Friends/Outlooks after you become a member of AGS

msg11

Over the last while, I have been thinking about the transition from a member of the public to a member of the Garda at either Garda level or Reserve Garda level. There outlooks and what there friends now think of there decision to join and ultimately be welcomed to AGS.

What I mean is stuff like this, there is a friend of mine that smokes weed and is well quite a passionate man about the stuff. I regularly have debates about it with him reasons why I believe it is banned and he would say why it should be legal he would get into some finer points. Now I am pretty sure, if I was a member of AGS he wouldn't be talking about it with me, out of fear that I would use some of the information against him.

Then another time in work, this lad who to be very honest is a spoofer. Some of the activity's he got up too at the weekend, in what I would consider fraud. He wouldn't be as quick to tell me that if I was in AGS. (Probably best so I don't have to listen to him)

Another thing I was thinking about was the weekend just gone, I was leaving a house party with a friend , two girls and myself. While leaving there was a confrontation with a male from a house across the road. This lad was out for trouble, anyway we made our way for the taxi regardless. He came belting around the corner with a golf club. He was trying to imitate me with it, but he could see it wasn't working and went after the other three I had to keep my cool. We got ourselfs into a taxi and got out of there, but before we reached the taxi he gave me a belt of the golf club across the back. I guess the question there is, what would a member do in that same situation, try make an arrest or default to a member of the public and done what I done and just got out of there? My main priority was keeping the girls away from the fool with the club and there was an apology of sorts about the behavior of the lad.

So how do the people of AGS find things outside of the uniform? Do you encounter any of the above? One for the reserves to, for anyone working in a public job to have you ever bumped into anyone you dealt with as a reserve in your 'normal job', same for the regular Garda. How did you find seening them?

kub

I wonder is it a personal choice, do AGS members finish their shift and walk out the door of the station and want no more to do with the job until they come back?

I suppose though to some it is a job to others a vocation. Just like other careers out there.

Potential-Monke

Since i joined, i have met one lad who i was in school with. Now, he never was in an trouble, and wasn't the worst of lads, but when i told him what i was he looked at me with disgust and walked away. His loss.

It's hard to remain yourself while a member. People will think that "once a Guard, always a Guard". And, some people who join are married to the job. I, however, look at it as a job. It's not a lifestyle to me, it's something that (just about) pays the bills. When i finish my shift, i'm finished. I won't go out of my way to find crime off-duty, but if i come across something i'll be a witness, or depending on the severity of the situation, i might get involved (luckily, i haven't had to yet).

One time when i was out with family drinking, my brother in law said to me "oh yeah, look at you know, looking around like a typical Guard". I always look around when i'm out, my profession hasn't changed that. Yes, i see things that as a Guard you might say something to someone (usually, drunk people acting the maggot), but unless i'm in uniform i won't say anything to these people as it would probably start a situation.

I don't think you'll get many answers in relation to people Gardai may know who smoke the odd joint, as we're bound by law to report this. People will look at you different, but it's up to you to show that you're still the same person you always were, they just have to understand that you can not get up to the messing that you used to (ie: drunken messing, no crime!).

I'm also a member of a modified car community, and i can't really go to certain meets as the messing that might go on puts me in a difficult situation, so i only go to certain meets and the people who know me know that they shouldn't do anything around me.

goldie fish

While a Garda, you could split your non garda friends into 2 groups.
(a) those who use your career to their advantage, always having a garda to get them out of trouble, or even as a Status symbol, believe it or not. I only realised this after I left the job and these people no longer had the time of day for me.
(b) the ones who every time they meet you say something stupid like "careful folks, is everyones car taxed?"

I am still friends with the latter.
You also have to pick your friends carefully. While in the job I was asked by the Super about my friendship with a woman, whose ex partner was a known drug dealer. As it happened she was a neighbour who happened to work in store security, so it was inevitable our paths would cross, but the job doesn't see it that way.
So you end up socialising only with other gardai, safety in numbers and all that. This leads to what can best be described as incestuous situations, with gardai dating other gardai, and sometimes the other gardai's wives, who are also gardai. And when you leave the job early, like I did, there is always suspicion amongst other members.
I had 2 incidents just after I left which opened my eyes. On one, I was verbally abused by a garda on a checkpoint because I drove a motorcycle and had filtered through traffic. Wen I pointed out that I was where he was a week earlier, HE APOLOGISED!
On another, again motorcycle related, someone had copied my plate and was using it to dodge gardai. When they spoke to my FAMILY, inquiring of my whereabouts (I was driving for a living at this stage) and my sister mentioned that I was out of the Gardai, the garda dealing with the case asked her "yeah, we heard that, what was the story there anyway?"
It took a phone call from a friend in a high place in the gardai to this garda to convince him of my innocence.
In summary, you are either one of us, or one of them. There is no middle ground.

newmug

Where I'm from, the guards empty all the pubs at the proper time, except the ones they drink in. Those ones can stay open as long as they like.

msg11

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Since i joined, i have met one lad who i was in school with. Now, he never was in an trouble, and wasn't the worst of lads, but when i told him what i was he looked at me with disgust and walked away. His loss.

It's hard to remain yourself while a member. People will think that "once a Guard, always a Guard". And, some people who join are married to the job. I, however, look at it as a job. It's not a lifestyle to me, it's something that (just about) pays the bills. When i finish my shift, i'm finished. I won't go out of my way to find crime off-duty, but if i come across something i'll be a witness, or depending on the severity of the situation, i might get involved (luckily, i haven't had to yet).

One time when i was out with family drinking, my brother in law said to me "oh yeah, look at you know, looking around like a typical Guard". I always look around when i'm out, my profession hasn't changed that. Yes, i see things that as a Guard you might say something to someone (usually, drunk people acting the maggot), but unless i'm in uniform i won't say anything to these people as it would probably start a situation.

I don't think you'll get many answers in relation to people Gardai may know who smoke the odd joint, as we're bound by law to report this. People will look at you different, but it's up to you to show that you're still the same person you always were, they just have to understand that you can not get up to the messing that you used to (ie: drunken messing, no crime!).

I'm also a member of a modified car community, and i can't really go to certain meets as the messing that might go on puts me in a difficult situation, so i only go to certain meets and the people who know me know that they shouldn't do anything around me.

Seem pretty much what I was thinking, it would have to be pretty serious to warrant someone getting involved.

goldie fish wrote: »

While a Garda, you could split your non garda friends into 2 groups.
(a) those who use your career to their advantage, always having a garda to get them out of trouble, or even as a Status symbol, believe it or not. I only realised this after I left the job and these people no longer had the time of day for me.
(b) the ones who every time they meet you say something stupid like "careful folks, is everyones car taxed?"

I am still friends with the latter.
You also have to pick your friends carefully. While in the job I was asked by the Super about my friendship with a woman, whose ex partner was a known drug dealer. As it happened she was a neighbour who happened to work in store security, so it was inevitable our paths would cross, but the job doesn't see it that way.
So you end up socialising only with other gardai, safety in numbers and all that. This leads to what can best be described as incestuous situations, with gardai dating other gardai, and sometimes the other gardai's wives, who are also gardai. And when you leave the job early, like I did, there is always suspicion amongst other members.
I had 2 incidents just after I left which opened my eyes. On one, I was verbally abused by a garda on a checkpoint because I drove a motorcycle and had filtered through traffic. Wen I pointed out that I was where he was a week earlier, HE APOLOGISED!
On another, again motorcycle related, someone had copied my plate and was using it to dodge gardai. When they spoke to my FAMILY, inquiring of my whereabouts (I was driving for a living at this stage) and my sister mentioned that I was out of the Gardai, the garda dealing with the case asked her "yeah, we heard that, what was the story there anyway?"
It took a phone call from a friend in a high place in the gardai to this garda to convince him of my innocence.
In summary, you are either one of us, or one of them. There is no middle ground.

See this is where I could have an issue, I am applying for the reserves. So I will between both as I have a job in the public domain as it is. It's interesting hearing the options of current and past Garda. I just wonder how other reserves are if they have a job in the public domain already? Do they ever encounter people they might have had a word with in there normal job. I just don't want a situation where I am in my day job and the little pheker I was having a word with last night decides to get mouthy again.

newmug wrote: »

Where I'm from, the guards empty all the pubs at the proper time, except the ones they drink in. Those ones can stay open as long as they like.

Not really why I started this thread, but if ye feel they are abusing there position get in touch with the Garda Ombudsman.

newmug

msg11 wrote: »

Not really why I started this thread, but if ye feel they are abusing there position get in touch with the Garda Ombudsman.

Nah its grand. Sure how do you think I know it goes on:D

msg11

newmug wrote: »

Nah its grand. Sure how do you think I know it goes on:D

Sure don't be giving them publicans your money, tray of 24 cans and back to the house for the night.. Save a fortune and there is no closing time !

misterdarkness

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Since i joined, i have met one lad who i was in school with. Now, he never was in an trouble, and wasn't the worst of lads, but when i told him what i was he looked at me with disgust and walked away. His loss.

It's hard to remain yourself while a member. People will think that "once a Guard, always a Guard". And, some people who join are married to the job. I, however, look at it as a job. It's not a lifestyle to me, it's something that (just about) pays the bills. When i finish my shift, i'm finished. I won't go out of my way to find crime off-duty, but if i come across something i'll be a witness, or depending on the severity of the situation, i might get involved (luckily, i haven't had to yet).

One time when i was out with family drinking, my brother in law said to me "oh yeah, look at you know, looking around like a typical Guard". I always look around when i'm out, my profession hasn't changed that. Yes, i see things that as a Guard you might say something to someone (usually, drunk people acting the maggot), but unless i'm in uniform i won't say anything to these people as it would probably start a situation.

I don't think you'll get many answers in relation to people Gardai may know who smoke the odd joint, as we're bound by law to report this. People will look at you different, but it's up to you to show that you're still the same person you always were, they just have to understand that you can not get up to the messing that you used to (ie: drunken messing, no crime!).

I'm also a member of a modified car community, and i can't really go to certain meets as the messing that might go on puts me in a difficult situation, so i only go to certain meets and the people who know me know that they shouldn't do anything around me.

Fully agree. I had friends who would do questionable things lol but thats at home nothing to do with me and sure im still friends with them, what they dont tell me wont harm me besides your not based at home so its not really one of those things that will affect you life or work.

As for the first posters other question, like the quoted reply you pick your friends carefully and you dont allow yourself to be put in position where you could get into a bad situation. Of course it cant always be avoided and may not be your fault but my thing would be if confronted to back off and walk away unless forced to defend oneself. but you better off just backing away and leaving the local station know there is a nut job loose with golf club.

I would find that if you meet new group of people lets say you start dating a girl and you meet her friends some of them can be very edgy knowing your a guard. I guess its natural for them not to trust but again its there issue not yours and for every one person like that there is 10 normal sound people to go for pints with. But you do have to pick your friends carefully, use own judgement on if they could land you in something or not.

Potential-Monke

misterdarkness wrote: »

use own judgement on if they could land you in something or not.

This. It's annoying that everything you do you have to make sure you're not breaking the law. It's not like a civilian. If a civilian breaks the law, let's say public drunkenness, they get an adult caution or a fine, if a Garda gets arrested for public drunkenness while off duty, they get the fine and there's a big internal investigation by an Inspector and a lot more will happen (without going into specifics).

It's no longer a case of being careful, it's having to be spot on 99.9% of the time, picking your times and friends carefully, and hoping that no-one will use your position as a Garda to bring you down. That's why i'm not a huge fan of going out anymore. I enjoy a few drinks, but it's always in the back of my mind that if i get too drunk i could do something that could affect my job/mortgage/family life.

I really wish your private life could be seperate from the job, but unfortunately it's not.