What would it take for Gardai to disobey an order?

Spacedog · 11-10-2011 6:45pm #1

I'm just catching up on the whole take over wall st. thing in the states going on. and like many saw this video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ05rWx1pig

I can't help but notice the cop with the bald head at 1:23, the look on his face.

He strikes me as a good cop doing his duty to the letter.

He had watched a superior officer mace a group of young women for nothing and walk away. As he was one of those responsible for those womens safety, and for cordoning them in to that position. You can see by the look on his face, that it was bang out of order and uncalled for. the wave of the hand as to say WTF are you doing?

This leads me to ask the question, what would it actually take, for a member of the police to actually say screw this, and cross to the other side of the barrier?

This is a genuine question. I know the culture of the gardai is a very closed one and that the line sometimes gets blurred, but I also know most gards are up standing people of conscience and respect for citizens safety and well being.

"Name your price. If the price is too high, it's time to go."

Mutz · 11-10-2011 6:58pm

Spacedog I know what you are saying, and I know where you are coming from. It was bang out of order and cowardly what happened.

If you were a cop who:

1) did not own a home
2) did not have to provide for a family
3) did not care what family, friends and colleagues thought of you
4) were willing to blow the whistle on the superior
5) didn't care about your future career prospects in the job
6) Had another job you could walk into

Only then, would joining the other side be a considerable option.

Its the same no matter what job you have or what sector you work in - we all hear and see things that we do not agree with but for the reasons I stated above, we stay silent.

Manic Moran · 12-10-2011 5:04am

I can't help but notice the cop with the bald head at 1:23, the look on his face.

I think you're probably reading more into it than you should. For all we know the cop he was responding to was asking were Sergeant Jones was and he was replying "Huh? Last I saw, thataway. God knows where he is now." I had a look for an unedited video at combat speed, and it seemed impossible to tell what he's thinking.

NTM