Special Branch - Unmarked Garda Cars

Lexus1976

Besides the usual signs such as aerials and ford mondeo's, how can you pin point a special branch.

Zainal

Do something illegal. That should help you identify them.

langdang

There'll be two fella's with garda heads on em sitting in it.
Sticking pins in a voodoo doll of Brian Linehan and Cowen...

The Express

No Insurance disc, rough bodywork.

ANXIOUS

A dublin reg.

Berty

ANXIOUS wrote: »

A dublin reg.

Not always.

Unmarked Garda cars are taking a new twist recently with Focus Hatchbacks, 3 door Focus, Berlingo Van in Cork(with blue strobes in Grille and rear window), Toyota Camrys(years back with TN Reg), Citroen C5, Isuzu Troopers.

If you look at the rear level brake light there is usually an LED in the middle of it or just somewhere on the back window.

On the front besides maybe having strobes on the corner of the bumper, you may see strobes in the Grille, like the M7's BMW 3 Series or you might see just where the dash meets the window an LED strobe cluster.

The days of the aerials are gone as now they can be built into wipers and the rear windows or now, like modern cars, shark fins.

I personally think they are easy to spot. Often the drivers will still be wearing their Garda garb unless detectives, ERU, Special Branch.

In Limerick they have a VERY OLD Citroen Xsara in white which is not D reg. I cannot remember what reg though.

Spotting special branch though. Well they do not want to be spotted SO if they are looking for you then you have been a bad boy but unless you have done something seriously messed up then special branch will just ignore you.

1922

The Express wrote: »

rough bodywork.

he he he

helimachoptor

The camrys are customs

1922

helimachoptor wrote: »

The camrys are customs

been a while since toyota made a camry!!

Whitewater-AGS

You wont spot a car used to monitor the movements of subversives, terrorists, and major criminals thats kinda the point of such cars;)

helimachoptor

1922 wrote: »

been a while since toyota made a camry!!

Yep they are all 93 94 models

alo1587

The driver will be looking around at everything but the road ahead of him

LookBehindYou

The question should have been about how to spot a traffic car or the types of vehicles used to give you fines and penalty points.

The special branch are in a different league, so its not a worry to the normal law abiding person. They have a different job to do.

Motorists should watch out for the silver bmw on the m7.
also those vans parked in sneaky places.

Hooch

LookBehindYou wrote: »

The question should have been about how to spot a traffic car or the types of vehicles used to give you fines and penalty points.

The short answer is all the vehicles are now changing. The blue LED in break lights are being moved to strobes into the back light, ariels are nearly gone, insurance disc's are being put in.

At present the only sure way is the side bumper LEDs.......happy hunting

DrumSteve

three ariels on the roof is a good indicator. Co-incidentally you will see a lot of these cops on the phone as they drive as the pretty much don't give a crap about the law unless they are applying it.

Hooch

DrumSteve wrote: »

three ariels on the roof is a good indicator. Co-incidentally you will see a lot of these cops on the phone as they drive as the pretty much don't give a crap about the law unless they are applying it.

Read the law and you might understand;)

Section 3 (2) Road Traffic Act 2006

Plug

Did anyone see a Garda commissioners car? 3.0 v6 mondeo, plenty of voom voom:pac:
There just black, no different from any other car on the road, no ariels or sirens, nothing Gardi about them.

Hooch

Plug wrote: »

Did anyone see a Garda commissioners car? 3.0 v6 mondeo, plenty of voom voom:pac:
There just black, no different from any other car on the road, no ariels or sirens, nothing Gardi about them.

A/C and above get a state car. 3ltr petrol. Blue lights build into grill and into back reverse lights. Siren also.

Some, but not all, have Tetra fitted.

fl4pj4ck

there's a red auris in limerick

Plug

nice guy always wrote: »

A/C and above get a state car. 3ltr petrol. Blue lights build into grill and into back reverse lights. Siren also.

Some, but not all, have Tetra fitted.

There nice cars I have to say, another waste of the tax payers money.

mullingar

nice guy always wrote: »

Read the law and you might understand;)

Section 3 (2) Road Traffic Act 2006

Interesting read!

So we can talk on a mobile while driving if we ring a garda station or an emergency services. Good to know to report stupid drivers to the garda instead of pulling in.

CharlieCroker

nice guy always wrote: »

A/C and above get a state car. 3ltr petrol. Blue lights build into grill and into back reverse lights. Siren also.

Some, but not all, have Tetra fitted.

The commissioner has a Volvo S80 in black. Car is GORGEOUS!!!!!

emurphy

1922 wrote: »

been a while since toyota made a camry!!

they still make them. I drove a new one a few months back in oz

1922

emurphy wrote: »

they still make them. I drove a new one a few months back in oz

then i stand corrected....i just don't think they are on sale here anymore?

cianclarke

Plug wrote: »

They're nice cars I have to say, another waste of the tax payers money.

Totally disagree, a 3.0l v6 Ford is hardly what you'd call a 'blingin company car...

Drummerboy08

1922 wrote: »

then i stand corrected....i just don't think they are on sale here anymore?

They're not.

The Camry hasnt been sold in Europe in years. They went out with Mussolini and the wireless....:pac:

G Luxel

emurphy wrote: »

they still make them. I drove a new one a few months back in oz

Theres a 06 and 07 camry in kilkenny and West Cork, one is an oz import and the other from the States.

As for the unmarked cars, they still have the 3 aerials, no hubcaps, so many dents I dont know how they pass the NCT (if they are exempt from it)...:(

Our man in Havana

Garda vehicles are exempt from NCT and DOE tests.

jk86

They're the ones driving 60mph through the city centre

pacman.podge

blue lights on the sides of front bumpers, they stick out quite a bit....usually a dark colour like navy or blue.. garda cars even tho there drove to ****e are always being put into the garage!! very well maintained.. to a certain degree anyway.

brayblue24

Berty wrote: »

Not always.

Unmarked Garda cars are taking a new twist recently with Focus Hatchbacks, 3 door Focus, Berlingo Van in Cork(with blue strobes in Grille and rear window), Toyota Camrys(years back with TN Reg), Citroen C5, Isuzu Troopers.

If you look at the rear level brake light there is usually an LED in the middle of it or just somewhere on the back window.

On the front besides maybe having strobes on the corner of the bumper, you may see strobes in the Grille, like the M7's BMW 3 Series or you might see just where the dash meets the window an LED strobe cluster.

The days of the aerials are gone as now they can be built into wipers and the rear windows or now, like modern cars, shark fins.

I personally think they are easy to spot. Often the drivers will still be wearing their Garda garb unless detectives, ERU, Special Branch.

In Limerick they have a VERY OLD Citroen Xsara in white which is not D reg. I cannot remember what reg though.

Spotting special branch though. Well they do not want to be spotted SO if they are looking for you then you have been a bad boy but unless you have done something seriously messed up then special branch will just ignore you.

You need a hobby mate

Dero

brayblue24 wrote: »

You need a hobby mate

Pretty sure this (motors) is his hobby.

brayblue24

Dero wrote: »

Pretty sure this (motors) is his hobby.

OK fair point so with hindsight I retract that post and apologise to poster:(.

Berty

brayblue24 wrote: »

You need a hobby mate

Dero wrote: »

Pretty sure this (motors) is his hobby.

brayblue24 wrote: »

OK fair point so with hindsight I retract that post and apologise to poster:(.

Jeez, what happened here?

jk86

Berty wrote: »

Jeez, what happened here?

Something beautiful, man

ironclaw

Apart from the lights etc

One of these on the roof:



Thats the Tetra aerial. There was a case in the UK where the police refused to put the aerial in the car. They did it for a while and noticed it was causing headaches etc. They then did a medical servey and some evidence was found to suggest the Tetra signal was causing it (Tetra operates at about 400MHz)

Personally, if you are in the Gardai, refuse to Operate with the Tetra aerial in the car.

Another thing is the AVPR system. Its a small box (About four CD cases on top of each other in size) that normally sits on the boot of the car (or in some cases the roof) Dead give away.

-Chris-

Berty wrote: »

Jeez, what happened here?

Don't worry Berty, they're just jealous.

Tragedy

pacman.podge wrote: »

blue lights on the sides of front bumpers, they stick out quite a bit....usually a dark colour like navy or blue.. garda cars even tho there drove to ****e are always being put into the garage!! very well maintained.. to a certain degree anyway.

The most common unmarked car I see is a red Ford Mondeo. Seen loads of the yokes.

Barname

1922 wrote: »

been a while since toyota made a camry!!

??

eh, no actually

Toyota produce between 400,000 and 500,000 Camry's annually

Just because a particular automobile is not retailed in Ireland does not mean it is no longer manufactured.

1922

Barname wrote: »

??

eh, no actually

Toyota produce between 400,000 and 500,000 Camry's annually

Just because a particular automobile is not retailed in Ireland does not mean it is no longer manufactured.

yes i did clarify that a few posts back thanks

sofia11

A bit off topic but my husband thought he'd been caught in the 30 speed limit outside cork city. He's since figured out that yes it was a garda who owns an ex-gatso van and he uses it to take out his greyhounds for exercise. It was parked on the side of the road. Well I thought it was funny, he must be giving other motorists a heart attack too.

donvito99

helimachoptor wrote: »

The camrys are customs

Nope, OCU

nice_guy80

there are unmarked Toyota Avensis around Dublin. Silver and beige .

guil

ironclaw wrote: »

Apart from the lights etc

One of these on the roof:



Thats the Tetra aerial. There was a case in the UK where the police refused to put the aerial in the car. They did it for a while and noticed it was causing headaches etc. They then did a medical servey and some evidence was found to suggest the Tetra signal was causing it (Tetra operates at about 400MHz)

Personally, if you are in the Gardai, refuse to Operate with the Tetra aerial in the car.

Another thing is the AVPR system. Its a small box (About four CD cases on top of each other in size) that normally sits on the boot of the car (or in some cases the roof) Dead give away.

dont ya mean ANPR

Gary ITR

I got stopped by a Punto witha TS reg while walking home after a bar shift, Guards wanted to know what I was up to so late at night, I clearly look like a drug dealer or something.*

*there had been a shooting near where I was walking

Heroditas

They have a black E60 5 Series in the Dublin area.
I got flashed at and had the horn blown at me one morning by him on the M50 for not overtaking someone quickly enough (I was doing 130!!!).
As he passed he waved his fist at me and gestured at the blue LED on the dash. I was sure I was going to be pulled over but he continued on his way.

I've seen it a couple of times since, both times it was escorting diplomatic corps limos.

langdang

Just to point out, this topic comes up regularly and some people always assume there is only one "type" of car without official markings. Some also assume that plain clothes = special branch. Not so, the special branch are specifically for bad bad boys, they're not going to be checking your car is taxed.

Not being a guard, I don't know if there's specific terminology, but

General Unmarked - I take this to refer to the cars that are fairly obviously Garda cars in everything but official paintwork and stickers. D reg mondeos, steel wheels, 3 aerials etc.

Traffic Corp unmarked - as above, but with cameras,ANPR, and sometimes a bit more poke under the bonnet?

Undercover cars - as used by surveillance units, drug units, etc could be anything. May not have any garda fittings at all?

Special branch I'd say would have access to higher powered debadged stuff as they are responsible for counter terrorism, minding VIPs etc
The 3 litre Mondeo's (ST220) already mentioned, or equivalent, would be an obvious choice - discreet cars that handle a pursuit( or a quick getaway when escorting VIPs?)
Tetra radios most likely, and integrated lights/flashers
Dunno if special branch would bother with the ANPR?

Someone told me once about seeing an escort in progress or maybe training for one? 3 cars, at least one Jag*, high speed aggressive but controlled driving. Cars zooming ahead to block off entrances to roundabouts etc so the other could come through quick and safe, then the blocking car(s) would have to floor it to catch up.

*No surprise for a Jag to be the escorted car, but if jags were part of the escorting cars it suggests it may not have been Gardai, but maybe an english special branch on escort duty under permission?

dsane1

I pulled over to let a car with blue lights on its wing mirrors pass the other night ,thought it was a garda car . Another boy racer ,bloody crazy that they're getting away with this.

Shires

dsane1 wrote: »

I pulled over to let a car with blue lights on its wing mirrors pass the other night ,thought it was a garda car . Another boy racer ,bloody crazy that they're getting away with this.

Did ya report it? They can't do anything otherwise!

P.C.

Onkle wrote: »

I got stopped by a Punto witha TS reg while walking home after a bar shift, Guards wanted to know what I was up to so late at night, I clearly look like a drug dealer or something.*

*there had been a shooting near where I was walking

Earlier in the year a few of us were out on the bikes on a Wednesday evening. The lad in the lead stoped behind an 'oldish' Punto, and would not filter past. He called me up, and when I pulled alongside, he said 'Unmarked Garda car - check it out'.
I spotted the light cluster in the rear widow, but would not normally have seen it.

Anyway, a driver in a pickup decided to drive past the queing traffic, and pull into the que at the lights.
When the lights went green, off we all go, and after the junction, the Punto floors it, put on lights and pulls the pickup over.

We just rode past and laughed.

ironclaw

guil wrote: »

dont ya mean ANPR

Depends if your American or not But yes ANPR is the same.

"Automatic (Vehicle / Number) Plate Recognition"