

We were fairly lucky tbh in that our annual budget was only cut by €20 million out of 1.5 billion

http://www.budget.gov.ie/2009/downlo...s2009&SPCP.pdf

Recruitment cut was always on the cards cos we are reaching the 15000 target. The most important task that must be followed is to keep up recruitment to counteract retirements unlike what happened in the late 80/90's where the numbers were allowed to drop.

metman

Clada any chance of next weeks lotto numbers?

CLADA

metman wrote: »

Clada any chance of next weeks lotto numbers?

5, 9, 11, 22, 28, 32

Don't tell anyone else.

FGR

Great news!

iceage

Good stuff, and about bloody time!

yayamark

Wasnt this announced ages ago?

Anyways great news more voluntary exposure i suppose:P

A few claims on the way too

Cant wait.

eroo

This actually made my day! I hope they role them out to ye soon lads!

Eru

Step in the right direction allright.

I reckon 2010 by the time they get a few for testing, 2012 by the time they pick a different product after realising the cheapest option was **** and 2014 by the time they role out training.

TheNog

Karlitosway1978 wrote: »

Step in the right direction allright.

I reckon 2010 by the time they get a few for testing, 2012 by the time they pick a different product after realising the cheapest option was **** and 2014 by the time they role out training.

first issue could be pepper shakers???

deadwood

CLADA wrote: »

5, 9, 11, 22, 28, 32

Irish Daily Rag.
Sunday 26th October 2008

The Garda Ombudsman has been called in to investigate saupected rigging of the National Lottery last night.

Some 23 seemingly unlinked individuals involved in the Emergency Services, and a barman from Swords, have all shared in this weeks prizes. It would seem that a sophisticated online plot has been uncovered whereby several people entered the same numbers in this Saturdays draw.

The Ombudsman, who received certain information that certain Gardai may have used parts of ther salaries, paid for by the taxpayer, to enter in this Tax-Free draw, are investigating the incident.

This comes in light of the recent issue of pepper spray in a totally unrelated story. And Donegal.

The Garda Press Office, when asked about this Garda Scam Online Caper ,replied "Online what now? We have bikes, you know."

It is beieved that those involved could, potentially, win prizes in excess of €2,000,000 - almost 3 years salary.

Indymedia have commented that this is typical of the capitalist machine propping itself up with the long arm of the law while students parents have been forced to travel to Dublin free, on a capitalist train to protest about medical cards not being issued to students in Mayo.

No members have been suspended yet, but it is expected that some low-key T.D. will call for a public enquiry to raise his profile.

eroo

Deadwood . . . priceless!!!!!LMFAO!

Btw, who told the Ombudsman?:eek:;)

donvito99

Did ya see the picture in the Herald AM.

ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Big black yoke hangin' off a gardas belt (about a foot long) with 'PEPPER' in bold red lettering.

metman

So not like ours then?





CS/OC holders

donvito99

The pics in the herald were photoshopped in, not the real thing.

Forgive my niaveity metman but I didnt no if you were being sarcastic or not.

peter-pantslez

donvito99 wrote: »

Did ya see the picture in the Herald AM.

ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Big black yoke hangin' off a gardas belt (about a foot long) with 'PEPPER' in bold red lettering.

i think that is just a picture they got off the net or something the gaurds are only putting it out to tender as far as i know so they could end up with any of a number of different spray cans.

peter-pantslez

oh and i think its about bloody time they got it!!!

CLADA

This is more than likely what will be issued. The canister is about 6" in height and is carried in a pouch on the belt.

Defense-technology oc spray is already on issue to RSU and ERU.

http://www.defense-technology.com/products.aspx?pid=5049

FGR

Metman, Metman, Metman..how naive you truly are! (;))

There's something you must know. You know, about our good Government. For whatever reason they do not seem to appreciate the fact that our colleagues in equivalent services throughout the UK and EU have previously tested and tendered on all sorts of equipment to suit the requirement. -However- it is not the patriotic thing to go by their results..and as such they -must- invest heavily in all of their r&d and settle on the cheapest option.

As was said..we'll probably get a black pepper shaker with a plastic belt loop that will snap the first time we sit into the patrol car.

I got to love this rambling .

metman

Foregone- I am shocked and appalled that a police force or government might opt for the cheapest kit with which to equip its police.....;)

Its not so different here either, only the issued kit has evolved as we've had incapacitant sprays since '95 I think.

What was on display on the 6 o'clock news yesterday was a nylon pouch for the canister. This is perfectly fine provided your nylon holster has a reinforced inner-liner of either hardened plastic or metal to prevent puncture or damage.

The Met basic issue is a leather velcro-fastening holster that has a spring-action and is reinforced to prevent the canister getting punctured/damaged in a roll around. The holster above is a more expensive variant that has a kevlar lanyard and a quick deploy action...which is nice :cool:

Traumadoc

Just be careful as that stuff will contaminate everyone around, including other emergency workers, I remember having to wash my eyes out for ages after treating one punter who had been sprayed.

metman

Doc CS cross-contaminates, and reactivates when in contact with water, and is a general nuisance to everyone in the vicinity or those that have any contact with sprayed persons. Pepper/OC/Pava that the Guards are being issued doesn't cross contaminate, so it shouldn't be an issue.

deadwood

donvito99 wrote: »

Big black yoke hangin' off a gardas belt (about a foot long) with 'PREPARE' in bold red lettering.

sorry, that was me - one of my "library" pictures from the agency.

Ladeeees.;)

Maybe they'll issue us with those leg-of-the-table jobbies like they have in Italian Restaurants. Those guys usually manage to clobber me on the bonce too "by accidento" as they offer to mace Mrs Deadwoods Lasagny, so it doubles as a baton.

metman

LOL@deadwood you eejit.

deadwood

I wonder when people suspected the government of using the medical card debacle to distract attention from something worse to come, was this the "sting" they were talking about?:D

deadwood

metman wrote: »

OC. CS OC, OC

O.K.

metman

As someone who has had police exposure to CS gas, as well as CBRN exposure; I can safely say OC is even more painful! :eek:

deadwood

metman wrote: »

As someone who has had police exposure to CS gas, as well as CBRN exposure

Carpet Burns are a bitch!

donvito99

deadwood wrote: »

O.K.

LOL

deadwood

CLADA wrote: »

http://www.defense-technology.com/products.aspx?pid=5049

Pink, PINK? :eek: Are you for [EMAIL="f@$king"]f@$king[/EMAIL] real?
I won't have to spray anyone. When I pull out my big pink cannister, they'll fall about the place in tears before I even pull the trigger.
(And yes, Mrs Deadwood does the same)

CLADA

deadwood wrote: »

Pink, PINK? :eek: Are you for [EMAIL="f@$king"]f@$king[/EMAIL] real?
I won't have to spray anyone. When I pull out my big pink cannister, they'll fall about the place in tears before I even pull the trigger.
(And yes, Mrs Deadwood does the same)

Relax! The canister is actually red, but if it's any consolation to you (and Mrs deadwood) it will still release a stream of white liquid A most irritant stream of white liquid:rolleyes:

FGR

Relax, Deadwood. The canister is going to be placed into an extra small pouch that it was not intended for; making the spray practically impossible to remove from your belt anyway!

I'm glad the Inspectorate's tough decisions are finally being considered by the Government. I welcome that!

Eru

ForegoneReality wrote: »

I'm glad the Inspectorate's tough decisions are finally being considered by the Government. I welcome that!

God bless the inspectorate, brought in to shut us up and put us in our place. Every decision is defending and agreeing with us

arybvtcw0eolkf

If I may ask a question.

If the GS want, or are recommended a new weapon it needs government approval?.

Even for a can of pepper stray?.

Eru

Mairt wrote: »

If I may ask a question.

If the GS want, or are recommended a new weapon it needs government approval?.

Even for a can of pepper stray?.

It seems strange allright as the government has always said equipment is a decision for the big man but then again I know it needs the government to allow arming.

deadwood

Mairt wrote: »

If I may ask a question.

If the GS want, or are recommended a new weapon it needs government approval?.

Even for a can of pepper stray?.

Unfortunately, yes.

While we all agree, walking around in polyester shirts, ties, slacks with "snazzy" patrol jackets, feels and looks unprofessional and outdated a certain minister for justice a while ago made sure we weren't going to walk around wearing anything more practical.

On the pepper spray topic, some posters on A.H. DEMANDED proper controls and accountability be enforced in the issue and use of pepper-spray.
What's wrong with the current system we use with pens, guns and our pay where the sergeant empties a big box of stuff in the middle of the floor and says "help yerselves lads, just don't end up on facetube!"