Stopped by unmarked garda

Hey folks.

its probably nothing but I was stopped on the M11 coming home today. The garda was unmarked, flashing his blues. Took me a sec to realise he was wanting me to pull in, but I did.

He asked the usual questions, who are ya, were ya going etc. I didn’t have my licence handy so he said to present at a station.

all that fairly normal but what’s weird is

1. he wouldn’t give me a reason for stopping
2. he wouldn’t give his name
3. he kept pointing out things he found on pulse about me I presume. Completely irrelevant details such as that I had mental health difficulties.

never stopped before so maybe it’s all normal craic and I’m just being paranoid. Just seemed very strange to have effectively no reason and also didn’t ask me to nominate a station, just said whatever it doesn’t matter, how would he know I did then? 🤔

Wibbs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058306276/stopped-by-unmarked-garda

Hang on, he asked you about/pointed out your mental health difficulties? The actual fcuk?

mk7r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058306276/stopped-by-unmarked-garda

He doesn't need a reason to stop you

He doesn't have to give you his name

The pulse thing is a bit odd

Legally you need to have your license with you when driving at all times so he was being sound letting you bring it later to a station

blackbox

It's hard to think of a reason why a person's health information would be on Pulse.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891565#Comment_120891565

Yes.. just brought it up out of no where for no reason.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891576#Comment_120891576

Yea like it’s so weird cos he was pretty bang on and didn’t make a whole thing about not having the licence handy but searching me on PULSE and all that craic was weird.

you are also wrong if a garda has no uniform on they absolutely need to identify themselves.

apache

That sounds terribly dodgy. I'd be very annoyed about that.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891618#Comment_120891618

I don’t want to say why it’s there but I’m sure if you think hard enough you’ll figure it out.

Every time a Garda pulls you up he will have checked your pulse profile before getting out of the car. Its just routine.

Its bad form to discuss issues of mental health though.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891652#Comment_120891652

I don’t care that he checked what i found really weird is that he started asking me questions about it.

Not even enquiring about the situation just “so I see you’ve had mental health problems” mixed in with the usual stuff you expect to be asked, where are you going, are you banned from driving at the min? etc

what was weird to me honestly is he seemed more concerned by what he read on pulse than anything to do with the traffic stop.

I guess he was just being a bit of a Wanker then idk. Seems funny he didn’t want me to nominate a station as well. I was knocked off an escooter a few years back in my local town and the garda at the time made the demand for production of documents and I had to nominate the station.

his reply was “any will do” and when I said and who am I dealing with here today? He replied “you don’t need a name” and left.

mulbot

What's a pulse profile

Kalimah

How is any of your health information on Pulse?

Oscar_Madison

Lots of very strange aspects to this- not providing a reason for stopping no less the mental health reference is very odd. Guards don’t switch on their blues for the hell of it normally so I’m assuming there’ was good reason for stopping you - do you reckon you were over the speed limit?

LIGHTNING

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891738#Comment_120891738

I am not saying its bullcrap but I'd be submitting a request for that information. I'd also be making a complaint to the Garda ombudsman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891717#Comment_120891717

It's the Garda database. It has details of who you are, any past incidents, what car you drive, etc...

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891631#Comment_120891631

Happened to me I didn't know what the fuxk was going on with the unmarked car and kept driving for ages

He was pissed by the time I stopped I figured he could have been anybody

RobbingBandit

I'd be definitely getting onto ombudsman about that having just had some serious stuff happen myself regarding health issues and having to seek assistance from the Garda I'd hate to think that info is being stored and could potentially be misused in this type of manner.

The Garda are supposed to help you and me and anyone in any distress and fortunately in my case they did with the situations I have had recently. Really hope you get some answers on this one as to why that particular issues were spoken about.

Larbre34

There is no question that that was not a Garda. They are obliged to cite a reason for stopping you. They are obliged to provide their name, with identification card when asked. The Garda IT system contains absolutely zero health information, even about people who they would encounter often.

People fitting blue lights to boggo cars and impersonating Gardaí is not unprecedented.

You should report it to a senior Garda at the regional headquarters for your area. They take a particularly dim view of this kind of fraudulent conduct.

pgj2015

Did you not take down the registration number of the car he was driving?

Melodeon

As part of the Garda Firearm Licence Application form (Form FCA1), an applicant MUST provide the contact details of their GP and any other medical professionals they are attending, AND provide full details of any physical or mental condition they have that may impact their ability to safely possess a firearm.

Completing and signing the form grants consent to the Gardaí making further enquiries on their medical history.

Section 2.2 here: https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/online-services/firearms-licensing/fca1_firearm_certificate_application-copy.pdf

At least SOME medical detail of every licenced firearm owner in the state is on PULSE somewhere.

Perhaps the OP is a firearm owner?

harmless

Or a mental health situation that escaled to the point where An Garda where called.

Usually these random stops are when people end up buying a car that has been used by a high profile drug dealer. There dealers never have a car in their own name and change the ower to different people they know frequently. If the car is stopped the Garda want to know if the car is still connected in any way to the person they are after.

Very insensitive for the Garda to bring up the mental health issues. I understand they can ask provoking question to try to gauge someone demeanor by their answer but that is out of line. You would need someone with a good understanding of the law to find out if they overstepped the mark legally.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891923#Comment_120891923

no it didn’t occur to me at the time for whatever reason, I suppose I was more perturbed by his weird questions

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058306276/stopped-by-unmarked-garda

You know why that information was on pulse, and it is private to you. No need to tell anyone here. It's strange that he didn't give you a reason for stopping you at first. He also should identify himself when in plainclothes.

He may be aware of certain information about you, but he has absolutely no reason to bring it up in the way he did. If it was me I would definitely be contacting the superintendent in Bray, no guarantee he was stationed locally though, he could be anywhere. There will be a record of who accessed your pulse ID though.

Lads I don’t think it really matters exactly why it’s on PULSE but it is and there’s nothing about that I take exception to.

as I said I am confused by the reason for even mentioning it. “I see you’ve been involved with speeding/drunk driving/etc” would be what I’d consider normal things to enquire or mention in a traffic stop but mental health just doesn’t make any logical sense.

He then goes on to ask if I’ve been banned from driving or whatever but surely that’s info PULSE would have anyway so he doesn’t need to ask.

it was also mentioned that I “went missing” a few times which I definitely have not..

pat_sconce

Any station will do now. It's uploaded, details attached and Garda that stopped you checks after a few days.

When it comes to mental health too many gardai think it doesn't exist

mk7r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891630#Comment_120891630

You are entitled to ask to see their badge but they don't have to identify themselves personally to you. Uniform or not

harmless

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892096#Comment_120892096

Plan cloths means detective, he did not accuse you of any wrong doing so probably investigating one of his cases.

Did you have any photo ID on you? The questions may have been to try an catch out someone who was pretending to be someone they are not. It would seem as if he got what he wanted, anyone who was not you would not know how to react to some of those questions. However he is a public servant so it is worrying that he didn't care about your well-being.

LIGHTNING

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892204#Comment_120892204

Thats not true. If a member of the Gardai stop you and aren't in uniform they have to show you ID when asked.

https://www.iccl.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ICCL_KYR_Justice_2014_LR.pdf

https://spunout.ie/life/your-rights/your-rights-and-the-gardai

mk7r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892223#Comment_120892223

That is what their badge is, their identification. They wont give you something with their name on it, just their Garda number which can be used to indentify them in case of a dispute later.

Oranage2

Never trust the Gardai in a moment of weakness, they'll no doubt use this info against you if they have to.

GSBellew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891576#Comment_120891576

Unless I am completely mistaken & unless the Gardaí I have asked were also mistaken, once you have complied with them & answered their questions you have a legal entitlement to their name and badge number.

Witcher

There is no such thing as a badge number in Ireland.

mk7r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892365#Comment_120892365

Name no, Garda number yes

GSBellew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892372#Comment_120892372

The number on their uniform, their ID number, whatever you feel like calling it, it is their identifying number.

GSBellew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892386#Comment_120892386

Interesting, I was advised differently by people with legal qualifications & have not met a Guard who has not given their surname, the only one who was reluctant was the driver of an unmarked car that tailgated me for a few km with their main beams on, yet they agreed I was entitled to it.

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120891717#Comment_120891717

For a moment I thought he was checking pulse to see if you were alive 🙈☺ I'm finding the questioning of AGS in this case baffling, why not ID himself

Purple Mountain

I call bogus prankster.

He got a few of your details incorrect, as you said. He could have guessed about your health issues. Half of Ireland have had mental health issues at some point.

Atlantic Dawn

The only way Timmy Gardaí will be taken out of the force is if every interaction with them is reported.

JayRoc

"Plain clothes means Detective"

It absolutely does not. There will be lots of times a normal member of AGS will be in plain clothes.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892538#Comment_120892538

In an unmarked garda car?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892451#Comment_120892451

Going to a Garda station will likely sort this at least from a confirmation perspective that he was a real guard- if anyone feels they are being stopped by a pretend guard, phone 999 ask for Gardai and explain the situation- they will advise quick enough.

Henry Ford III

What kind of hat was he wearing? Critically important.

Newtown90

Happened to me a few years back on the M7 one Sunday night when i was heading back up for work.

Unmarked car put on the lights behind me - I ignored it as there was a free lane next to me to pass me out ( I hadn't broke the limit, tax was in date, etc so I knew he had no reason to pull me)... He pulls out in the lane next to me starts veering and pointing in at me.. I pull in and he speeds off... I assume an arsehole with too much time rather than an actual Gard... Didn't get his Reg unfortunately but got a dash cam straight away...

kirk.

Unmarked gard that pulled me over said they don't drive up alongside you

I asked him why he stayed behind me

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892609#Comment_120892609

Now come on- you know well that it’s not the hat that’s important- its whether or not he’s wearing it is all that matters 🤪

Witcher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892591#Comment_120892591

Yes

munchkin_utd

fake unmarked garda cars seems to be a thing.

It was enough of an issue that Kildare gardai issued instructions on what to do, and part of that is that they must be able to show you an ID

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/local-news/386133/kildare-gardai-issue-clear-advice-on-what-to-do-if-motorists-think-a-fake-unmarked-garda-car-tries-to-pull-them-over.html

jucko

bogus guard

had a case of this beside where i live recently

you'll just have to accept it as (weird) part of modern life op

.... and that there are people out there with massive issues :)

have a great day

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892681#Comment_120892681

That’s exactly the article I had in mind when I wrote the above post about phoning 999- funny how it stuck with me - as the article says, it’s a rare event someone impersonating a Garda whilst driving - for starters installing the blue flashing lights etc would obviously be quite an effort but that shouldn’t stop anyone who’s in doubt from proceeding with caution

I remember seeing a UK police TV show years ago where they stopped some weirdo in his car- he had his car set up just like an unmarked police car- beyond creepy.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892365#Comment_120892365

Should you not have an entitlement o this information before they ask these questions? Otherwise any gobshite could masquerade as a Garda...which seems to be increasingly the case. The Gardai can't expect people to continue to be cooperative if they are entitled to treat them with disdain.

Thankfully I've never come across something like this as any Gardai I've dealt with have been in uniform but reading this stuff would make me think twice about pulling over for an unmarked car in a remote location.

xabi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120892623#Comment_120892623

Do you still have the footage?

Lewis_Benson

The bogus thing does happen.

Had a white vw transporter behind me one night coming from Ballinasloe into Athlone, blue lights started flashing, and beeping.

I pulled in and he shot passed me.

Called the Athlone station who confirmed they didn't have any white transporters, gave them the general direction he went in.