Garda Regional Support Units -Success??

jd83 · 31-08-2009 5:12pm

Found this in Irish mail today. Looks pretty cool. Theres a funny picture thread and a car picture thread so mods feel free to move it to a picture thread. Sorry about the quality my camera is terrible.

timmywex · 31-08-2009 5:19pm

Thats the new rsu (regional support unit) based in maynooth i think and patrols the eastern region. (Wiklow, meath/louth/kildare/westmeath)

Pics appeared in most of the national papers there last week

Boston · 31-08-2009 5:22pm

Two points
1) I wonder what will happen when eventually some criminal get killed by one of these officers. I imagine public uproar.
2) That drop leg pistol holster is pretty useless. Too much movement, side arms should be carried on the hip.

ScubaDave · 31-08-2009 6:14pm

Id imagine when they are in full on, bulky, tactical kit, a hip holster would be inpractical!

djtechnics1210 · 31-08-2009 7:40pm

timmywex wrote: »

Thats the new rsu (regional support unit) based in maynooth i think and patrols the eastern region. (Wiklow, meath/louth/kildare/westmeath)

Not based there. Based in mullingar and another station but since i don't see it mentioned in paper (maybe i didnt see it) im not going to comment on which station.

wicklaman83 · 01-09-2009 12:17am

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Not based there. Based in mullingar and another station but since i don't see it mentioned in paper (maybe i didnt see it) im not going to comment on which station.

mullingar and newbridge

King Ludvig · 15-09-2009 6:21pm

Seen a RSU volvo in Waterford for the first time today. Wasnt in armed support mode though. It went through the lights at cork road/manor street with blues and twos and three Guards on-board. Its siren sounds quite different than that of a normal patrol car.

ivabiggon · 15-09-2009 7:30pm

what way does it go King Ludvig?

donvito99 · 15-09-2009 8:18pm

Its siren sounds quite different than that of a normal patrol car.

Yeah I heard that it has a tone that sounds like the 'BUP' on an NYFD engine.

Hooch · 15-09-2009 8:50pm

King Ludvig wrote: »

Seen a RSU volvo in Waterford for the first time today. Wasnt in armed support mode though. It went through the lights at cork road/manor street with blues and twos and three Guards on-board. Its siren sounds quite different than that of a normal patrol car.

Siren is put in by Volvo hense why its different.

The vehicle you saw was driver training. New unit is under going training at the moment. They were in Galway yesterday and today on training. As its the pursuit training course they driver with blues, normaly two at a time.

ivabiggon · 15-09-2009 9:08pm

donvito99 wrote: »

Yeah I heard that it has a tone that sounds like the 'BUP' on an NYFD engine.

sure it wasn't more like a "URNN" as apposed to a BUP!! because buppin your way through traffic wouldn't get as must attractions as URNNing your way??;)

Hooch · 15-09-2009 9:13pm

Text speak ivabiggon.......might want to edit;)

ivabiggon · 16-09-2009 12:26am

nice guy always wrote: »

Text speak ivabiggon.......might want to edit;):D

text speak!!! i was sounding out a horn! anyway couldn't resist?
the man is talking about waling sirens....please...... if i was standing beside him in a conversation in a bar havin a pint i would have asked him " what way does it go again" he he! just to see if he played requests... no more warnings
can't afford anymore, i'll be bard. i enjoy this site
some times:rolleyes:

Shield · 16-09-2009 2:25am

ivabiggon wrote: »

i enjoy this site
some times:rolleyes:

And we enjoy having you here.

Sometimes.
:rolleyes:

Hooch · 16-09-2009 10:52am

ivabiggon wrote: »

text speak!!! i was sounding out a horn! anyway couldn't resist?
the man is talking about waling sirens....please...... if i was standing beside him in a conversation in a bar havin a pint i would have asked him " what way does it go again" he he! just to see if he played requests... no more warnings
can't afford anymore, i'll be bard. i enjoy this site
some times:rolleyes:

Warning issued ivabiggon. Next time a moderator tells you to edit text speak, do. "cos" and "tru" are text speak.

If you like posting on the site....sometimes....then read the forum charter please.

King Ludvig · 21-09-2009 10:50pm

ivabiggon wrote: »

what way does it go King Ludvig?

What way did it go? In towards the city.

nice guy always wrote: »

Siren is put in by Volvo hense why its different.

The vehicle you saw was driver training. New unit is under going training at the moment. They were in Galway yesterday and today on training. As its the pursuit training course they driver with blues, normaly two at a time.

Ah thanks for the info. Is waterford/kilkenny region going to have its own RSU?

Hooch · 21-09-2009 10:59pm

King Ludvig wrote: »

Ah thanks for the info. Is waterford/kilkenny region going to have its own RSU?

I presume its region will get one at some stage. Roll out is over the next few years so depends where they are on the list. I personally thing Waterford should have the next one.

G_R · 22-09-2009 10:40pm

I saw a RSU changing from "Normal" mode to "Armed" mode today in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, it took a good 3-4 minutes to make the change by the time they stopped and armed up etc.

Am I alone in thinking that its ridiculous they aren't armed at all times. I have no policing experience or anything but i would think that in a situation where RSU back-up is required, 4 minutes mught just save some un-armed Gardá's life.

Hooch · 23-09-2009 5:56pm

dannym08 wrote: »

I saw a RSU changing from "Normal" mode to "Armed" mode today in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, it took a good 3-4 minutes to make the change by the time they stopped and armed up etc.

Am I alone in thinking that its ridiculous they aren't armed at all times. I have no policing experience or anything but i would think that in a situation where RSU back-up is required, 4 minutes mught just save some un-armed Gardá's life.

In Limerick and Cork they are always armed. They stopped dis arming about 6 months ago.

Scoff · 04-05-2010 5:05pm

They're all over kildare and meath as well

eroo · 04-05-2010 10:33pm

nice guy always wrote: »

In Limerick and Cork they are always armed. They stopped dis arming about 6 months ago.

I thought it was just Limerick?

Hooch · 04-05-2010 10:44pm

eroo wrote: »

I thought it was just Limerick?

I have yet to see the lads in Cork unarmed....

05-05-2010 12:29am

nice guy always wrote: »

I have yet to see the lads in Cork unarmed....

i have but its rare

as someone who regularly ends up at incidents with the rsu, i think they are one of the best decisions the job ever made. great sense of security knowing they are around for backup

audidiesel · 11-05-2010 5:24am

they are one of the best things that have ever come into the job. working with them in limericks made a huge difference. they have no problem calling out to anything and if things are starting to get out of hand they have the equipment and training to sort it.

genuinely sound bunch too

13-05-2010 8:09pm

audidiesel wrote: »

they are one of the best things that have ever come into the job. working with them in limericks made a huge difference. they have no problem calling out to anything and if things are starting to get out of hand they have the equipment and training to sort it.

genuinely sound bunch too

+1

Morpheus · 14-05-2010 11:58am

Boston wrote: »

Two points
That drop leg pistol holster is pretty useless. Too much movement, side arms should be carried on the hip.

Completely untrue,

when they wear any kind of tactical vest and a slung rifle, the hip holster would be completely unreachable. Drop leg makes perfect sense in this case. Ive seen them used with DF and they are very practical.

Also regarding the lads debating whether or not to call it in before shooting. As mentioned already, the situation dictates the reaction, sometimes theres no time to call it in.

Im sure as in DF there are levels of force available to cycle through up to shooting.

I know of one incident in DF this year on an exercise I was on that a security member used his training to actually detain an individual who threatened him at night. The guy jumped out of the forest right in front of him and started running towards him, it went very quickly from informing said person that he was approaching an armed soldier and that he had better stop, through to putting his finger on the trigger and safety off before the individual realised that this wasnt going to end in his favor, stopped and lay down on the road until backup came.

As most of the small hand held radios work on a line of sight basis and he was in a mountainous area he couldnt call anything in immediately, he had to make the decision alone. Such is life. I for one praise these guys, best of luck to them, hopefully with more of them around, the rank and files wont need to be armed... not that I wouldnt support that myself!

Believe me, nobody wants to actually shoot someone, no matter who or what they are, but the training we all recieve means that as the situation evolves the reaction on your part goes from being a moral question to a subliminal muscle memory action in a split second.

We all hope we never have to, but I for one know (and assume the same for most if not all others) wouldnt hesitate to shoot anyone if my own future continuation depended on it.

Locust · 14-05-2010 7:48pm

Boston wrote: »

2) That drop leg pistol holster is pretty useless. Too much movement, side arms should be carried on the hip.

It doesn't look useless, its strapped securely and isn't going to fall out. I'm informed a lot of Military & specialist law enforcement units prefer the holster on the thigh for a handgun feels as it feels most natural and is the fastest place to draw and produce the weapon. This is seen as the norm/favorite carry position for many specialist units and i think that is fairly obvious and logical when they carry a lot of other gear it can snag on.

I voted YES. I got a close up of the gear they carry and was very impressed. Well prepared, trained and equipped to assist and respond, well done, money well spent. I think the public in general is happy and is safer too. Its a very proactive move.

21-05-2010 9:31pm

i think this debate is resolved now

particularly after the cork business

Hooch · 21-05-2010 10:34pm

1922 wrote: »

i think this debate is resolved now

particularly after the cork business

+ 1.....good work to the guys and girls.

murf313 · 21-05-2010 10:53pm

just to say i came across some of these lads (midlands i presume?) at a really bad RTA near portlaoise a few weeks ago. Great bunch of guys, they helped us out in any way they could and were invaluable as we were a bit short handed before extra crews arrived.

so if any of you rsu lads are on here, thanks, it was greatly appreciated from an ambulance point of view!

Garda Regional Support Units -Success??

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