Most Gardai Don't Know What Airsoft Is

ronan keane

Most Gardai arn't even taught properly about Airsoft.How can they enforce a law when they arn't taught properly about it?

Puding

From my experience this is actually of an old wives tale, a lot of Gardai are well aware of airsoft of course there are some that may not know as much about the hobby we would like but you have to understand that airsoft is only a small area that they have to have knowledge in,

As with customs they generally know more than they let on

I know for a fact that there is a lot of internal communication about airsoft within the Gardai

when you say there not taught properly about airsoft what information do you think there lacking?

Firekitten

You say that as though they are propperly taught about other laws they are meant to enforce.

Firekitten

Puding wrote: »

when you say there not taught properly about airsoft what information do you think there lacking?

They don't take thier hits.

CpcRc

As Puding has pointed out, a lot of Gardai know about airsoft. And a lot of Gardai know that there are responsible airsofters out there.

From what I've heard, the Gardai know a lot more about airsoft than the public do. Where I live the Gardai don't have a problem with airsoft so long as people act responsibly and don't break the law. They know the difference between a responsible airsofter and a Tom, Dick or Harry who just bought one and doesn't know the law. That's what's important. But that's another discussion.

Witcher

I think the fact a lot of them aren't clued up on actual firearms is more worrying.

Inari

I'm going to be overly blunt here. How much law do you know? We are a TINY percentage of the population, and thus the laws that concern us are nowhere near as common as the ones they most often have to enforce.

Can I ask where this thread came from?

TheDoc

Inari wrote: »

Can I ask where this thread came from?

You must be new around here, basically we just type the random **** that comes into our head and have a chat about it.

So Geese....whats the story with them like ?

NakedDex

The vast majority of An Gárda Síochána know exactly what airsoft is, as they would have knowledge of anything pertaining directly to something which may require their consideration during a situation, criminal or otherwise, which may face them during their duties. I've personally met quite a few who even participate.
What on Earth would make you think otherwise? Such a sudden and ludicrous statement, without rhyme or reason, is tantamount to rumour-mongering.


Doc, for opinions on geese, go to YouTube and look up "Dan Telfer Geese fossil record".
You're welcome.

gerrowadat

TheDoc wrote: »

You must be new around here, basically we just type the random **** that comes into our head and have a chat about it.

So Geese....whats the story with them like ?

I carry one in a safariland holster, serpas are for NUBZ.

ronan keane

Maybe it's just the Gardai in Galway.....

Witcher

ronan keane wrote: »

Maybe it's just the Gardai in Galway.....

Exactly what situation brought their airsoft knowledge or lack thereof to your attention?

NakedDex

Logic dictates it's less likely the problem lies with an entire law enforcement division as the problem lying with, well... you.

ronan keane

Blay wrote: »

Exactly what situation brought their airsoft knowledge or lack thereof to your attention?

Going to a skirmish The boot was full so I had my gun Locked in a gun case under a sheet and they asked to open the case when they moved the sheet asked what it was I said an "RIF for Airsoft" He asked what airsoft was then he let me on

Witcher

ronan keane wrote: »

Going to a skirmish The boot was full so I had my gun Locked in a gun case under a sheet and they asked to open the case when they moved the sheet asked what it was I said an "RIF for Airsoft" He asked what airsoft was then he let me on

So one Garda isn't aware of it..how did you turn that into 'most Gardai'?

Puding

ronan keane wrote: »

Going to a skirmish The boot was full so I had my gun Locked in a gun case under a sheet and they asked to open the case when they moved the sheet asked what it was I said an "RIF for Airsoft" He asked what airsoft was then he let me on

i would put money on the guy/gal knowing what airsoft was and was more interested in your response, a common technique used by customs as well

NakedDex

So because a Garda questioned you and then sent you on your way, you think the entire organisation of An Garda Síochána is at fault of lack of training? I was once asked why I had four hurleys in the back of my car, should the DoJ be worried that the Gardaí don't know about the GAA?

As Puding said, questioning people is standard procedure. What they ask isn't based on what they know or don't know, it's based on them wanting to find out what you know.

Frankly, I'd have been far more concerned if they'd seen it and let you go without asking you further questions.

ronan keane

Blay wrote: »

So one Garda isn't aware of it..how did you turn that into 'most Gardai'?

It happened 6 times....

Puding

ronan keane wrote: »

It happened 6 times....

same officer?

i would say note, this is a classic investigative technique

they they truely knew nothing about airsoft the correct course of action would be to confiscate the rifs instead of taking your word and sending you on the way

bullets

ronan keane wrote: »

It happened 6 times....

What exactly happened to you 6 times?
I don't think the average garda member from the traffic core or elsewhere
would have a thorough understanding of the firearms laws but in my brief
interaction when it comes to them at least they do know of the 1j Limit
and replica guns when it comes to airsoft. or have a glimmer of the notion that it existes in Ireland.

What exactly happened 6 times ? can you clarify each of the separate events and let us know exactly what happened from start to finish each time please ? (I'm nosy and curious )

When you say boot was full, Does that mean full of airsoft guns? or full of other stuff where you could not put your airsoft guns in the boot?? if so
maybe not a good idea to travel unless you can put them in the boot
Question arises why cant you empty boot before you travel with airsoft guns?? if going to a skirmish site??

does that mean you had guns in back seat covered with a sheet 6 different occasions or the boot of the car itself??

at any time were you asked to open the boot of the car by the Gardai ?
why did they stop your (or the car you were traveling in) car in the first place?

was the car yours? or were you a passenger?

In all the time I've traveled with real firearms and airsoft guns I've yet to
run into a situation where a member of the Gardai feels the need to ask me to open the boot of the car or look in the back seat.
(I've always been a passenger in another persons car with guns in the boot)

Once or twice there were road checks where a Garda member stopped cars
on a road and asked us where we were from and where we were traveling
but other than that have had no hassle with the boys in blue.

Firekitten

Note... if you cover a gun bag with a sheet, it looks like you're hiding it.

Next time, just take some stuff out of the boot, like webbing, or a rucksack, stick gun bag in, and put the NON firearm apearing items in the back seat.


From what youve said, it sounds like complaining for the sake of it.

Even in the UK, not every copper knows what airsoft is. If they don't, politely explain, and provide doccumentation for the site, shop or other reason you are transporting them.

I've been stopped and had gear searched on many occasions, not once have I claimed my police force has not had enough training on a subject they come across less than 1% of the time during thier work.

a guy doesn't know? oh well, big deal.

cheecch251

A guy I went to school with is with the Gardai the last two years, I recently bumped into him on my way to a site at a petrol station. He was on duty filling the squad car with another member of the force sitting in the car. We had the usual "how are ya?, long time no see" conversation you would have with an old mate from school. The conversation then drifted to what i was up to that morning (not in a garda/suspect type of way). When i explained ,he had a look on his face like a dog that had been shown a complex card trick.

He had no clue as to what the sport was what the legal requirement for aegs where. I went as far to ask the other member of the force he was with, could he explain to this chap what it was or had he come across them in traffic stops etc. Again i got the same furrowed brow expression. So There you have it , Two gardai and not a clue between them. Now I dont draw any conclusion from this it is just an example of SOME members of the gardai not being fully trained in regards to dealing with airsoft or AEG's

I hope I did my best to explain to them at the time that we are a responsible community as a whole and they are now able to deal with airsofters with with a bit more information than they would get in templemore.

Firekitten

No police in the US or UK get 'training' about airsoft.

At the end of the day, they are not firearms, they are not a priority. The only time they will ask to see them, is to determine it is not a firearm.

Seeing a bb feed tube, and other key parts is enough to convince even someone who has no knowlage, providing doccumentry evidence of the local site, or whatever, will do too.

They don't NEED training in airsoft. They have enough to deal with as it is.

Why is this suddenly worthy of whining about? When a guard takes your guns off you because he thinks its real, not airsoft, then complain.

Arkslippy

I asked my sister in law who is in the special crime unit and carries a weapon.

She says that most common or garden gardai don't know specifically about airsoft and don't need to. If a guard sees you carrying a firearm or a replica firearm they will stop and question you as they would if you were doing anything else suspicious.

You can then offer the excuse of going to a skirmish and they will take it from there, a phone call or radio call back to a sergeant or inspector will instruct from there.

If there is a shop or site in the locale they will generally be known about.

She also said that if you were stopped and asked why you had guns in the car 6 times that you must be either.

Highly unlucky.
Highly suspicious looking
Known to the guards
An idiot.

Or all of the above.

fayer

Stopped and searched in a car 6 times???

Are you "known to the garda" ?? You must be a senior member of some drug gang to be attracting that level of attention or driving stolen cars to skirmishes

Ross_Mahon

Was stopped before, had a nice conversation with them and they said they would love to try out airsoft, they knew their stuff.

kippy

As stated, I don't see why the Gardai would require any additional training at all........
Stopped six times - are you driving a souped up micra or something?

Firekitten

I'm sure Ronan is a teenager anyway, and not old enough to drive? Surely that poses a 'minor' kink in this entire episode?

moggser

kippy wrote: »

As stated, I don't see why the Gardai would require any additional training at all........
Stopped six times - are you driving a souped up micra or something?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8sCxgFSAKU

Hivemind187

Thing is the Gardai are not meant to be experts on the law. They are employed to enforce certain laws and generally protect the comfortable status quo. The Gardai are not the courts nor are they expected to make judgements or interpretations of the law. Think about it - if they were nothing would ever get done because they would spend every waking minute arguing over the legality of the first Fiat they find on a double yellow.

We live in a system of checks and balances (or at least were supposed to). The idea being that the Gardai arrest you and file charges - they do not get to try you or judge you. That must be done by an impartial body of your peers (or as close an approximation of that as we can manage). Expecting the Gardai to be expert, or even familiar with the complete Criminal Judicial code and still be John McClane is asking a little much.

If you are confronted by a Garda who doesnt understand airsoft or thinks you are doing something illegal and you aren't then simply remain clam, answer the questions you are asked, get the officers number and phone a solicitor. If you were within the law then you are golden. If not ... well I hear Brazil is nice this time of year.

TheDoc

Have to laugh,

for two years I walked through O'Connell street,Parnell St, Henry St and Connolly station with typical some sort of multicam backpack, a satchel or backpack with pistols, viper rifle bag with m16's, m4's you name it.

The only time I've ever been stopped was the day I bought my first gun and was walking out in Cabra.

Two years walking through the most heavily Guarda populated area in the country, armed to the teeth and never stopped.

How do you go about being stopped 6 times ?

fayer

TheDoc wrote: »

How do you go about being stopped 6 times ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGpcKu7kLuY

mafiaboy

My new neighbour is in the Gards and just in case he ever seen me getting ready to head out to a site I invited him into the house and showed him what I had, he thought they where the dogs but never heard of them even his wife was looking at them and she never heard of them, and she is in the defiance forces, + I work near Kevin street gardi station and the lads come into my job and none of them ever heard of airsoft or ever seen a airsoft device... But they all know now..:D:D:D

bravestar

TheDoc wrote: »

Have to laugh,

for two years I walked through O'Connell street,Parnell St, Henry St and Connolly station with typical some sort of multicam backpack, a satchel or backpack with pistols, viper rifle bag with m16's, m4's you name it.

The only time I've ever been stopped was the day I bought my first gun and was walking out in Cabra.

Two years walking through the most heavily Guarda populated area in the country, armed to the teeth and never stopped.

How do you go about being stopped 6 times ?

Cabra and the city center are very different areas with different styles of policing. Walk around Cabra with all your gear and I guarantee you will be stopped more than 6 times

CpcRc

Edit: Thought this was the off topic thread for a while, lol.

Dread-Lock

bravestar wrote: »

Cabra and the city center are very different areas with different styles of policing. Walk around Cabra with all your gear and I guarantee you will be stopped more than 6 times

Not if you have it stowed properly you won't. Sure if your walking around wearing it then yeah sure, but the same would apply anywhere.

bravestar

Dread-Lock wrote: »

Not if you have it stowed properly you won't. Sure if your walking around wearing it then yeah sure, but the same would apply anywhere.

Agree with having it stowed properly but as The doc already said, he walked around with his gear regularly in the city center and was paid no heed, it was different in Cabra. So it would not apply anywhere and I cant tell you first hand that city center policing and Cabra are quite different.

Back to the topic though, i'll have to disagree with the OP, most Gardai know plenty about airsoft and beyond knowing how to distinguish airsoft devices from the real deal and knowing it's illegal to brandish them in public, theres not much more Gardai need to know.

Firekitten

But do they know which is better? An AK, or an M4?

Arkslippy

Firekitten wrote: »

But do they know which is better? An AK, or an M4?

They go for Glocks and uzi, steyer Aug for the military

Firekitten

Arkslippy wrote: »

They go for Glocks and uzi, steyer Aug for the military

...

...


...

The Game.

Zomg Okay

Firekitten wrote: »

The Game.

Goddamnit!

Arkslippy

Zomg Okay wrote: »

Goddamnit!

The title of the thread ..........

If they knew about it they'd have m4s !!!!!!!

bravestar

Firekitten wrote: »

But do they know which is better? An AK, or an M4?

An MP7

JonnyTwoCombs

bravestar wrote: »

An MP7

True.. but it wouldn't have half the fancy add on's an airsofters' one would have

jill_valentine

Regarding the topic, so long as the Gardai are au fait with general replica firearm stuff, I'm not too concerned. I mean, let's face it, the law's wider ignorance of Airsoft has probably kind of worked in our favour, or somebody would have gotten around to freaking out and banning everything to do with it before it ever got established.

More importantly -

TheDoc wrote: »

So Geese....whats the story with them like ?

Most of them don't wear sandals, but some of them do!



It's mad.

K.Flyer

FWIW Just throwing this into the discussion.

Before getting into Airsoft we went to the local Garda Station to double check on the legalities of everything and was pleasantly surprised at how knowledgeable the Desk Garda and Sergeant were about things.
Since then I have come to know Garda who actually play Airsoft!
I personally don’t believe you will get any hassle from a Garda if you transport your kit the right way, batteries out, mags empty and out, all guns boxed or cased and out of sight.
We travel to sites in camo (no vests) and never had a Garda take a second look at us.