If I dress like Met Police - Am I impersonating a Garda?

Simple enough question.

I know it's illegal to impersonate a Garda in Ireland. However, if i dress like a Police officer from the UK, or US or such, and I don't carry a baton (don't want to have an offensive weapon on me) but look pretty authentic, am I still impersonating a Garda?

Or is there a loophole there?

coolmoose

This is your second post about "loopholes" about impersonating Gardai...I now assume you want to dress as a Met bobby and have "POLICE" scrolling on your car window and want to know if you can get away with it?

testicle

coolmoose wrote: »

This is your second post about "loopholes" about impersonating Gardai...

coolmoose

coolmoose wrote: »

This is your second post about "loopholes" about impersonating Gardai...I now assume you want to dress as a Met bobby and have "POLICE" scrolling on your car window and want to know if you can get away with it?

Sounded very condescending...


It was the last post that made it come into my head, but I thought it best to not derail the other thread, and instead bring my curiousity here.

Attack the post, not the poster, and all that.

dvpower

I think there has to be some intent of deception for it to be an offence so dressing as a cop for a fancy dress party should be ok.

bravestar

dvpower wrote: »

I think there has to be some intent of deception for it to be an offence so dressing as a cop for a fancy dress party should be ok.

If you dress as a member of AGS, regardless of your intent, it is an offence. If you try to pass yourself off as a member of AGS, regardless of your dress, it is an offence.

In response to the OP, thousands of people dress up as police officers every year, the national police force (service) of this country is AGS, not the London met, so you wont have any problems. If however you try stopping traffic and arresting people, well that would be a different story

Cheers bravestar. I thought that would be the case, alright.


*wanders off to eBay*


:pac:

Delancey

Be very careful wearing a Met uniform KKV - drunken slappers might think you're a stripagram

delancey42

delancey42 wrote: »

Be very careful wearing a Met uniform KKV - drunken slappers might think you're a stripagram

ARGH - Why don't they offer express shipping!!! :mad:

:pac:

(Mind you, the sighs of disappointment if they got it off me would be hilarious anyway, so I can't lose!)

mikemac

Get a yellow jacket, white helmet, the appropriate Honda bike and it's like the parting of the Red Sea as cars see you in their mirrors :cool:

feelingstressed

feelingstressed wrote: »

Get a yellow jacket, white helmet, the appropriate Honda bike and it's like the parting of the Red Sea as cars see you in their mirrors :cool:

I actually never noticed that to be honest. I'm not much of a Motorbike fanatic now, but quickly glancing, unless i seen the reflective stickers or blue light, I wouldn't even notice a garda bike behind me.

If i was in a car and heard a siren, i'd instinctively look for a car, or failing that, an ambulance or fire truck. Is that a bit odd?

Delancey

feelingstressed wrote: »

Get a yellow jacket, white helmet, the appropriate Honda bike and it's like the parting of the Red Sea as cars see you in their mirrors :cool:

Balls to the bike and helmet part - just get a set of tight bike leathers and the ' ladies ' ( I use the term loosely ) will be ripping them away from you , NGA swears by it

Alpha Papa

I dressed up as one of the lads from Roadwars in the past.. stabber cover and police badges and all.. all gear got from ebay..

Believe or not the local mules stopped me and loved the costume even wanted a photo with me.. Got a free lift and all to the nightclub.

You have to love guards with a good sense of humour! Made the night

Delancey

Alpha Papa wrote: »

I dressed up as one of the lads from Roadwars in the past.. stabber cover and police badges and all.. all gear got from ebay..

Believe or not the local mules stopped me and loved the costume even wanted a photo with me.. Got a free lift and all to the nightclub.

You have to love guards with a good sense of humour! Made the night

Delighted and excited to hear the Guards thought it was cool but more to the point - what did the ' molls ' think ?

Dermot Illogical

feelingstressed wrote: »

Get a yellow jacket, white helmet, the appropriate Honda bike and it's like the parting of the Red Sea as cars see you in their mirrors :cool:

All well and good until you meet a stolen car :eek:

meathstevie

Alpha Papa wrote: »

I dressed up as one of the lads from Roadwars in the past.. stabber cover and police badges and all.. all gear got from ebay..

Believe or not the local mules stopped me and loved the costume even wanted a photo with me.. Got a free lift and all to the nightclub.

You have to love guards with a good sense of humour! Made the night

You would have been rightly screwed if they offered you some of their paperwork as well...you would have never made it to the party

ivabiggon

Deleted User wrote: »

Simple enough question.

I know it's illegal to impersonate a Garda in Ireland. However, if i dress like a Police officer from the UK, or US or such, and I don't carry a baton (don't want to have an offensive weapon on me) but look pretty authentic, am I still impersonating a Garda?

Or is there a loophole there?

*solution*
why don't you dress as a plain clothes met police officer.......all the girl love that???;)

coolmoose

Deleted User wrote: »

Sounded very condescending...

Attack the post, not the poster, and all that.

I didn't attack you, read my post now again, I assumed based on your posts that's what you were asking?

Zambia

With respect Coolmoose it came across as a pretty personnal dig IMO, you may not have meant it that way.

angelfire9

delancey42 wrote: »

Delighted and excited to hear the Guards thought it was cool but more to the point - what did the ' molls ' think ?

Ye all know of course that there is a certain breed of woman who LOVES a man in uniform

Of course they don't all go to the extreme that I did and marry one!

coolmoose

Zambia232 wrote: »

With respect Coolmoose it came across as a pretty personnal dig IMO, you may not have meant it that way.

Meh...I didn't use any language, personal abuse or call anybody names, merely assumed a view based on two posts...god it's easy to upset people here these days.

Spartan09

There was a lot of people attempting to impersonate "police officers" in town last night......! Didnt feel the need to intervene and initiate proceedings against them.....! After being asked for the 76th time where you got your costume / uniform / about how realistic you looked as a Garda, began to hate Halloween.....

kerry4sam

Spartan09 wrote: »

There was a lot of people attempting to impersonate "police officers" in town last night......! Didnt feel the need to intervene and initiate proceedings against them.....! After being asked for the 76th time where you got your costume / uniform / about how realistic you looked as a Garda, began to hate Halloween.....

Ah their are photos all over facebook of on-duty guards in varying photos, can't say no apparently :rolleyes:

At least you were just asked about your uniform and not to pose for photos.

Spartan09

kerry4sam wrote: »

Ah their are photos all over facebook of on-duty guards in varying photos, can't say no apparently :rolleyes:

At least you were just asked about your uniform and not to pose for photos.

Photos.....? Ive never posed for so many photos in one night.....! Only consolation is that the flash from the cameras kept reflecting back off the high vis jackets so cant really see my face in any of the photos.....result....

kerry4sam

Spartan09 wrote: »

Photos.....? Ive never posed for so many photos in one night.....! Only consolation is that the flash from the cameras kept reflecting back off the high vis jackets so cant really see my face in any of the photos.....result....

& this here is one aspect that I find disgraceful! Absolutely do NOT like this. Their are so many photos of guards that I know who come out of the photos looking like pure rookies with no self-respect. Not a good image by any means.

Hooch

kerry4sam wrote: »

& this here is one aspect that I find disgraceful! Absolutely do NOT like this. Their are so many photos of guards that I know who come out of the photos looking like pure rookies with no self-respect. Not a good image by any means.

Taking photos with ES will always happen. NYPD, London Met etc etc they all do it.

I agree that a professional look should be maintained but we have to look human too. I never had a problem standing in for a photo to be honest

kerry4sam

nice guy always wrote: »

Taking photos with ES will always happen. NYPD, London Met etc etc they all do it.

I agree that a professional look should be maintained but we have to look human too. I never had a problem standing in for a photo to be honest

I agree it will always happen but where I take issue is in the circumstances. The guards in some of the pictures on facebook are pictured with drunk, indecent characters and find it just hillarious to pose in varying positions with them.

I've no probs with photos being taken of guards in uniform in the right context but when it follows a caption saying "xyz guards hard at work!" I find it disgraceful and an insult to the uniform.

Hooch

kerry4sam wrote: »

I agree it will always happen but where I take issue is in the circumstances. The guards in some of the pictures on facebook are pictured with drunk, indecent characters and find it just hillarious to pose in varying positions with them.

I've no probs with photos being taken of guards in uniform in the right context but when it follows a caption saying "xyz guards hard at work!" I find it disgraceful and an insult to the uniform.

If you think the photo shows the job in a bad light just report it to GSOC. No Garda should be in a pose other than smiling and standing straight.

eroo

NGA should be reported asap

Those leather corps pants are NOT meant to be backless :P

Spartan09

kerry4sam wrote: »

I agree it will always happen but where I take issue is in the circumstances. The guards in some of the pictures on facebook are pictured with drunk, indecent characters and find it just hillarious to pose in varying positions with them.

I've no probs with photos being taken of guards in uniform in the right context but when it follows a caption saying "xyz guards hard at work!" I find it disgraceful and an insult to the uniform.

Kerry4Sam, I can understand your position completely. I would also not be impressed with Gardai showing disrespect to the uniform by posing in inappropriate ways for photos. However if I may offer some other thoughts. What I observed was that it portrayed the Gardai in a very positive light. Many of the members of the public that approached were non-Irish and commented on how the Police in their countries were unapproachable. They spoke about how refreshing it was to be able to approach Police in a different country and their requests to be treated with respect. Included in the people who approached us were Police officers from a different country who also commended us on our approachability and how the general public appeared at ease with us. I think one of the strengths of AGS compared to other police forces is that the general public see them in a positive light. I would be concerned about a force that was perceived as authoritarian, emotionless and unapproachable. But as I said earlier I respect your position on this issue but also believe that in the right context it can actually portray the organisation in a positve light and can enhance the perception of the organisation in the minds of the general public.

kerry4sam

Spartan09 wrote: »

Kerry4Sam, I can understand your position completely. I would also not be impressed with Gardai showing disrespect to the uniform by posing in inappropriate ways for photos. However if I may offer some other thoughts. What I observed was that it portrayed the Gardai in a very positive light. Many of the members of the public that approached were non-Irish and commented on how the Police in their countries were unapproachable. They spoke about how refreshing it was to be able to approach Police in a different country and their requests to be treated with respect. Included in the people who approached us were Police officers from a different country who also commended us on our approachability and how the general public appeared at ease with us. I think one of the strengths of AGS compared to other police forces is that the general public see them in a positive light. I would be concerned about a force that was perceived as authoritarian, emotionless and unapproachable. But as I said earlier I respect your position on this issue but also believe that in the right context it can actually portray the organisation in a positve light and can enhance the perception of the organisation in the minds of the general public.

Great post Spartan09, really. I agree and I said earlier I've no probs with photos in the right context. The photos can be good positive P.R.

It's the one's I've seen as mentioned above in shameful, disgraceful positions that I'm taking issue with.

Just to say also, some of those ones have been removed from facebook very recently.