Are they bothered?

wolfpawnat

I know there is alot of gardai in Ireland that work hard and this is not meant to insult them, but what the heck is with the Gardai in Cork City? On Friday the 28th of November (the same evening as the fire on North Main street) a group of teenagers attacked 2 women one of whom was pregnant and when they ran into Eddie Rockets to stop the attack, they teenagers followed and made an absolute show of themselves be attacking the women again.

While in Eddie Rockets, the management and the women rang the gardai 4 times in total and were told the gardai were too busy with the fire to come down to them and that they would have to go to the bridewell to get any support, even though it was by luck that the teenagers were being forced to stay outside the door of Eddie Rockets and not going back in to attack the women again.

When the gardai finally came the teenagers dispersed and the 2 women were made feel as though they were an inconvenience to the gardai for calling. With all due respect it is there JOB to defend the people of the city hence the Siochana bit of Garda Siochana!?

And why is it the gardai were nowhere to be seen directing traffic on North Main street even though Anglesea Street claimed they were.

metman

This is a criticism commonly leveled at the police. Ultimately the fault lies not with individual police stations but with the allocation of funding from government and force management.

What the majority of the public don't realise is just how thin and stretched the thin blue line is. What I mean is that in some rural areas, there may be less than a handful of guards on duty, and only a couple of cars available to answer 999 calls. Equally in busy metropolitan areas, though there are more police on duty, there are also more calls to answer, thus less guards available at any one time.

If as you say the guards were dealing with a large fire, then this type of incident is resource intensive and ultimately ties up mobiles and members on foot patrol, probably the majority of resources that were on duty. This then leaves a gap where, much to the surprise of the general public, there may be NO police available to answer your 999 call. I've lost count of the times I've heard calls go unanswered as we have 'no units to deal', and I work in busy area with average numbers on parade.

This is a concern as much to serving police officers as it is to the public. However as individuals we can only be in one place at a time and deal with one call at a time. If you feel very strongly about this matter why not write to your local TD and complain about the lack of police resources?

eroo

I'm not a Garda, but I do know that a city on a Friday night will keep Gardai very busy, throw in a major fire and it leaves them very low on manpower.

However, what time did this incident happen in Eddie Rockets?

Eru

you raise a reasonable question but first up, were you there and making the calls or going by media / third party information?

secondly, theres no way for serving gardai online here to really answer the question. we werent there so dont know. possible it was simple down to manpower, there really was no gardai available. people dont realise it but it really doesnt take much to over stretch our manpower.

alternatively, could be a case of crying wolf. some places hit panic buttons or dial 999 for the most minor things so eventually they gain a reputation. i know places in my area that have pushed panic buttons or dial 999 and scream murder because a customer is raising his voice while complaining

of course like everything in life, maybe the call taker or responder is just an asshole.

lastly and just a general thing, in modern ireland anyone under 18 can pretty much do what they want. anything short of a bank robbery or murder and its a struggle to get anything done.

wolfpawnat

It was at approximately 19.15hrs. I understand that the fire was a major concern and that there are residential buildings in the area, as well of course as other businesses. And I know this may come off as nasty to the gardai but all areas of society sadly are having to deal with cut backs and they should ensure that there are some patrols available for other problems that occur in the city. It can happen that an incident occurs in one part but it is not a small city and there needs to be more staff available for when than one incident occurs.

People being assaulted by a group of feral youths is something as hazardous to those peoples health as a fire, as these youths did not care if they merely hurt these women and seemed to have great pleasure in saying "I hope your baby bleeds to death" in a packed restaurant!

Thankfully at the mentioning that there was an infant, men in the restaurant grabbed the youths by any limb and flung them with some force out the door, but still if gardai had answered the call quickly they could have repremanded the youths. After all, when the women and staff at Eddie Rockets described the youths to the gardai, they admitted that these children had attacked others before. As with all others who witnessed this and as a pregnant woman myself I was terrified for that poor baby!

wolfpawnat

I was in Eddie Rockets myself at the time, when the pregnant woman requested someone to call the gardai. I rang the gardai twice, once at approximately 7.15pm and again approximately 15-20 minutes later.

The first call was handled very well, the man who answered was very polite and explained that it would take several minutes for a garda to arrive due to the fire and to please remain patient.
The second call was answered by a woman who was nothing short of a female dog, to put it lightly. Her attitude was pretty much I dont give a f#*k and we'll be there when we'll be there.

The garda station recieved in all a minimum of 4 calls, 2 from myself and 2 from the management of the restaurant, I cannot confirm if any other witness called them also.

When the garda did arrive he was blunt and very rude to the dtaff of the restaurant and the two women, who were very shaken and truthfully sounded as though they were not accustomed to being assaulted or from a rough area. They were well spoken and very polite. Thanking me and the others that helped them perfusely.

I understand that many gardai are frustrated even more than the people, I have members of my own family in the force and there are days that they come home absolutely livid because they are not able to do what needs to be done because of red tape and lack of resources. I am merely saying the gardai I encountered on that night were quite rude, except the man on the phone, he was very polite.

eroo

wolfpawnat wrote: »

And I know this may come off as nasty to the gardai but all areas of society sadly are having to deal with cut backs and they should ensure that there are some patrols available for other problems that occur in the city.

Tbh, thats like saying the Fire Brigade should always leave a tender in the station so as it may be available for any other incidents, regardless of the fact that ALL units may be needed for a fire.

The point was already made that there may have been a few Garda patrols that weren't sent to the fire, and were left to patrol/respond to 999 calls. Maybe, maybe not. If they were, who's to say they weren't tied up with other, more serious incidents?

FGR

Anglesea St has recently become crippled with many members retiring or transferring out. There doesn't seem to be as much of a rush to have the members replaced.

So I'm not surprised, really. It's not rare when units from outside of the district are called in to assist..and that results in very long waiting times for the callers.

wolfpawnat

eroo wrote: »

Tbh, thats like saying the Fire Brigade should always leave a tender in the station so as it may be available for any other incidents, regardless of the fact that ALL units may be needed for a fire.

The point was already made that there may have been a few Garda patrols that weren't sent to the fire, and were left to patrol/respond to 999 calls. Maybe, maybe not. If they were, who's to say they weren't tied up with other, more serious incidents?

Well I would hope one engine would be kept at the station, for heaven forbid if there was another fire or a car that needed cutting in the Cork area.

I would have no doubt there were other people in the Cork area that needed the gardai too, I just hope that they had better luck than the 2 girls that I came across getting assistance.

I can understand why you would want to get out of Anglesea street, Cork is turning very rough, they need to be replaced though, anyone know of lads trying to get out of Inner city Dublin or Limerick stations, they would take no crap:)

Eru

Wolf,
You cant say "Keep one in reserve", its not reallt realistic. Not all units would have gone to the fire but if they genuinely need say 5 Gardai and theres only 6 working then thats the cold hard reality of it. Your then left with 1 Garda taking calls, there could have been a list of calls for that 1 Garda to respond to and hes running from one ot the other always being too late to actually really do anything.

Like METMAN said, the amount of times I have been crying out for a unit to deal with something Im watching on camera (I work the CCTV) and theres simple no one available is enough to make you cry.

Its just the way it is, manpower V incidents. We need more but were not going to get them and its not just AGS. Look around, AGS, fire, hospitals, schools. Every single one of them are understaffed and underresourced. teachers crying out about class sizes, I have been left holding injured people because theres not enough ambulances and on a few occasions they had to send fire trucks, A&E is absolutely manic on a Friday and Saturday night with the poor staff absolutely run ragged.

If the people you spoke with were rude then thats just an individual being rude. I dont know why, could be plenty of reasons but unless you ask the Garda himself and herself, your not going to find out. Under the circumstances I would guess that he was probable getting to a scene too late and having to deal with angry people all night. It was possible frustration on his part just as you and these women Im sure, were frustrated.

eroo

wolfpawnat wrote: »

anyone know of lads trying to get out of Inner city Dublin or Limerick stations, they would take no crap:)

I think that is unfair to the Gardai in Cork city. I'm sure they take no crap from gougers and do their job to the best of their ability, just like the vast majority of Gardai.

wolfpawnat

Karlitosway1978 wrote: »

I have been left holding injured people because theres not enough ambulances and on a few occasions they had to send fire trucks, A&E is absolutely manic on a Friday and Saturday night with the poor staff absolutely run ragged.

Sadly I know how that feels, I am a nursing student myself. And I have been misfortunate enough to work A&E on these nights (though in Dublin) but still not enough staff, or perhaps too many drunks, but thats off topic regardless!:) I know that 9/10 it is not the people but the government budget that is to blame, but it gets so frustrating as you said yourself when you are looking at the CCTV- funnily I am related to a garda that works in a cctv room too, and yes she says the same.

And Eero, as I said in the original post, this is not meant to include ALL gardai, that would be unfair as I have not had dealing with them all so that would not be a just argument. But you have to admit the Gardai in Limerick and Dublin are forced to become tougher as they do have to deal with some very rough individuals.

I suppose it can be easy sometimes to vent anger on the gardai rather than the commissioning body, as is the way with the health service (though many people just blame Harney), it just is so frustrating to think little scum bags get away with that and innocent people are left shaken afterwards, you know?

AlekSmart

Very sad and pathetic thread to read.
However it`s tone just about confirms where decades of non-governance has left us.

As Karlito intimates our social systems have largely conferred Untouchable status on the under 18 person.

Having embarked on a course which redefined the term "Legimate" and conferred a whole new level of acceptance on the principle of bearing a child(ren) without having to consider any of the associated responsibilities we now have a vast socio grouping which is immune to the realities of dignified or structured living.

Its sad that when all else fails,we hear the calls for Gardai to "do something" about it.
The Gardai cannot do ANYTHING about it and thats the reality of the situation which WE all have been content to let simmer beneath us in our rush to embrace the rewards of a modern first world economy.

This yoof-culture thing is at epidemic levels in both Ireland and the UK,however it does not appear to be quite so prevalent in mainland Europe which really should be encouraging our Politicians to investigate the issue.

It`s all too easy to use those hardy old standby`s such as Marginalized or Neglected when we study OUR wayward youth.

Neglected,certainly.but not in any cruel or materialistic way....but neglected by the default of a State(s) which ran amok in it`s encouragement of the abandonment of responsibility on the grounds that the Social Welfare will simply pay your way without you having to worry.

No Pain.....definitely NO Gain ????

metman

AlekSmart wrote: »

but neglected by the default of a State(s) which ran amok in it`s encouragement of the abandonment of responsibility on the grounds that the Social Welfare will simply pay your way without you having to worry.

No Pain.....definitely NO Gain ????

Sign up here to play the State sponsored "Don't work, won't work!" where you can win a life of reckless abandonment having all your bills paid, for as long as you refuse to work, with additional prizes of a free house, and free money for life (800 per month plus allowances). In the interim why not have a few kids and dabble in drugs, petty crime and domestic violence?

Already got kids!? You're already a winner! Take zero responsibility for your own actions, or those or your offspring, pass go and collect 200+ euro (per week)! Make sure you get maximum value for money (bearing in mind its taxpayers money, from which you are exempt!) by demanding everything you're 'entitled to' (actual entitlement may depend on your own twisted point of view) from social services, the medical services, the police, children's services, housing services, the courts system.....

/Cynicism.

AlekSmart

The problem for the likes of "us",metman is that even raising a timid question on the value of such "Systems" to our society will raipdly bring down the Wrath of Khan upon our houses.

There is quite a lot of political will constantly focused on "ensuring that the needy AND those on Social Security Benefits will not be negatively effected by etc etc"
(NOTE: The term "Needy" and the entitlement to Social Benefit do not have to be complimentary)

The middle ranking Bule Collar "Pay for Everything-Entitled to Nothing" sector are rarely deemed worthy of having a Government Minister wonder aloud about their health or welfare.

The entire Social Welfare code is quite simply rife with duplicity and dishonesty.

Take for example the Private Rented Accomodation Allowance which is paid to the dreadful oul Dickensian Landlords who are forcing people to live in overcrowded slum conditions all over Ireland (According to Threshold and other empowering bodies looking after the po`folks).

This wee scheme,of dubious ancestry,is in the main combined with two other benefits to provide a dei-facto family with a tidy income which is ring-fenced and unaffected by any other supplimentary income from a few oul "bitsa jobs" which the man of the house will do from time to time.

PRAA+Lone Parent Benefit+Jobseekers Benefit =

Since many of PRAA recipients have declared that they are NOT cohabitating that alone defines a huge level of misappropriaton but when one adds the next step then the madness of such system neglect becomes really visible.

This next step is usually for the PRAA recipient to go on the Local Authority Housing List as a "FAMILY" unit living in unsuitable accomodation which usually entails a visit by an assessing officer to verify the situation.

At no point do any of the relevant Paymasters appear to cross reference between the contradictory statements being made to claim the essentially different benefits.....Either one is a Lone Parent ie: living alone or one is in a co-habitating relationship with the other parent of a child/children...One is either inside the tent pissing out or outside the tent pissing in (Thank you LBJ).

When one compares the rapidly escalating cost of these schemes and corellates that with the rapidly decreasing number of those in employment paying into the general pot then we have a Social Disaster heading our way at great speed.

And before anybody shots OT OT OT OT !!!!!.......It`s not....just wait until that tap is turned off and then we`ll see AGS having to really do the "Community Policing" bit.

PS: Interesting Stat on todays BBC News revealing a 23% increase in Cash Van robbery attempts in the UK largely parallelling the Recession over there.

metman

AlekSmart wrote: »

At no point do any of the relevant Paymasters appear to cross reference between the contradictory statements being made to claim the essentially different benefits.....

Are you suggesting that the various handout agencies actually put in place a system whereby they might have access to each others records, perhaps in some kind of centralised database so as to eliminate such errors.....why that's just crazy talk! Crazy I tells ya!

PS: Interesting Stat on todays BBC News revealing a 23% increase in Cash Van robbery attempts in the UK largely parallelling the Recession over there.

Methinks there's a storm on the horizon.

metman

Alek; interesting comments from a Chief Constable here in a similar vein to what we're talking about.

Nice to hear someone talking sense for a change, not trying to get up the next rung of the ladder by perpetuating the politically correct bull.

AlekSmart

Yes indeed,kudos to CC Bettison for a concise summation of a widespread malaise.
One thing however is certain.....you will not,in the present circumstances,ever get a serving Garda Commissioner to publicly utter such statements.

It is yet another facet of UK Policing which I find of interest,that of the independence of the Chief Constabulary.

I have often been bemused at "clashes" between the Chief`s and their various Policing Boards or other Local Political bodies.
It is,to me ,a positive sign,which indicates that some form of democratic process is actually in train.

All too often we in the Republic are simply treated to a Garda Commissioner or a Deppity Asst or somesuch to be wheeled out before a press conference to recite some bland tripe deemed acceptable to a senior asst first secrectary (temp) in the Dept of Justice.

Bettison`s frankness and the ability of a serving Senior Police Officer to act this way only serves to underline the need for a total overhaul of Senior Administration within AGS.

Senior Garda Officers SHOULD have a train of independent thought and they SHOULD be allowed to voice those thoughts even if they clash with "Official" Government policy.

"Official" Government Policy has brought us to where we are today,so I rest my case !

metman

A post from a popular police blogger with his finger on the pulse..... in keeping with the topic here:

Find Shannon
December 7, 2008 by inspectorgadget
I am standing in the secure vehicle bay at the rear of the custody block.

I am talking to an officer from my team. He has a broken nose and blood all over his shirt. His trousers are wrecked. There are two other officers with us, they have blood and various damage to clothing as well.

In rear cage of one of our containment vans is the screaming, violent and drug/alcohol crazed modern version of a fishwife.

She has caused all this injury and damage.

This is the first time the officers get a chance to see who the blood belongs to. Quite often you discover it’s yours from an injury you haven’t found yet!

Officers have responded to a disturbance on one of our estates and before they can even find out what has happened, they are set upon by people in the street. Assistance takes fifteen minutes. Several people are arrested. The woman in the van is one of them.

We still don’t really know has has happened. Quite often with the underclass, nothing in particular has happened. Violence, disorder and chaos are simply by-products of the perverted moral code they live by.

These are people who display “Find Shannon” posters in the window but don’t know where their own young kids are at 9.00 pm at night! That’s true by the way.

When I look at the deductions in my pay packet each month, the realisation that I’m helping to fund this fellacious lifestyle makes my blood boil.

I’m busy recording the injuries to officers and trying to listen to an account of what happened over the row from the back of the van. This 17 year old woman is shouting that she hopes my children die of cancer. This is a common insult from this community.

I always document injuries to my officers personally because the CPS are less likely to drop the case later through “lack of evidence” if an Inspector has recorded the evidence.

They don’t like to mess with authority, it’s too difficult. It makes paperwork.

At this very point, oblivious to the mayhem, shock and injury around him, the new Estates & Facilities Manager approaches and delivers a stern monologue at me about the fact that Response officers have parked in the wrong bays again.

Clearly, he has different views on authority than the CPS. But he is very clean. And I like his choice of tie, so I decide not to rip his head off.

After all, it’s not his fault that he’s being a utter fool.

It’s our fault as a police service for allowing this monstrous state of affairs where we spend public money hiring support staff to further add to the demands made on pressed front-line uniform staff.

Do I look like I give a monkeys at this precise moment about parking at the nick? It’s 9.00 pm at night for God’s sake. What is he even doing here.

I’ve only just met this hapless trojan horse but I can see that we’re not going to be friends. And as I said, he is very clean.

Which must be nice.

Courtesy of IG.

AlekSmart

Fram the initial accounts it appears the essential elements of this thread all came together on Bargy Rd/East Wall yesterday.

Middle aged man,disadvantaged local youths,intimidation,firearms,bravado...HATE. :mad:

No doubt the full resources of the Juvenile Liason Scheme and associated other protections will swing into action should any fresh faced young fellow be apprehended and charged.

As for the unfortunate victim.......?

Well,He`s dead is`nt he..??

And so it continues...........

TheNog

metman wrote: »

A post from a popular police blogger with his finger on the pulse..... in keeping with the topic here:

Find Shannon
December 7, 2008 by inspectorgadget
I am standing in the secure vehicle bay at the rear of the custody block.

I am talking to an officer from my team. He has a broken nose and blood all over his shirt. His trousers are wrecked. There are two other officers with us, they have blood and various damage to clothing as well.

In rear cage of one of our containment vans is the screaming, violent and drug/alcohol crazed modern version of a fishwife.

She has caused all this injury and damage.

This is the first time the officers get a chance to see who the blood belongs to. Quite often you discover it’s yours from an injury you haven’t found yet!

Officers have responded to a disturbance on one of our estates and before they can even find out what has happened, they are set upon by people in the street. Assistance takes fifteen minutes. Several people are arrested. The woman in the van is one of them.

We still don’t really know has has happened. Quite often with the underclass, nothing in particular has happened. Violence, disorder and chaos are simply by-products of the perverted moral code they live by.

These are people who display “Find Shannon” posters in the window but don’t know where their own young kids are at 9.00 pm at night! That’s true by the way.

When I look at the deductions in my pay packet each month, the realisation that I’m helping to fund this fellacious lifestyle makes my blood boil.

I’m busy recording the injuries to officers and trying to listen to an account of what happened over the row from the back of the van. This 17 year old woman is shouting that she hopes my children die of cancer. This is a common insult from this community.

I always document injuries to my officers personally because the CPS are less likely to drop the case later through “lack of evidence” if an Inspector has recorded the evidence.

They don’t like to mess with authority, it’s too difficult. It makes paperwork.

At this very point, oblivious to the mayhem, shock and injury around him, the new Estates & Facilities Manager approaches and delivers a stern monologue at me about the fact that Response officers have parked in the wrong bays again.

Clearly, he has different views on authority than the CPS. But he is very clean. And I like his choice of tie, so I decide not to rip his head off.

After all, it’s not his fault that he’s being a utter fool.

It’s our fault as a police service for allowing this monstrous state of affairs where we spend public money hiring support staff to further add to the demands made on pressed front-line uniform staff.

Do I look like I give a monkeys at this precise moment about parking at the nick? It’s 9.00 pm at night for God’s sake. What is he even doing here.

I’ve only just met this hapless trojan horse but I can see that we’re not going to be friends. And as I said, he is very clean.

Which must be nice.

Courtesy of IG.

I am not one to read blogs but with this one I read 13 pages of it. A very good insight into the Police across the water and written with humour too.

Would seriously recommend it.

http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/page1

deadwood

TheNog wrote: »

A very good insight into the Police across the water and written with humour too.

No room for humour in this job.
The very idea.

eroo

deadwood wrote: »

No room for humour in this job.
The very idea.

That is the most ironic deadwood post yet!:pac:

Eru

AlekSmart wrote: »

Fram the initial accounts it appears the essential elements of this thread all came together on Bargy Rd/East Wall yesterday.

Middle aged man,disadvantaged local youths,intimidation,firearms,bravado...HATE. :mad:

No doubt the full resources of the Juvenile Liason Scheme and associated other protections will swing into action should any fresh faced young fellow be apprehended and charged.

As for the unfortunate victim.......?

Well,He`s dead is`nt he..??

And so it continues...........

But chances are while the deceased family will have an investigation and 1 liason officer for court with a small possible unread victim impact report. The guilty party however will have 3 social workers, a nurse, doctor, parents, 2 solicitors and a barrister informing the court how the system let him down, how we didnt stop him from doing this and how it was all a tragic error of which he himself is the ultimate victim. All courtesy of the tax payer which is short another person that pays tax.

AlekSmart

The scenario as described by Karlitosway is rather sadly the "Norm" for such incidents these days.
Essentially once the victim is deceased then the State`s responsibilities toward him/her are at an end.

I have little doubt but that within a short time of this murder occurring the local Gardai would have had a short list of possibles.
In addition as others have posted,the perp(s) most likely has juvenile "form" in as much as that`s allowed.

Of course throwing eggs at a persons house or other such urban terrorist activity simply does`nt register on the modern Policing radar especially if the egg throwers are juveniles and disadvantaged in any way.

No senior Civil Servant or Politician has yet bothered to do a quick trawl through the rap sheets of most if not all of our high profile Criminals and observe the career path......

Virtually all of the big names,The Cahills,Gilligans,Judges,Hylands and a hundred others all began in small-time fashion...the orchard robbing,window breaking,shop lifting or the other excesses which all go to make up the required progress of intent.

The by now enshrined unwillingness of our Government and Judiciary to demonstrate any committment to maintenance of its own good order and discipline has led us directly to the Ireland where a killer child does not really surprise anybody.

Just as the two unfortunate Polish lads slaughtered in Drimnagh are no longer on our list of people to remember so too will this poor mans murder fade away as our media continue to prioritize the Katy French angle in relation to what is worthy of coverage.

It`s at times like this I really thank my God that I never sat the Leaving Cert,otherwise I might have ended up as a Garda

i once rang 999 - told the operator I wanted the gardai, was asked what area I was in, told her I was in Wicklow, got transfered and GOT AN ANSWERING MACHINE. True Story.

metman

Deleted User wrote: »

i once rang 999 - told the operator I wanted the gardai, was asked what area I was in, told her I was in Wicklow, got transfered and GOT AN ANSWERING MACHINE. True Story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL5P4tkOpTA

eroo

AlekSmart wrote: »

Just as the two unfortunate Polish lads slaughtered in Drimnagh are no longer on our list of people to remember so too will this poor mans murder fade away as our media continue to prioritize the Katy French angle in relation to what is worthy of coverage.

It`s at times like this I really thank my God that I never sat the Leaving Cert,otherwise I might have ended up as a Garda

I haven't forgotten about the likes of Baiba Saluite, Anthony Campbell and Shane Geoghegan... and I don't think everybody has, not even all the media!

As regards your last comment, that comes across as being quite defeatist imo. If everybody had that attitude, we would be worse off as a society.

AlekSmart

Yep Defeatest might be an accurate description right enough

But it`s defeatism borne of sadness and an increasing sense that recognition of reality is slipping away from those who would have us believe they provide leadership.

I`m not denigrating any young person who decides to join AGS,the PSNI or indeed any of the UK forces.
They are worthy of great praise for even considering an alternative to "Hanging out wit de lads" or "Scoring a bit of stuff here`n dere"

However these young motivated people are recieving shag-all in the way of support from the leadership elite and until somebody wakes these political goons up then things sadly will deteriorate....

eroo

AlekSmart wrote: »

However these young motivated people are recieving shag-all in the way of support from the leadership elite and until somebody wakes these political goons up then things sadly will deteriorate....

Tbh this post has me confused mate! I don't need, nor do I want support from the 'leadership elite'. Doesn't mean I'm going to suffer or start robbing cars in the morning though!:pac:

TheNog

Deleted User wrote: »

i once rang 999 - told the operator I wanted the gardai, was asked what area I was in, told her I was in Wicklow, got transfered and GOT AN ANSWERING MACHINE. True Story.

What station was that and what was the message?

TBH I think that is very, very strange.

AlekSmart

Point taken about eroo`s ability to function effectively without any "support" moral or otherwise from the "establishment".

However,as is shown by some of the posts elsewhere re the Garda Ombudsmans powers,there are those who would appreciate some actual unequivocal support in what can be a thankless task.

For example the aftermath of the Mayday protests a few years ago demonstrated very clearly how young members were dropped in it and then pursued vigorously through the courts largely to satisfy the baying howling media fuelled mob.

The Minister for Justice and senior Dept of Justice officials certainly did`nt leap to the defence of those members when things were looking dim.

So too was that detachment evident in the Love Ulster gig as the standard issue uniform proved no deterrent against the sort of ordinance which was being rained down upon the wearers.

Some of the situations I saw young Gardai being exposed to that day would have in any other job,left an employer open to the most serious charges under Health & Safety "Failure to Protect" regulations.

Perhaps I crave clarity of purpose to excess,if so then I hold my hands up.

However if the State demands high levels of determination and committment from any young Garda then it should at the very least put it`s own level of committment up for inspection.

Eru

Hmmm, this Alec lad speaks a lot of sense. The effects on junior (both in rank and / or service) members from weak and two faced leadership is extremely detrimental

wolfpawnat

TheNog wrote: »

What station was that and what was the message?

TBH I think that is very, very strange.

I dont find this strange, when I lived in Dingle, if you ring the garda station outside of certain hours (being a small area, it seldom needed the office open) you would get the answering machine, which would tell you to contact Tralee garda station for all emergencies. But I respect in an area like Dingle a missing dog and a traffic jam caused by runaway sheep is not reason enough to keep gardai in the station 24/7 like in Cork and Dublin:)