gardai and local pubs

southlouth type

What in gods name is going on with the cops in Drogheda , every pub is getting raided 3 or 4 nights a week at the moment .I know a few of them got being done for serving after hours etc .The cops are coming down hard big time .A strange time to adopt this no nonsense attitude with the counrty already depressed :rolleyes: .Have they nothing better to be doing or maybe the government just needs the money from all the fines ? last wkend they chucked out loads of people at the same time onto the street , great idea as there was murder .Idiots !

Atomic Pineapple

cash raising exercise I would suspect, are they targeting the same pubs every time?

southlouth type

They seem to be targeting ALL the pubs mcphails , mother hughes , star and crescent , sarfields etc .Pain in the arse .Damn there oily hides !

challengemaster

Wait, so they're actually doing their jobs for once?

About bloody time.

D rog

Also happened in Clarkes and Mariner last weekend.
Someone mentioned something about a new sergeant in the station, making an impression but I have no facts for that- just heresay...

southlouth type

challengemaster wrote: »

Wait, so they're actually doing their jobs for once?

About bloody time.

Eh ? Theres alot more to there jobs than harrasing the crap out of hard working people for having a drink 5 mins after the offical closing time , they are behaving like nazis they way they are going on .How about pulling all the drink drivers off the road , how about arresting all the corrupt politicans and there banker cronies ? NO NO that would be to much like hard work , lets target the ordinary joe soaps .Fcukin cops :mad:

positron

:rolleyes:

The ordinary Joe Soap's I know wouldn't worry too much about not being able to drink another 5 mins after official closing time. We have more pressing issues to worry about..!

southlouth type

positron wrote: »

:rolleyes:

The ordinary Joe Soap's I know wouldn't worry too much about not being able to drink another 5 mins after official closing time. We have more pressing issues to worry about..!

Whats your point ? I have lots of issues to worry about ! I raised a point about this , have you something to contribute ?

positron

Apologies if I was not very clear! My point is that I do not agree with you - Gardii are doing their job, and while '5 mins' past official drinking time is a 'lesser offense' than something other type of offenses out there, it doesn't mean Gardii should ignore it until they have fixed every other issue out there. Rules are set for a reason, and you are trying to find excuses for yourself / your pub breaking the rule, by trying to point out someone else breaking the rule. You are breaking the rule and Garda is doing their job and that's how I see it. I am sorry, but I have no sympathy for your situation!

PS: Is your concern purely about Garda "attitude"? If so, please ignore the above!
PPS: I do agree its really frustrating when a good night is ruined in a few mins by the Garda, and I agree in principle that Guards should focus more on more serious issues - but I don't think one should complain about doing their job though..!

calex71

I can think of a few places that take the piss when it comes to serving late drinks, hardly the crime of the century but still.

Chucking everyone out on the street at the same time isnt smart either, I'd be happier seeing the pubs raided if it was for ID checks , I can think of more than a few places that should be done in.

I remember going back a few years now it being a regular occurrence for the cops to raid the place and check for ID on a saturday night, I'm sure you can all guess the name of the place im talking about because if anything it's got more kiddies in it now than it ever had

Blarggggh

calex71 wrote: »

I'm sure you can all guess the name of the place im talking about because if anything it's got more kiddies in it now than it ever had

I wish I could but it keeps changing its name

sex?

there doing it up the road aswell. jackies on the old dublin road got raided 3 nights in a row last week for underage drinking. there in big trouble, it must be a money making scheme. this time last year every place about was trading after hours and getting up to all sorts of shennanigans

Whiskey Devil

McPhails is back to normal now anyway, not sure about the rest.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Great to hear they are doing their job! As for harassing people - come on! There's plenty of time to drink and how can enforcing the law be hassle? If I commit a crime can I cliam harassment if the guards take me in for it?
I suppose they should be out catching "real" criminals!

Good for them!

aloevera

thats bizarre that you mention this.ive seen cops EVERYWHERE not only in drog but like slane,ardee,ashbourne - all stopping on the roads, and with their speed cameras out.

perhaps the OP's idea of getting fines for government is right.

however, maybe coincidental.

southlouth type

Miriam Agreeable Tracer wrote: »

Great to hear they are doing their job! As for harassing people - come on! There's plenty of time to drink and how can enforcing the law be hassle? If I commit a crime can I cliam harassment if the guards take me in for it?
I suppose they should be out catching "real" criminals!

Good for them!

Doing there job my arse ! They pick and choose when and were they wanna do it . Certain pubs were being continually harressed while other pubs are left alone .I was recently in a pub in slane that served until 1.45 in the morning .There was 3 gardai actually in the pub on a night out .Explain that please ? And of course they should be out catching real criminals , they should try sitting outside lots of pubs in Drogheda at closing time and catch the drunk drivers

millmountharp

The publicans met with Supt Gerry Smith to voice their protests at what is happening , but got little change . The gardai are there to do their job, but on the night after the Slane concert , I saw six gardai raid one pub and a friend of mine swears that eight raided the pub that he was in at 11.35pm.That's doing a great job.
Some of the pubs being raided never serve late and never have trouble , the gardai know the 4 or 5 late serving pubs , only have to listen to the taxi radios sending cars to pubs at all hours . Hit the persistant offenders but give a little breathing space to the rest . The taxi rank on Peter Street on the night of Slane Concert had hundreds of people looking for taxis and none to be found as they were either in Slane or trying to pick up everyone chucked out of the pubs at the same time .

drogsbollix

I know for fact that a function was taking place last saturday night in a certain establishment where many Gardai were in attendance. All other pubs in the vicinity were raided and this one was left alone.

Wertz

A piece on local radio this morning that reckons random assaults and arrests for anti social behaviour have fallen dramatically following the continued targetting of certain pubs in the Drogheda area in the past couple of months. Pubs have been targetted using the towns CCTV system to see where is most likely to be serving late and/or serving the type of drinker that later goes out int he street and causes disruption.

All your anecdotes about pubs full of gardaí drinking at 3am aren't worth a damn, no-one's going to raid those pubs because that's not where the trouble is emanating from, and because those are "decent" establishments...this is a blatant enforcement move on those certain pubs that continue to serve after hours and to serve those who the gardaí would consider "trouble waiting to happen"- ie lads and lassies from the locale, in their late teens and early 20's with no work to go to the next morning, who are perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be the cause or at least the focus of late night trouble.

I'm sure there'll be something in the local paper about it

D rog

wow, I genuinely didn't think Clarke's and Mcphails would fit that description. I wouldn't have thought they'd have much trouble at all???

Wertz

I'm not from Drogheda nor would I dream of drinking there so I don't know one pub from the next...but that's what the gardaí have said is the case when asked on local radio about the raids.

D rog

Hmmm, interesting.
Also, front page of the leader- looks like gardai are saying that due to this they've eliminated public Order issues.

Also, does the garda quoted effectively call Droghedeans monkeys?
http://www.droghedaleader.net/

Wertz

Heh, if it's any relation to the Dundalk Leader I'd take their frontpage story with a large pinch of salt :pac:

positron

So Garda is going in night after night to these premises to kick people out? If so, that's such a waste of tax payers money! They should raid these establishments randomly now and then, and as soon as they find them breaking the law, take away their license or whatever.. imho!

southlouth type

Wertz wrote: »

A piece on local radio this morning that reckons random assaults and arrests for anti social behaviour have fallen dramatically following the continued targetting of certain pubs in the Drogheda area in the past couple of months. Pubs have been targetted using the towns CCTV system to see where is most likely to be serving late and/or serving the type of drinker that later goes out int he street and causes disruption.

All your anecdotes about pubs full of gardaí drinking at 3am aren't worth a damn, no-one's going to raid those pubs because that's not where the trouble is emanating from, and because those are "decent" establishments...this is a blatant enforcement move on those certain pubs that continue to serve after hours and to serve those who the gardaí would consider "trouble waiting to happen"- ie lads and lassies from the locale, in their late teens and early 20's with no work to go to the next morning, who are perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be the cause or at least the focus of late night trouble.

I'm sure there'll be something in the local paper about it

So much of your post is just wrong . And you have already stated you not from Drogheda and " wouldnt dream of drinking in it " so how are you so knowledgeable about the situation here ? I know for a fact that have raided pups populated with people in the early 30,s upwards .No teenagers no scumbags , no fights ,no trouble or any chance of any .They showed up and caused mayhem .The pub was raided 3 nights on the trot ! As for the bull**** statement made by gerry smith about assaults being down because they are getting everyone out onto the street at the same time :eek: .That goes against all evidence in relation to the subject .Staggerd closings work , everyone being turfed out together causes mayhem .

D rog

It seems like a mad statement to make alright.
But sure as long as garda stats are good. They must be steering clear of all the other places that usually have issues

Wertz

southlouth type wrote: »

So much of your post is just wrong . And you have already stated you not from Drogheda and " wouldnt dream of drinking in it " so how are you so knowledgeable about the situation here ? I know for a fact that have raided pups populated with people in the early 30,s upwards .No teenagers no scumbags , no fights ,no trouble or any chance of any .They showed up and caused mayhem .The pub was raided 3 nights on the trot ! As for the bull**** statement made by gerry smith about assaults being down because they are getting everyone out onto the street at the same time :eek: .That goes against all evidence in relation to the subject .Staggerd closings work , everyone being turfed out together causes mayhem .

Hey I'm just relaying some information the gardaí put out there, because no-one seems to be giving any reasons as to why they're raiding pubs other than revenue collection or wasting public resources. If that's wrong then fine, take it up with them. In fact since you say you have first hand knowledge of what is going on why not approach LMFM yourslef and give your side of the debate since AGS have already got their propaganda out there?

Not from Drogheda, no. Work in it, have relatives in it, some friends in it . You don't have to live somewhere to be knowledgable about it...although I still wouldn't drink in it.
30-somethings can be trouble makers too. Where did I mention scumbags? I merely said that pubs are being targetted due to anti-social behaviour and attacks being apparantly perpetrated by people leaving those premises...with so many out of work in the town currently, the pubs may be the only social outlet they have, people may get drunk more reuglalrly and do stuff they mightn't have done when they'd work to get up to the next day...that was my point.

I agree with you on staggered clsoing times, but that's not the country you're living in like it or not. Here we all get mollycoddled and treated like kids and the powers that be charged with enforcing ineffectual laws such as closing times, have one law for themselves and one for everyone else...that's why pubs where guards drink don't get hassle. That's the way it is in Dundalk and that's how it is across the country.

So what's your reasoning behind the continued harrasment by AGS in certain pubs? Do the cops just have a grudge against certain pubs and the people who frequent them? Or are they merely taking a zero tolerance approach to the licensing laws?

Darlie

The Gardai's current campaign is designed to specifically target anti-social behaviour within the current liceinsing framework. Staggered hours would be ideal, but it doesn't currently exist. As they don't have the resources to raid every pub every night, they have a list of pubs to hit occasionally, a list of pubs to hit regularly and a list of pubs to 'target', ie hit as often as possible. Their stats and the views of the general public on the street would suggest that so far their campaign is working.

So whether people believe that certain pubs are being wrongly targetted, certain pubs are frequented by guards drinking, yada yada, the fact is that opening hours are known to us all. Head down earlier if you want to drink longer.

southlouth type

You make it sound like im speculating about the whole issue . I know pesonally of one pub that is being targeted constantly by the law .And as ive stated previously its a pub frequented by older people and theres never trouble anywhere near it .Its being targeted because one copper in particular has it in for them .Its being raided 3 nights a week shortly after closing time FFS .And i said earlier my mate owns a pub not to far from drogheda that also has coppers in it well after hours and its never been raided ? So its ok for cops and locals to sit and drink til all hours but not for everyone else ?

Darlie

No one is arguing about the inequality of it all.

But whether a pub is being maliciously targetted or not, if alcohol is being served after hours they can have no complaints about being raided.

talisker

southlouth type wrote: »

You make it sound like im speculating about the whole issue . I know pesonally of one pub that is being targeted constantly by the law .And as ive stated previously its a pub frequented by older people and theres never trouble anywhere near it .Its being targeted because one copper in particular has it in for them .Its being raided 3 nights a week shortly after closing time FFS .And i said earlier my mate owns a pub not to far from drogheda that also has coppers in it well after hours and its never been raided ? So its ok for cops and locals to sit and drink til all hours but not for everyone else ?

oh please, please, please tell me where your 'friend's' pub is located, because i could always use a cold pint or two after hours!!! the laws are too draconian here don't you think. why deny us the joy of stumbling out of a pub in the wee hours of the morning, the only trouble we could get up to was trying to find a place to get a massive fry. an especially memorable if the bread is fried in the same grease that the rasher was cooked in!!

Mr. Presentable

southlouth type wrote: »

Doing there job my arse ! They pick and choose when and were they wanna do it . :

Hmm. Choosing pubs, and after hours, eh? The cute hoors.

Mylow

Ye....I always see Garda targeting that pub right by taxi rank....people falling out of there pissed at 4pm everyday...what was that little bit of legislation about serving people when they are intoxicated????? Clarkes a hot bed of anti-social types....I haven't laughed so much in yonksd...all those accountants and solicitors must be wetting there pants in Clarkes...all fighting outside on a Saturday night

Mylow

talisker wrote: »

oh please, please, please tell me where your 'friend's' pub is located, because i could always use a cold pint or two after hours!!! the laws are too draconian here don't you think. why deny us the joy of stumbling out of a pub in the wee hours of the morning, the only trouble we could get up to was trying to find a place to get a massive fry. an especially memorable if the bread is fried in the same grease that the rasher was cooked in!!

Glessons????

delta720

It's hilarious how people claim that Gardai have it in for them etc.
They're people too who have families and lives, believe me they dont stay awake all night planning a small pub raid.

The point is if you've done nothing wrong then you have NOTHING to worry about. It's the people who are always crying "where are the gardai?" that when they get caught for something change their tune to "Do they have nothing better to do with their time, try catching real criminals"
The fact is that your local garda is only going to deal with local issues, traffic corps deal with traffic, drugs squad with drugs, etc.

There will nearly always be a crime commited out there that was worse than yours.. but it doesnt excuse you.

southlouth type

delta720 wrote: »

It's hilarious how people claim that Gardai have it in for them etc.
They're people too who have families and lives, believe me they dont stay awake all night planning a small pub raid.

The point is if you've done nothing wrong then you have NOTHING to worry about. It's the people who are always crying "where are the gardai?" that when they get caught for something change their tune to "Do they have nothing better to do with their time, try catching real criminals"
The fact is that your local garda is only going to deal with local issues, traffic corps deal with traffic, drugs squad with drugs, etc.

There will nearly always be a crime commited out there that was worse than yours.. but it doesnt excuse you.

How about the fact the cops break the same laws i.e late drinks in various pubs and get away with it .The law is full of inconsitencies and people who know coppers personally get away with stuff like speeding and other minor offences .We all know this goes on but its accepted as the norm by everyone .Coupled with the fact that most local cops in drogheda have serious attitude problems and treat people like kids when guilty of nothing .

delta720

southlouth type wrote: »

How about the fact the cops break the same laws i.e late drinks in various pubs and get away with it .The law is full of inconsitencies and people who know coppers personally get away with stuff like speeding and other minor offences .We all know this goes on but its accepted as the norm by everyone .Coupled with the fact that most local cops in drogheda have serious attitude problems and treat people like kids when guilty of nothing .

Have you evidence? This "we all know" crap is generally just what bitter people go on about...

If you are more than garda bashing than report a complaint to the following:

http://www.gardaombudsman.ie/

Regards Delta

southlouth type

delta720 wrote: »

Have you evidence? This "we all know" crap is generally just what bitter people go on about...

If you are more than garda bashing than report a complaint to the following:

http://www.gardaombudsman.ie/

Regards Delta

of course ive evidence i drink in the pub garda bashing ? ahh the poor defenseless coppers .Ok i will register my complaint , will i get away
it with any hassle from the law :eek:

delta720

southlouth type wrote: »

of course ive evidence i drink in the pub garda bashing ? ahh the poor defenseless coppers .Ok i will register my complaint , will i get away
it with any hassle from the law :eek:

Of course you will, the garda ombudsman office are completely independent of AGS, a Garda will not even know a complaint has been registered until after a full investigation has been completed.

I just hope the day you need the gardai they've got their hands tied with people of a similarly closed minded view..

southlouth type

delta720 wrote: »

Of course you will, the garda ombudsman office are completely independent of AGS, a Garda will not even know a complaint has been registered until after a full investigation has been completed.

I just hope the day you need the gardai they've got their hands tied with people of a similarly closed minded view..

you are continually missing the point here .Whats good for one must automatically be good for the other should it not ? why should certain people be able to break laws because they are either a guard themselves or a friend of one ? simple question . You remember the case of the donegal nightclub owner recently ?

delta720

southlouth type wrote: »

you are continually missing the point here .Whats good for one must automatically be good for the other should it not ? why should certain people be able to break laws because they are either a guard themselves or a friend of one ? simple question . You remember the case of the donegal nightclub owner recently ?

I don't think you understand me, of course I'm not of the view the Gardai should go around doing what they want, hence why I suggested the Garda Ombudsman. However you seem to imply through out your posts that the majority of the gardai do go around breaking the laws, and of course some do, with a force of over 10,000 some are going to be power hungry dickhead's. But this is the same in every single profession.

You cannot comment on one or two individual cases and then say that gardai or their friends go around breaking the law and getting away with it, because it is simply untrue. Infact a garda in my local station had to see his own son arrested for a small public order charge and he went through the system the same as every1 else. We live in far too an open society for anything else to happen. Infact as soon as the gardai even step slightly out of line to deal with scum 100 times worse then the media come down on them like a ton of bricks.

Whiskey Devil

Does anybody actually believe that by closing pubs like McPhails and McHughs a half hour earlier that they've somehow managed to curb anti-social behaviour? :rolleyes: There are a number of pubs in town with a 2am licence that will be rammed when other pubs are shut on time - this is a far more likely cause of trouble if you ask me. I've rarely seen a punch up in Drogheda when the pubs start chucking out. 95% of the trouble I've seen has been on Narrow West Street when O' Sheas/Fusion/Earth etc. close.


How about they go down and patrol the streets at night instead of disappearing when the local knackers start kicking lumps out of each other? Some chance.

southlouth type

r u a cop delta ?

delta720

Whiskey Devil wrote: »

How about they go down and patrol the streets at night instead of disappearing when the local knackers start kicking lumps out of each other? Some chance.

This is a stupid biased statement

Also no I'm not a cop, personaly I wouldn't be fit to take the constant physical and verbal abuse on the streets day in day out without flipping and beating the crap outa some scumbag. Also with little support from our ignorant population it seems to me to be a thankless and difficult job.

Trafford Lad

I agree totally with Whiskey Devil above, and it is a valid point. The last place you will find a Garda tonight is around Narrow West St and West St tonight after the clubs have emptied out. They might actually have to do something for a change, cant be having that:rolleyes:.

macadam

Closing time is exactly what it says, if you want to drink more go out earlier , the pubs are open all day from 11am until 12 midnight and then you have the 2am bars whats the problem.

In dublin the bars close on the dot , same in most european countries .

Plan your night out and enjoy it, its that simple.

Whiskey Devil

delta720 wrote: »

This is a stupid biased statement

Also no I'm not a cop, personaly I wouldn't be fit to take the constant physical and verbal abuse on the streets day in day out without flipping and beating the crap outa some scumbag. Also with little support from our ignorant population it seems to me to be a thankless and difficult job.

How is it stupid? Because it's true? :cool:

Clearly, you are the one that is biased.

D rog

It would be nice if some of the bars like McPhails and Clarkes had a 2am license. I don't want to frequent shooters etc. being a little old now...

Whiskey Devil

Any bar can get a 2am licence if they're willing to pay for it. It's quite pricey though - a fair few hundred a night.