News Thread for all ES related

Zuppy

A fleet of 11 fire engines worth £1.3m and belonging to the national Fire Service College in Gloucestershire has been destroyed in a blaze.
The engines, costing £116,000 each, were stored in a workshop at the college in Moreton-in-Marsh, along with diesel and hydraulic oil.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service sent 58 firefighters to the fire. Crews from two other counties assisted.
An investigation is under way to establish the cause.
Sally Sheen, of the Fire Service College, said she was grateful to the fire services of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire.
She said: "The local fire service has contained the fire to the scene of origin. No-one was hurt and the main business of the Fire Service College will carry on as normal."
Almost 60 firefighters dealt with the blaze at the college

Charlie Hendry, of the Chief Fire Officers Association, said: "The fire service is used to dealing with emergencies.
"We are all pleased to have been able to rally round and support Sally Sheen and all her staff to continue what they do best and that is to provide first-class training for the fire and rescue service."
The college said the building was severely damaged in the fire, but that the majority of other buildings and training fleet had been saved and that it "would be business as usual for the college."
The Fire Service College has been in the market town for 38 years. It provides specialist courses for emergency workers from the UK and overseas and can accommodate 600 students on the site.

CharlieCroker

Adrien Tall Slump wrote: »

And a big round of appaulse, the gouger is dead :P

Did a Mod actually post that?
As a member of AGS, I find that disgraceful. Nobody deserves to die, and i'm sure if the member who fired the fatal shot had a choice, he/she would want things to be different if at all possible.

Shield

A Moderator of THIS forum did not. Moderators who post outside of the forum they moderate are treated as regular posters on boards.

CharlieCroker wrote: »

Did a Mod actually post that?
As a member of AGS, I find that disgraceful. Nobody deserves to die, and i'm sure if the member who fired the fatal shot had a choice, he/she would want things to be different if at all possible.

Sierra Oscar

In relation to the Shell To Sea Protester Shouting Abuse thread - Gardai are considering pressing charges.

Only last week, an incident described as "horrendous" by gardai was uploaded on to YouTube. It depicts vile abuse hurled by a female Shell to Sea protester in Mayo, in which she clearly refers to the death of Garda Robert McCallion, who died from injuries after being struck by a stolen car in Donegal last month.



Video footage of the woman screaming that gardai and security staff should be "run into a wall", a reference to the manner of Garda McCallion's death, is being examined by gardai to see if it constitutes a criminal offence.



They have identified the woman as the sister of one of the Shell to Sea leaders. Her identity has been confirmed to the Sunday Independent by three separate sources.


The images on YouTube record the woman screaming: "You should be ashamed of yourselves you dirty things. It's a pity the Letterkenny boys don't come down and run into them. A few more of you should be run into the wall."



Garda McCallion died from injuries he received when a stolen car pinned him to a wall on April 7 last.

The woman also shouts at security guards: "You have no rights you f**king animals you," along with other incomprehensible obscenities.
Among abuse hurled at the security staff by other protesters was a rant that the Provisional IRA didn't kill "half enough" Englishman. The verbal attack is directed at one of the security men who has an English accent though he has lived in Mayo for years.


When the protesters hear his accent, one of them shouts: ""He's a f**king Black and Tan." Another joins in shouting: "You f**king Black and Tan c**t yee. The IRA didn't kill half enough of yee c**ts in the North."

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/trouble-in-the-pipeline-over-ryans-shell-protest-1742082.html

Trojan911

wrote:

Dublin man jailed for pointing gun at gardaí
on 22/05/2009 14:31:40


A Dublin man who aimed a sawn-off rifle at unmarked gardaí has been jailed for seven years for possessing the gun which he claimed he had to give his neighbours "a fright". A Dublin man who aimed a sawn-off rifle at unmarked gardaí has been jailed for seven years for possessing the gun which he claimed he had to give his neighbours "a fright".

David Kavanagh (aged 30) said his "conscience" stopped him firing shots through his neighbours' front window, minutes before he and his brother were approached by an unmarked patrol car at Cherry Orchard Parade, Ballyfermot in the early hours of November 11, 2007.

Kavanagh, of Cherry Orchard Crescent, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the firearms offence and to a cash-in-transit van robbery at a Navan Road petrol station on August 6, 2003.

Judge Desmond Hogan gave Kavanagh a five-year sentence for the van robbery, which he committed shortly after his release from jail on a similar offence, to run concurrently with the gun sentence.

Kavanagh's brother, Daniel, was also jailed for seven years for shooting through their neighbours' front window with his single barrel, sawn-off shotgun.

Kavanagh told gardaí his family were feuding with the neighbours about an allegation that his brother had burgled their home some years previously.

Detective Sergeant Denis Smith said his colleagues noticed both brothers had guns when they pulled up alongside them at Cherry Orchard Parade after responding to a "loud bang" in the area.

The brothers pointed their firearms at the gardaí, then ran a short distance before turning and aiming at the car once more.

Det Sgt Smith told Mr Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that his colleagues found the discarded guns in the Cherry Orchard Crescent area once they'd called for backup after the pair ran from view.

David Kavanagh claimed he and his brother decided to "go around and give (the neighbours) a fright" using weapons sourced by Daniel.

Det Sgt Smith said David Kavanagh, a father-of-one with 26 previous convictions, claimed he simply wanted to frighten the neighbours and that his "conscience" stopped him firing the gun.

Detective Garda Carl Keane told Mr Seán Guerin BL, prosecuting, that Kavanagh claimed he was "just going along" with the 2003 cash-in-transit van robbery from which he'd hoped to make €70,000.

His co-accused Aaron Doyle (aged 30) of Mellows Avenue, Finglas, described as the robbery's "planner and instigator", was jailed for five years for his role.

Det Gda Keane said Kavanagh was one of two passengers in a stolen Mazda car masquerading as a taxi, which the Special Detective Unit saw pull up behind the cash-in-transit van at the service station.

Det Gda Keane said gardaí intervened and seized an unloaded gun from a second passenger as the car occupants donned balaclavas.

Judge Hogan backdated Kavanagh's sentence to when he entered custody on November 13, 2007.

Source

ivabiggon

A Dublin woman was sexually attacked in the back of an ambulance by a medic, it has been claimed.

The incident is alleged to have taken place as the woman was being rushed to the Coombe maternity hospital.

The accused, a Dublin man in his fifties, has taken early retirement since the alleged attack.

He appeared in Tallaght District Court yesterday where he was remanded on continuing bail until September. He denied the charge.

CHARGED

The defendant is charged with sexually assaulting the woman at an unknown place between an address in Tallaght and the Coombe on September 18, 2007.

The offence is under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1990.

Wearing a beige jacket and a white shirt, the accused man addressed the court only to enter his plea. After Judge James McDonnell read out the charge to him, he replied: "No guilty".

Solicitor Kevin Tunney made an application for legal aid and presented a statement of means in behalf of the accused.

Judge James McDonell remarked that the accused had entered 'nils' as his occupation in the statement.

Mr Tunney replied that the defendant had retired from his job.

The judge granted legal aid, and back-dated it on Mr Tunney's request.

The State Solicitor told the court there would be four witnesses for the prosecution and Mr Tunney said the accused was the only defence witness.

The court was told the hearing would take two hours.

PENALTY

District Court judges usually need to consider jurisdiction in indictable cases -- meaning if they consider the likely penalty to exceed what they can impose they cannot deal with the case.

When this happens, jurisdiction is refused and cases are sent on to the Circuit Court for trial before a judge and jury.

In this case, jurisdiction had been accepted at his first court appearance in March.

The prosecuting garda said the accused had made no reply when charged and cautioned.

The case was adjourned to a date in July, for mention, with a trial date in September reserved.

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/courts/medic-charged-with-sex-attack-on-woman-1750979.html

Trojan911

wrote:

Sentencing of garda who disclosed confidential information adjourned
on 27/05/2009 11:26:11

The sentencing of a serving member of An Garda Síochána for disclosing the contents of a confidential report almost three years ago has been adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Detective Sergeant Robert McNulty (aged 50), of The Close, Boden Park, Rathfarnham has pleaded guilty to disclosing the contents of a draft report, pursuant to Section 34 of the Commission of Investigation Act 2004 into the Dean Lyons case, without the consent of the commission on a date between July 10 and August 10, 2006.

Judge Patricia Ryan remanded Det. Sgt McNulty on continuing bail until early July following an application by defence counsel, Mr Padraig Dwyer SC, to adjourn sentencing due to witness difficulties.

Source

jt123456

Force disciplines police blogger




A serving detective whose anonymous blog carried criticisms of government ministers and police bureaucracy has been disciplined by his force.
The action, by Lancashire Constabulary, follows the exposure of the blogger "Night Jack" by the Times newspaper.
He was unmasked after the High Court rejected his plea that his anonymity be preserved "in the public interest".
Lancashire Constabulary said the blogger, named as Det Con Richard Horton, had received a written warning.
A spokeswoman said: "The commentary in the blog is indeed the work of a serving Lancashire detective and clearly the views and opinions expressed are those of the author himself and not those of the wider Constabulary.
"We have conducted a full internal investigation and the officer accepts that parts of his public commentary have fallen short of the standards of professional behaviour we expect of our police officers."

Earlier, Mr Justice Eady refused an injunction to prevent the Times identifying "Night Jack", who won an Orwell prize for blogging in April.
The judge said said blogging was "essentially a public rather than a private activity".
The blogger's lawyer had argued that preserving his anonymity was in the public interest.
Hugh Tomlinson QC said thousands of people who communicated via the internet under a cloak of anonymity would be "horrified" to think the law would do nothing to protect their identities if someone carried out the necessary detective work to unmask them.

Local criminals
But the judge ruled any right of privacy on the part of the blogger would be likely to be outweighed by a countervailing public interest in revealing that a particular police officer had been making such contributions.
In his blog "Night Jack - An English Detective" an unnamed officer had chronicled his working life in an unnamed UK town with descriptions of local criminals and his struggle with police bureaucracy.
Mr Justice Eady said the blog contained opinions on a number of social and political issues relating to the police and the administration of justice.
He added "Night Jack" had expressed strong opinions on matters of political controversy and had also criticised a number of ministers.
The judge said the blogger had known he risked disciplinary action if his employers found out one of its officers was communicating to the public in such a way.
This was one of the main reasons why "Night Jack" was keen to maintain his anonymity, he added.

Entitled to know
Rejecting the argument that all the blogger's readers needed to know was that he was a serving police officer, the judge said it was often useful, in assessing the value of an opinion or argument, to know its source.
"For so long as there is anonymity, it would obviously be difficult to make any such assessment.
"More generally, when making a judgment as to the value of comments made about police affairs by 'insiders', it may sometimes help to know how experienced or senior the commentator is."
He did not accept that it was part of the court's function to protect police officers who were, or thought they might be, acting in breach of police discipline regulations from coming to the attention of their superiors.
The public was entitled to know how police officers behaved and the newspaper's readers were entitled to come to their own conclusions about whether it was desirable for officers to communicate such matters publicly.
Det Con Horton's blog has now been removed from the internet.
His lawyer, Dan Trench, said his client had nothing to say, following the announcement that he had been disciplined.
"He is keeping his head down and won't be making any comment," he said.





http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8103731.stm

Fox_One

ivabiggon wrote: »

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/courts/medic-charged-with-sex-attack-on-woman-1750979.html

i know a lot of the lads who run the EMS services in Dublin and that seems very out of character for any of them! strange i hadnt heard about this before now, was it DFB or HSE does anyone know? or one of the mickey mouse taxi/ambulances?

cushtac

Fox_One wrote: »

i know a lot of the lads who run the EMS services in Dublin and that seems very out of character for any of them! strange i hadnt heard about this before now, was it DFB or HSE does anyone know? or one of the mickey mouse taxi/ambulances?

As the man has not been convicted we've no business commenting on his character, he's entitled to his good name.

Trojan911

wrote:

Dublin Fire Brigade battle large blaze in Inchicore
on 17/06/2009 20:03:27


Six units of the Dublin Fire Brigade are tackling a large blaze at an industrial estate in Inchicore this evening. Six units of the Dublin Fire Brigade are tackling a large blaze at an industrial estate in Inchicore this evening.

The fire, at a premises off Davitt Road, took hold shortly after 5.30pm.

The area has been evacuated and nearby roads have been closed.

There are no reports of any injuries.

Source

Trojan911

wrote:

Last Updated: Friday, June 19, 2009, 15:18

'Dutchy' Holland dies in prison

Patrick ‘Dutchy’ Holland has died in a British prison where he was serving an eight year sentence for his role in a plot to kidnap a businessman and hold him to ransom for £10 million.

He was found dead in his cell in HMP Parkhurst at around 6am today and while a post-mortem has yet to be carried out, it appears that he died from natural causes.

“As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation,” the UK prison service said in a statement.

Holland had been named in the Special Criminal Court in 1997 as the man whom gardaí believed shot Veronica Guerin but he has never been convicted of her murder.

He lived much of his life in Dublin's north inner city and Finglas.

He first came to the public's attention when, after his arrest in 1997 on drugs charges, the Special Criminal Court heard he was suspected of shooting Veronica Guerin the previous year.

Garda Marion Cusack had told the court she arrested Holland after he arrived at the Dún Laoghaire ferry port on April 9th, 1997, on suspicion of having a firearm at the junction of the Naas Road and Boot Road on June 26th, 1996, when Ms Guerin was shot.

In cross-examination Garda Cusack had said: "I had formed the opinion that Patrick Holland was the man who shot dead Veronica Guerin on June 26th, 1996."

Holland was never convicted of the murder. However, he was convicted of drugs offences relating to the activities of the gang led by John Gilligan.

Holland was sentenced to 20 years which was later reduced to 12 on appeal.

Source

Apparently, it was natural causes, unlike Ms Guerins passing. Anyhow, one less drain on the Irish/British taxpayer. Please excuse my cynicism.

Trojan911

wrote:

Gardaí cleared after two-year probe
on 22/06/2009 13:49:49


Two gardaí on trial for perverting the course of justice were cleared of all charges at Cork Circuit Criminal Court today. Two gardaí on trial for perverting the course of justice were cleared of all charges at Cork Circuit Criminal Court today.

The case has been hanging over Garda Brendan Daly and Garda Cathal O'Regan for more than two years and there were emotional scenes among family, friends and colleagues as the two men had the cases against them dismissed.

Both defendants had been charged with three counts of impeding the prosecution of Garda Michael Kiernan and three related counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice on February 23
2007 by failing to report a complaint by John Casey that James Boyce had been assaulted, failing to
report the assault and falsely reporting that Mr Boyce had fallen.

The prosecution case closed on Friday. Today there was a legal submission made by Tim O'Leary senior counsel for the two accused before Judge Con Murphy.

The background to the case was that Garda Michael Kiernan had his garda hat tipped off by James Boyce of Charleville during a late-night incident in Cork city centre.

Gardaí O'Regan and Daly stopped him and Garda Kiernan arrived and struck Mr Boyce. Garda Kiernan since pleaded guilty to this assault.

Today Mr O'Leary referred to inconsistencies between two key prosecution witnesses - Inspector Pat Cadogan and Sergeant John O'Donovan.

Inspector Cadogan said there was no reference made by either Garda Daly or O'Regan to Garda
Kiernan. Sgt O'Donovan, who was at the same meeting, said they referred to Garda Kiernan twice.

Judge Murphy acceded to the application to dismiss all charges and referred to this contradiction.

He also referred to an alleged complaint made by James Boyce's friend, John Casey, to the two gardaí.

Judge Murphy said Mr Casey claimed in evidence that he asked on the night: "How do you make a
complaint?" or words to that effect, and later said in evidence, "I cannot recall precisely what I did say."

This story courtesy of the Evening Echo

Source

Trojan911

wrote:

UK News.

Police dogs die in hot car
on 02/07/2009 13:43:25


Two German Shepherd police dogs have died after over-heating in a car in the UK, it emerged today. Two German Shepherd police dogs have died after over-heating in a car in the UK, it emerged today.

An investigation was launched after the dogs were found in a car outside Nottinghamshire Police's headquarters on Tuesday afternoon.

Their police handler, who was on duty, had gone inside sometime before the dogs were found dead.

The handler, who has not been suspended and is now at home on leave, could be prosecuted, the force confirmed.

Assistant chief constable Peter Davies told the BBC: "This is a tragic incident and we value the important work our police dogs carry out on a daily basis.

"That is why we swiftly reported this incident to the RSPCA and we will be working with them very closely."

The dogs are thought to have been donated by a breeder to carry out police work, including tracking down criminals and providing security at major events in the county.

Animal welfare groups condemned the incident.

Source

Celticfire

A fireman died yesterday after battling his way into a burning building to rescue 20 people.

Ewan Williamson was sent in to tackle a blaze ripping through a pub at the bottom of a block of flats in the early hours.

The 35-year-old lost his life as the floor collapsed beneath him while he tried to stop the fire spreading.

Yesterday senior fire service officials hailed Mr Williamson as a hero, saying the 20 people evacuated from the Balmoral pub in Edinburgh's Dalry area owed him their lives.

His family issued a statement saying: 'Ewan was a wonderful, kind, sporty and outgoing person who was loved by everyone.'

More than 70 firefighters and 16 fire engines continued to fight the blaze until it was finally put out at 3pm - 14 hours after the alarm was raised.

Another fireman was taken to hospital with minor injuries and seven residents were treated for smoke inhalation.

Police chiefs said they were keeping an open mind as to the cause of the fire.

Brian Allaway, the chief fire officer of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, said: 'Our crews on arrival were confronted with a very severe fire and while tackling that fire a breathing apparatus crew of two firefighters was injured by the collapse of an internal floor.

'Tragically, and despite the best efforts of all of his colleagues at the incident, one of those firefighters lost his life.'

The other firefighter suffered minor injuries, and has been released from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after treatment.

Mr Allaway added: 'Our service is a very close knit community and we're all absolutely devastated by this loss.

'The thoughts of every single member of this service are with the firefighter's family. This a tragic day for us.'

R.I.P.

Trojan911

wrote:

North police use Taser on knife man
on 14/07/2009 13:38:29


Police in the North used a Taser on a man armed with knives who was threatening to harm himself, it was revealed today. Police in the North used a Taser on a man armed with knives who was threatening to harm himself, it was revealed today.

The Police Ombudsman's Office said it has launched an investigation into the incident, which happened in Newry, Co Down.

Police were initially called to the scene in Corcreechy Road shortly after 9am yesterday when the man was found to be armed with several knives and threatening to self-harm.

The Ombudsman said today that specialist armed officers and police negotiators were dispatched and, after several hours of negotiations, a Taser was used to allow officers to restrain the man.

He was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment.

All Taser discharges are automatically referred by the PSNI to the Police Ombudsman for independent investigation.

Police Ombudsman investigators have been to the scene, interviewed witnesses and conducted house-to-house inquiries.

They said inquiries are continuing.

Source

donvito99

Plans to tackle ATM raid gangs

[URL="javascript:showPlayer('atm_av.html')"] [/URL]Monday, 27 July 2009 14:09

Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy is meeting senior officers in Dublin to finalise a strategy to tackle criminal gangs carrying out raids on ATMs.

Six raids have been carried out in the past seven weeks including two in recent days in counties in the east, northeast and southeast of the country.

Gardaí believe the raids are being carried out by two gangs and that a third gang involved has been broken-up after a number of those suspected of being involved were arrested and charged.

Criminal gangs have identified a weakness in security around ATMs and are demolishing surrounding walls with diggers before escaping with the machine and the cash in it.


Raids have been carried out in Meath, Wexford, Monaghan, Kilkenny, Kildare and Wicklow.

Commissioner Murphy along with Deputy Commissioner Martin Callinan and senior officers aim to finalise a cross-regional strategy to tackle the gangs.

The Organised Crime Unit will also be involved and patrols by the armed regional response units will be stepped up.

********

Out of curiosity, have all the RSU's been rolled out. I definetly have not heard of any in the Leinster area.

timmywex

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/force-to-use-pepper-spray-1842109.html

A training programme for gardai in the use of pepper spray gets under way today and it will be deployed on the streets from the end of the week.

The long-awaited spray is seen by gardai as a crucial weapon in preventing assaults. The number of assaults causing harm to gardai has more than doubled in a three-year period.

As a result, the main garda representative groups have been campaigning for the speedy introduction of the spray by the authorities.

Garda 'trainers' will be supplied with the spray from today as the first of two five-day training programmes are launched.

After training has been completed, rollouts of the spray will take place across the country in the coming weeks. The total cost to equip the force with the spray is around €450,000 and replacement of used canisters will cost about €11 each.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern told the Irish Independent last night: "I am determined that the gardai have at their disposal the most modern equipment to allow them to operate safely and effectively.

"The introduction of incapacitant sprays in other jurisdictions has been found to be a contributing factor in reducing assaults and injuries to police officers," Mr Ahern said.

cushtac

I think they've gotten things mixed up there. Instructor training starts now, but it'll be a while before they get trained & can start training frontline Gardaí. I reckon this stuff won't be on issue until the end of the year.

donvito99

Did anyone see that one Garda featured in Traffic Blues was also featured on RTE news last night. Obviously RTE aren't as shy anymore.

donvito99

Gutted fire station had no smoke alarm




A FIRE station gutted in an overnight blaze was not fitted with smoke alarms, officials confirmed yesterday.


The alert was raised at 4.15am, but the blaze had already taken hold.
Rathfriland fire station in Co Down was destroyed, as were two fire appliances at the building, and an investigation into the cause is now under way.

The authorities said the building did not have a smoke alarm, however they denied this was unusual and repeated their recommendation that the public fit alarms in their homes.

Fire service area commander Don McKay said the local fire crew could only watch as their base was gutted by the blaze.

Support arrived from outside the area and 20 firefighters with four tenders battled with the blaze but could not save the station.

“It just goes to show that fire can attack anybody,” said Mr McKay. “We have measures in place to make sure that we have adequate fire cover in the area.

“So the local community need not worry – a fire appliance will arrive if they need one. The fire service, meanwhile, confirmed the building did not have a smoke alarm.

“There was no smoke alarm fitted at Rathfriland fire station. The primary purpose of a smoke alarm is to alert the occupants at the early stage of fire and give people early warning to plan their escape,” they said.

“Smoke alarms do not prevent fires. Rathfriland . . . is a retained fire station with no sleeping accommodation.There would therefore be no one in the building . . . to be alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm.

Mr McKay told BBC Northern Ireland the incident was a little embarrassing. But he said it was not the first time a fire station had been damaged by fire and said it underlined how anyone could fall victim. – (PA)

donvito99

Logging on from Spain at the moment and I´m sure that most of you are aware that two Guardia Civil officers were killed in the line of duty recently.

Hadn´t seen it mentioned in this forum but they are your fellow comrades in blue.

RIP

da__flash

Read this in the examiner yesterday

By Cormac O’Keeffe
Tuesday, August 04, 2009


THE gardaí are haemorrhaging key staff, with many senior officers quitting the force to avoid being hit with a threatened tax on retirement lump sums as well as the pension levy.


The mass exodus comes at a time when the Government has been criticised because of the rise in gangland and serious crime.

Gardaí can retire early if they have completed 30 years of service by the age of 50. The compulsory retirement age for senior officers is 60.

"The number of chiefs and superintendents going early is unprecedented," said a senior Garda source.

"In the past they went incrementally and when the time came senior management would have had people, experienced people, lined up to fill the positions.

"Guards are thinking it’s better to get out before the gratuity tax comes in and not to pay the pension levy for any longer than they need to."

National specialist units – many of them tasked with combating organised crime – are being particularly badly hit.

Key Dublin regions battling gang violence are also suffering disproportionately. Crime figures, released last week, showed alarming hikes in murders, shootings and bank robberies.

Two weeks ago, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation (GBFI) lost its second in command, Detective Superintendent Eugene Gallagher. A very experienced officer, he had eight years to go.

The former head of that unit, Chief Supt Pat Brehony, left a number of months ago. He has been replaced.

Det Supt John McDermott, second in command at the Criminal Assets Bureau, is due to retire soon. He has about four years left. Other recent early retirements include Det Supt Liam Coen of the Garda Technical Bureau, Det Inspector Brendan Burke from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (eight years left) and three detective inspectors from the Special Detective Unit.

Det Supt PJ Durkan, based in Galway, is due to retire early in the coming months.

These retirements follow a raft of senior gardaí who were known to have retired early in recent months.

They included Chief Supt Tim Maher of Crime and Security, Chief Supt Dave Roche, in charge of Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) East and Supt Liam Hogan of Donnybrook Garda Station. They have been replaced.

In addition, Dublin has lost three of its six senior detectives through early retirement: Det Supt Hubert Collins (DMR West), Det Supt PJ Browne (DMR South Central) and most recently Det Supt Denis Donegan (DMR South). The first two positions have been replaced.

"These are all very experienced crime investigators," said the Garda source. "All the recent legislation is all well and good, but you need experienced gardaí to carry out these investigations and sustain prosecutions."

DMR West has also been hit with the early retirement of three inspectors from Blanchardstown.

Assistant Commissioner (AC) in Crime and Security Mick McCarthy retired on age grounds a number of months ago. He was replaced.

AC Al McHugh, in charge of the entire DMR, is due to leave in September on age grounds. Other recent retirements include Supt Denis Bowe, Tullamore, Supt Willie Gallagher, Roscommon and Supt Tom Commins, Boyle.

A number of other chiefs and superintendents have also indicated they intend to leave early this year.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has said there was a backlog of retirements due to a three-year extension of the retirement age in 2006. Mr Ahern got an exception to the moratorium on promotions last June, when the cabinet approved the promotion of 13 officers – three to chief superintendent and 10 to superintendent.

Trojan911

New boss for the PSNI...

wrote:

North's new police chief named
on 11/08/2009 19:31:58


Leicestershire police chief Matt Baggott was tonight appointed as the new Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The 50-year-old was the unanimous choice of the Northern Ireland Policing Board's seven-strong interview panel to take over from outgoing chief Hugh Orde.

He beat off competition from three other shortlisted candidates: Jim Gamble, chief executive of Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre; Durham police chief Jon Stoddart and head of West Mercia police Paul West.

Policing Board chairman Barry Gilligan said he had exactly the credentials they were looking for.

"He has been a champion of policing in the community that goes to the very core of what this policing board is all about," he said.

Mr Gilligan also commended Mr Baggott's record in managing a police force on a tight budget.

He is due to take on the £184,000 (€214,000)-a-year post in the autumn.

Mr Baggott said he was thrilled to take on the job.

"I am absolutely delighted to have been given this opportunity to lead the PSNI and serve the community as Chief Constable," he said.

"The PSNI has come through a significant change programme and I look forward to using my experience to build on the progress to date in the delivery of a professional policing service to all the people of Northern Ireland."

Orde is leaving the PSNI next month after seven years at the helm. He is taking up the post of president of Britain's Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).

The board's choice was rubber stamped by the North's Secretary of State Shaun Woodward.

"I am delighted that the Board has reached unanimous agreement on the appointment of Matt Baggott as the new Chief Constable to succeed Sir Hugh Orde," he said.

The appointment was the first since Sinn Féin agreed to support policing in the North and joined the board.

Source

deadwood

He beat off three other candidates?!

Now, that's an interview.

Sierra Oscar

Garda 'cold case' website launched

A new website to help solve so-called 'cold cases' has been launched by the Garda Serious Crime Review Team.


The crimes highlighted on the site have as yet not yielded enough evidence to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The initial five cases include that of Raonaid Murray who was murdered in September 1999.




A synopsis of a limited number of cases currently under review by the SCRT is now available on the website. Further cases will be added over time.


Speaking at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation at Harcourt Square today, Detective Superintendent Christy Mangan, who is in charge of the Serious Crime Review Team said: 'This is an investigation tool widely used by a number of other police forces involved in reviews of unresolved serious crime.


'It is hoped that persons who may have significant information in relation to a particular unresolved crime, and who in the past have been unable or unwilling to contact gardaí will do so now through this innovative process', he said.


The Serious Crime Review Team was set-up by the Garda Commissioner in August 2007 and is based at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Harcourt Square.


There is one detective superintendent, one detective inspector, two detective sergeants, and four detective gardaí on the team reviewing all unresolved homicides within the State dating back to 1980.
The Unit has a dedicated forensic scientist from the Forensic Science Laboratory attached to it.


Trace evidence from a number of unsolved cases is currently being reassessed there.


Services of the State Pathologists Office, a clinical anthropologist and of a forensic psychologist are also available and regularly used by the team.
Each member of the unit has widespread experience in the investigation of serious crime.


They have received training both within An Garda Siochána and from Police forces in Europe, in Canada with the Royal Canadian mounted police and in America with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


It is affiliated to a number of Police Review Groups internationally.
To date, charges have been brought against three people for their involvement in historical murders.


In addition, files in a number of separate cases have been submitted to the Law Officers.

DubMedic

North Tipperary Ambulance strike averted ( for now ).

Ambulance drivers in north Tipperary have called off a strike due to start at midnight.
The action, which would have affected Nenagh, Thurles and Roscrea stations, will not now go ahead after an intervention by the Labour Relations Commission.
The drivers voted to go on strike in a row over new work rosters being introduced.
SIPTU claimed the new rosters would add up to 25 minutes to the response times for the ambulance service.
Talks will take place to resolve the row at the LRC next week.
SIPTU says if the talks fail the strike will be reintroduced.

'Ambulance Drivers' :mad:.

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Three arrested after Dublin shooting

Gardaí in Dublin are investigating a shooting incident in Dublin in the early hours of this morning.

Two men were standing in the hallway of a house on the North Circular Road when a shot was fired at them at about 2am this morning.

Three men have been arrested following a search involving the Air Support Unit.

Gardaí say one of the men targeted in this incident suffered a shotgun wound to his upper body, while the other man received a head injury, but he was not believed to be hit by the shot.

Both men's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

When gardaí arrived on the scene on North Circular Road, three men gave chase on foot.

Two of the culprits were arrested in the vicinity of Simmons Place.

The Air Support Unit was drafted in to help search for the third man who was subsequently found and arrested on Healy Street.

The three, two of whom are 20 and one aged 18, are being held at Store Street and Mountjoy garda stations.

A technical and forensic examination of the scene is due to take place.

Story

Trojan911

wrote:

Petrol bomb thrown into garda van in Cork
on 28/08/2009 08:04:40


Gardaí in Cork are investigating an incident in which a device - believed to be a petrol bomb - was thrown into a garda van conducting speed checks last night.

The attack happened on the main Blarney to Tower Road at around 7.30pm.

A man smashed the passenger window of the van and threw the device into the cabin before fleeing on foot.

It failed to explode, however, and the garda who was in the vehicle managed to put out the flame.

The device and the van are now undergoing forensic examination as part of the investigation into the incident.

Source

Sierra Oscar

New armed garda unit for midlands

A new 24-member armed regional support unit is to be set-up in the midlands to counteract the activities of organised criminal gangs in the area.

Assistant Garda Commissioner Dermot Jennings said the new unit, which will cover Westmeath, Laois, Offaly, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, had been asked by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy to provide a high-level of protection to rural and urban communities in the north Leinster area.

The formation of the new unit follows a series of high profile public order incidents in the midlands over the course of the last 12 months.

More than 50 people are before the courts facing charges in relation to feud allegations.

The proposal to set up a special unit for the regions was also recommended by retired high court judge Mr Justice Robert Barr in the aftermath of the Abbeylara inquiry.

The new Regional Support Unit will be equipped with taser-guns, pepper-spray and other 'less than lethal' weaponry as also recommended by the Barr Tribunal report.

Commissioner Jennings said that even though Abbeylara and Co Longford was now the policing responsibility of gardaí in the Western Division, working out of Galway, the new unit in Mullingar would obviously be in a position to support gardaí in Co Longford if requested.

The Regional Support Unit based in the Midlands is the second new grouping of armed gardaí set up outside Dublin, the first one is based within the Limerick/Cork area and the next one to be set up later this year will be based in the west.