Garda punished after helping with major drug bust

Ten of Swords · 30-06-2013 9:22am #1

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-punished-for-breaching-informant-rules-29383251.html

GARDAI in Dublin have been stunned after a highly thought of young undercover garda was disciplined and returned to uniformed duties after information he received led to the discovery of a €5m drugs haul belonging to members of the dissident republican gang formerly led by Alan Ryan. The young garda was punished after it was deemed he was in breach of the strict regulations governing the handling of informants.

Under the "CHIS" (Covert Human Intelligence Sources) system set up after the Judge Morris report on the activities of a small number of corrupt gardai in Donegal, detectives are no longer allowed to personally handle informants. They have to pass them on to centralised CHIS units.

According to sources, the informant who passed the intelligence about the haul of 350,000 ecstasy tablets and 80kg of cannabis was rejected by CHIS officers after he was passed on to them by the young undercover garda working in a Dublin garda station. Officially, the informant was "de-registered" by CHIS as a suitable source of intelligence earlier this year.

Further disenchantment was caused by the fact that though the garda had been involved in detective duties for eight years and had carried out successful undercover operations against dangerous drugs gangs, he had never received promotion and the salary increase that would have come with being made a detective. Like many other young plainclothes and undercover gardai, he remained on the same basic garda salary of uniformed officers.

I feel sorry for this guy, I think he's getting a very harsh deal here. Admittedly it does not say why the informant was de-registered but I do think this garda acted with integrity and frankly I'm glad those drugs are off the streets.

So, are you of the "Rules are Rules" frame of mind or do you think this Garda is getting shafted?

Wacker The Attacker · 30-06-2013 9:24am

The law really is an ass

Sunnyisland · 30-06-2013 9:28am

It does seem very unfair in what happened to that Garda,but if there are protocols in place in how you deal with informants and you don't use that protocol,then are you not in effect breaking the law,as happened in the Donegal scandal ?

.jacksparrow. · 30-06-2013 9:30am

I don't believe most of this, straight away it links the drugs to dissidents, with absolutely no evidence of arrests convictions etc.

discus · 30-06-2013 9:30am

realies wrote: »

It does seem very unfair in what happened to that Garda,but if there are protocols in place in how you deal with informants and you don't use that protocol,then are you not in effect breaking the law,as happened in the Donegal scandal ?

No you're not breaking a law, you are in breach of protocol.

That garda is getting a **** deal, hardly fair for a garda who is getting results.

fergiesfolly · 30-06-2013 9:33am

Seems like a man doing the job for the jobs sake and not big salary and fat pension that so many of them seem to have joined the force.
I suppose they can't be seen to be condoning an officer working outside the rules but you'd hope they see this mans potential before he packs in the job.

xzanti · 30-06-2013 9:39am

Sounds like the plot of every cop movie I've ever seen

Badly Drunk Boy · 30-06-2013 9:40am

So does that mean that if I discover some information about a drug deal (or some other ill-doings) and tell the Gardaí, they won't be allowed to do anything about it if I'm not registered as an official informant?

fergiesfolly · 30-06-2013 9:50am

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

So does that mean that if I discover some information about a drug deal (or some other ill-doings) and tell the Gardaí, they won't be allowed to do anything about it if I'm not registered as an official informant?

I'm just picturing some big, redfaced garda sittin behind his desk...
"And tell me now, do you have a license for telling me this information?...No..well on your way so"

gw80 · 30-06-2013 11:05am

xzanti wrote: »

Sounds like the plot of every cop movie I've ever seen

he,s a loose cannon,:D

Chucky the tree · 30-06-2013 11:13am

It's in the Independent so I'd be shocked if more than 10% of this story is accurate.

ringadingding · 30-06-2013 11:55am

http://youtu.be/5c8sNVC-yzs

Fûck the chain of command :-)

blindsider · 30-06-2013 12:14pm

GARDAI in Dublin have been stunned [All of them? Some of them? Two of them? A decent story needs FACTS, not hyperbole.]after a highly thought of [By whom? The journo? His Mammy? His girlfriend? His pet goldfish?] young undercover garda was disciplined and returned to uniformed duties after information he received led to the discovery of a €5m drugs haul belonging to members of the dissident republican gang formerly led by Alan Ryan. The young [If he was an "Acting detective" (my term) for 8 yrs, he's hardly young is he? It is likely that he'd have spent a yr or two in uniform before being assigned to plain-clothes surely?]garda was punished after it was deemed he was in breach of the strict regulations governing the handling of informants.

Under the "CHIS" (Covert Human Intelligence Sources) system set up after the Judge Morris report on the activities of a small number of corrupt gardai in Donegal, detectives are no longer allowed to personally handle informants. They have to pass them on to centralised CHIS units.

According to sources, the informant who passed the intelligence about the haul of 350,000 ecstasy tablets and 80kg of cannabis was rejected by CHIS officers after he was passed on to them by the young undercover garda working in a Dublin garda station. Officially, the informant was "de-registered" by CHIS as a suitable source of intelligence earlier this year.

Further disenchantment was caused [who experience the dienchantment?]by the fact that though the garda had been involved in detective duties for eight years and had carried out successful undercover operations against dangerous drugs gangs, he had never received promotion and the salary increase that would have come with being made a detective [It doesn't say he was exclusively 'plain-clothes for 8 yrs - it says 'involved in'. So how many promotions etc have other Gardai had recently? Very few I presume - like the rest of the country, they're being hit by freezes and cut-backs. This chap is no different, so why raise this like it's a special case?] Like many other young plainclothes and undercover gardai, he remained on the same basic garda salary of uniformed officers. [Exactly - "like many others" - so don't single him out. It's unfortunate, but there are tens of thousands of people up and down the country who haven't been made permanent, or promoted, or get their increments or whatever it is - but it's happening. It's not nice, but it's happening.]

Very poor article to be honest - high on sympathy, low on facts. Hope the guy gets promoted at some stage - if he's good then we need him to continue doing a good job - but please, enough of ther crap articles!

Dave147 · 30-06-2013 3:33pm

You're off the case McGarnagle!

30-06-2013 3:38pm

Well, McGonigle, Billy is dead. They slit his throat from ear to ear.
McGonigle: Hey! I'm trying to eat lunch here.

The Aussie · 30-06-2013 3:53pm

blindsider wrote: »

GARDAI in Dublin have been stunned [All of them? Some of them? Two of them? A decent story needs FACTS, not hyperbole.]after a highly thought of [By whom? The journo? His Mammy? His girlfriend? His pet goldfish?] young undercover garda was disciplined and returned to uniformed duties after information he received led to the discovery of a €5m drugs haul belonging to members of the dissident republican gang formerly led by Alan Ryan. The young [If he was an "Acting detective" (my term) for 8 yrs, he's hardly young is he? It is likely that he'd have spent a yr or two in uniform before being assigned to plain-clothes surely?]garda was punished after it was deemed he was in breach of the strict regulations governing the handling of informants.

Under the "CHIS" (Covert Human Intelligence Sources) system set up after the Judge Morris report on the activities of a small number of corrupt gardai in Donegal, detectives are no longer allowed to personally handle informants. They have to pass them on to centralised CHIS units.

According to sources, the informant who passed the intelligence about the haul of 350,000 ecstasy tablets and 80kg of cannabis was rejected by CHIS officers after he was passed on to them by the young undercover garda working in a Dublin garda station. Officially, the informant was "de-registered" by CHIS as a suitable source of intelligence earlier this year.

Further disenchantment was caused [who experience the dienchantment?]by the fact that though the garda had been involved in detective duties for eight years and had carried out successful undercover operations against dangerous drugs gangs, he had never received promotion and the salary increase that would have come with being made a detective [It doesn't say he was exclusively 'plain-clothes for 8 yrs - it says 'involved in'. So how many promotions etc have other Gardai had recently? Very few I presume - like the rest of the country, they're being hit by freezes and cut-backs. This chap is no different, so why raise this like it's a special case?] Like many other young plainclothes and undercover gardai, he remained on the same basic garda salary of uniformed officers. [Exactly - "like many others" - so don't single him out. It's unfortunate, but there are tens of thousands of people up and down the country who haven't been made permanent, or promoted, or get their increments or whatever it is - but it's happening. It's not nice, but it's happening.]

Very poor article to be honest - high on sympathy, low on facts. Hope the guy gets promoted at some stage - if he's good then we need him to continue doing a good job - but please, enough of ther crap articles!

All this highlighting your own thoughts in BOLD for added effect........

And not one Thanks for it, was it worth it?

hidinginthebush · 30-06-2013 3:58pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Well, McGonigle, Billy is dead. They slit his throat from ear to ear.
McGonigle: Hey! I'm trying to eat lunch here.

McGarnigle!!!

krudler · 30-06-2013 3:58pm

xzanti wrote: »

Sounds like the plot of every cop movie I've ever seen

"You're a loose cannon O'Hara! the mayor is up my ass about all that mayhem you caused and the city still hasn't paid back the damage you did after your last stunt! Any more maverick moves like that and it's your badge! Now meet your new partner..."