Advice Garda checkpoints.

amjc1974

Just a quick question for a newbie, if i was stopped by a garda at a regular checkpoint and i had my licenced firearm in the boot would i have to inform them that i was carrying it?

Jonty

It would be prudent to do so.

What if they asked to search the vehicle and found the licensed firearm? They would then ask why you didn't tell them.

amjc1974

Yeh i thought as much alright, would the same apply for a customs checkpoint?

deeksofdoom

Would ya be feckin bothered like:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Half-cocked

I wouldn't bother unless they said they were going to search the car. Then I would inform them and produce the license.

listermint

Jonty wrote: »

It would be prudent to do so.

What if they asked to search the vehicle and found the licensed firearm? They would then ask why you didn't tell them.

Sounds like you'd just put the sh*ts up the average young garda at a checkpoint. Wheres the prudence in that ?

deeksofdoom

listermint wrote: »

Sounds like you'd just put the sh*ts up the average young garda at a checkpoint. Wheres the prudence in that ?

You just don't pull up to a Garda checking for Tax and tell him you have a gun in the boot, its none of his buisness unless he needs to search the car!

Its on a need to know basis and anyone other than yourself doesn't need to know, unless they are looking for something specific in which case I'ld let them off and then say "I have a licence here for that".

tac foley

amjc1974 wrote: »

Yeh i thought as much alright, would the same apply for a customs checkpoint?

Well, as there is only ONE border that you might be crossing, remember that unless you have appropriate UK PSNI documentation for your firearm, your firearm is illegal in the UK.

Your visit across the border might well end up a lot longer and more expensive than you have planned for.

tac

whydave

Tac ,
The customs service can and do run checkpoints from time to time all across this land of green.

David

tac foley

whydave wrote: »

Tac ,
The customs service can and do run checkpoints from time to time all across this land of green.

David

Understooded. But there is still an international border - the ONLY border that the RoI has - where the rules are quite different on each side.

tac

garv123

At most check points you dont even speak to the guard unless your tax or insurance is out..
And then I still wouldnt say anything..

If he asked to search the car then just say yeah sure, I have a licenced firearm in the boot..

clivej

amjc1974 wrote: »

Just a quick question for a newbie, if i was stopped by a garda at a regular checkpoint and i had my licenced firearm in the boot would i have to inform them that i was carrying it?

Half-cocked wrote: »

I wouldn't bother unless they said they were going to search the car. Then I would inform them and produce the license.

listermint wrote: »

Sounds like you'd just put the sh*ts up the average young garda at a checkpoint. Wheres the prudence in that ?

deeksofdoom wrote: »

You just don't pull up to a Garda checking for Tax and tell him you have a gun in the boot, its none of his buisness unless he needs to search the car!

Its on a need to know basis and anyone other than yourself doesn't need to know, unless they are looking for something specific in which case I'ld let them off and then say "I have a licence here for that".

garv123 wrote: »

At most check points you dont even speak to the guard unless your tax or insurance is out..
And then I still wouldnt say anything..

If he asked to search the car then just say yeah sure, I have a licenced firearm in the boot..

Agree with all the above.

I've been stopped twice, road check-points, out late at night fox shooting with the .223 on the back seat. Had the torch shined in through the window and all around and no questions asked. Must be blind.
And on a third occasion, on a main road, there were 4 of us in a 4x4 with 2 .223's all clearly on view, again no question asked.

AND YES i know it should not have been on the back seat.

I'd say it's on a need to know basis.

garv123

we also once pulled up to a check point with 3 of us in the jeep, the .243 was was right behind the driver and the .17 was by me leg on the inside of the front seat in plain view.. couldnt leave it behind me as there was another person there and theres no boot.
met the check point on a backroad in a strange spot. both guards look in either front window and wave us on without a question asked.

Cass

To be honest i have been through a few checkpoints checking for tax, insurance, etc. and not once did i mention i had firearms in the back of the jeep.

It was not a case of being "sneaky", but more times than not the Garda is looking for tax issues not for firearms so unless he asks to check the back of the jeep i say nothing. My other reason is it can confuse or "intensify" a situation for no reason. So if the Garda was not bothered before sometimes they become "flushed" and start unnecessary checks, etc because the word gun was used.

One time i was stopped going to the range. The Garda asked me where i was going. When i told him the range he asked had i firearms. When i told him yes, and how many he asked for a look at my licenses. I showed them, he smiled said to enjoy myself, and off i went.


So unless they are doing vehicle searches i don't mention it.

deerhunter1

Half-cocked wrote: »

I wouldn't bother unless they said they were going to search the car. Then I would inform them and produce the license.

correct

deerhunter1

Jonty wrote: »

It would be prudent to do so.

What if they asked to search the vehicle and found the licensed firearm? They would then ask why you didn't tell them.

none of their business, you have a licence to have/carry and to hold

deerhunter1

amjc1974 wrote: »

Yeh i thought as much alright, would the same apply for a customs checkpoint?

no customs do not have that authority

2011

deerhunter1 wrote: »

no customs do not have that authority

Customs have the authority to search your vehicle, ask questions and detain if necessary.

Sparks

deerhunter1 wrote: »

none of their business, you have a licence to have/carry and to hold

Er, no. And if you ever said that to a Garda who was in a bad mood - or one not long out of training and feeling nervous - you'd be in rather deep ****e in a few heartbeats. For a start, it is their business; your licence is exactly that, licence. Not entitlement. It's not a "F*** Off Garda" card, if anything, it's the opposite!

And don't forget that under the 1990 Act, section 16 the Gardai have the authority to search you and the car if they think you have "any article in contravention of section 9 or 9A" (which, when you finish reading all the cross-related bits in various Acts translates to "any fecking thing at all").

Taking a "F*** You Garda" attitude at a checkpoint is a really bad idea.

deerhunter1 wrote: »

no customs do not have that authority

To search your car?
*hehehehe*
Seriously, call us before you tell them that at a checkpoint. A film of you telling the Customs lad who's looking for smuggled heroin that he's not allowed search your car? It'd be feckin' Epic on youtube...

deerhunter1

2011 wrote: »

Customs have the authority to search your vehicle, ask questions and detain if necessary.

Absolutely no question there, but no authority over your firearms, that is why there are always gardai with them, they do have powerful enforcement laws, but they are limited, they are not Gardai

Sparks

deerhunter1 wrote: »

that is why there are always gardai with them

That's not why they have Gardai with them at checkpoints; they have Gardai with them there because the Gardai are the ones with the training to run traffic checkpoints (and no, it's not as simple as standing there with your hand up in the middle of the road - that's why life expectancy when standing on the hard shoulder of a motorway is measured in minutes).

they do have powerful enforcement laws, but they are limited, they are not Gardai

No, but they have search and seizure powers that exceed those of the gardai in many areas.

Look, basicly, don't act the maggot and you're fine. Even if - as has happened before - some eejit without enough training freaks out and confiscates the firearm, you're going to get it back after a phone call with the Super (and there'll probably be a quiet bollocking given out by the Super to the eejit afterwards in liu of training since our government thinks that training police officers is a luxury we can't spend money on anymore). And above all else, remember this - if the Garda does do something outrageously wrong at a checkpoint -- and history says that it's very rare, but not unknown -- the side of the road with no witnesses is not the place to have the argument. That's what dashboard cameras and courts are for.

TriggerPL

amjc1974 wrote: »

Yeh i thought as much alright, would the same apply for a customs checkpoint?

customs checkpoint , right foot to the floor and f them , a guard will ask you can he search the car and at that stage you tell him but you dont shout ive got a gun on board the min he sticks his head in the window

deerhunter1

TriggerPL wrote: »

customs checkpoint , right foot to the floor and f them , a guard will ask you can he search the car and at that stage you tell him but you dont shout ive got a gun on board the min he sticks his head in the window

and never never stop for an unmarked car even if it has sirens and blue lights flashing when you are in the sticks with firearms, drive to the nearest station or town with plenty of people about, or phone ahead even if it means dialing 999

Sparks

deerhunter1 wrote: »

and never never stop for an unmarked car even if it has sirens and blue lights flashing when you are in the sticks with firearms, drive to the nearest station or town with plenty of people about, or phone ahead even if it means dialing 999

james142

deerhunter1 wrote: »

and never never stop for an unmarked car even if it has sirens and blue lights flashing when you are in the sticks with firearms, drive to the nearest station or town with plenty of people about, or phone ahead even if it means dialing 999

why?

deerhunter1

james142 wrote: »

why?

Is it not that obvious

amjc1974

Thanks for the info lads, seems that if they ask to do a search..tell them....if not..drive on.

deerhunter1

:

Sparks wrote: »

james142

deerhunter1 wrote: »

Is it not that obvious

nope

Sparks

james142 wrote: »

nope

Because if you're going to be arrested and/or shot, you might as well have fun doing it and make the 9 O'Clock news

deerhunter1

amjc1974 wrote: »

Thanks for the info lads, seems that if they ask to do a search..tell them....if not..drive on.

correct and right

Grizzly 45

Gardai actually STILL have the manpower to do checkpoints on country roads???? Thought with all the B&M about no squad cars,station closures,and rural crime increasing that was becoming a thing of the past.:p

hedzball

Should only tell em when they cop the tax is out on the defender...


"ah sure by jasus the tax is out since june"



"well guard its like this, I've a half choked beretta a300 in the back seat hi"

4200fps

amjc1974 wrote: »

Just a quick question for a newbie, if i was stopped by a garda at a regular checkpoint and i had my licenced firearm in the boot would i have to inform them that i was carrying it?

If you had no tax/nct on your front window and wanted to distract him from looking maybe

ronn

I Was going shooting in cork a few years ago in a van, Came to a check point about 1am in Youghal, Ags; asks where are ya going, Us; Down to Middleton for the weekend shooting, Ags; can i have a look in the back, We said go ahead he opened the doors and two springers jumped on him, We forgot about the dogs :eek:

Id say the poor cop had to throw his underpants out

He didn't ask anymore questions and sent us on our way,

Conmaicne Mara

Met one checkpoint in the last two or three years I'd say, and that was in daytime near Galway city, doing tax/insurance checks. Haven't seen one at night in that time, neither has anyone I know. Probably meet a few before Christmas and NY for saying that.

Robotack

deerhunter1 wrote: »

and never never stop for an unmarked car even if it has sirens and blue lights flashing when you are in the sticks with firearms, drive to the nearest station or town with plenty of people about, or phone ahead even if it means dialing 999

Section 109 of the road traffic act 1961 applies whether it's marked or unmarked. That is you obligation to stop you vehicle and keep it stationalry until a member of AGS has had adequate / reasonable time to perform his / her duty. And the term "reasonable" is open ended...
You'd be going the right way to having yourself locked up by using this method... It's called "failing to stop for a Garda" and is EXACTLY the same thing as not stopping for a marked car.

To answer the OP... Unlike some states in the US where you are obliged to tell them if there's a gun in the car, no such obligation exists here. And a Gard cannot just search your car unless he's enacting a particular power. ie: under the misuse of drugs act if he believes you might have drugs in the car because you have white powder on your top lip etc etc.

As for Triggers "right foot to the floor" method... Keep us posted how that goes!

Then again with no man power, the chances of anyone getting stopped are getting slimmer by the day...