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Your experience with the Gardai

opfleet

For those of you who have dealt first hand with the Guards either as a suspect or a victim, how did you find them?

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Poor_old_gill

Usually sound enough, usually a bit dim

seamus

People who are standoffish, evasive and hostile for no good reason in "bad experience" shocker.

0ph0rce0

seamus wrote: »

People who are standoffish, evasive and hostile for no good reason in "bad experience" shocker.

They put you in a mood when your stopped and questioned for no good reason

weldoninhio

Captain Obvious wrote: »

Great in theory but in real life if a Garda talks to you and you simply ignore him you'll probably end up having a bad time.

And what does that say about our Garda??

rannerap

A few years ago I was the victim of an attempted mugging when coming out of work on the Malahide road in Dublin. It was 5.30 in the day and two lads tried to rob me while one swung a stanley blade at me/kicked me. The guards were there very quickly. They followed it up and I was interviewed etc. They were nothing but lovely and so helpful. They managed to catch one of the guys and he got sent to prison for a few months.

I would have assumed because nothing much happened it would have just been brushed off and forgotten about. Especially because of the area it was in. Was surprised by how seriously they took it and how much work they put in to not only find them, but to get them punished for it.

Captain Obvious

weldoninhio wrote: »

And what does that say about our Garda??

They probably know the law better than your average Silent Bob and they probably had a reason to talk to you.

seamus

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

They put you in a mood when your stopped and questioned for no good reason

If a Garda doing his job puts you "in a mood", then you're the problem, not the Garda.

weldoninhio wrote: »

And what does that say about our Garda??

That they're human beings who just want to get on with their job?

RustyNut

Captain Obvious wrote: »

Great in theory but in real life if a Garda talks to you and you simply ignore him you'll probably end up having a bad time.

This is the case unfortunately but people should be free to act completely within the law and invoke the rights that the law gives them without getting a bad time from the guards.

weldoninhio

Captain Obvious wrote: »

They probably know the law better than your average Silent Bob and they probably had a reason to talk to you.

If you are not under arrest you have no obligation to speak to them, and if arrested it is your "right to remain silent". What "law" supersedes that??

weldoninhio

seamus wrote: »

If a Garda doing his job puts you "in a mood", then you're the problem, not the Garda.

That they're human beings who just want to get on with their job?

Is it their job to hassle private citizens who exercise their right to silence??

Alun

seamus wrote: »

If a Garda doing his job puts you "in a mood", then you're the problem, not the Garda.

Some have pointed out though that many interactions with individual members of the Gardai start off with the Garda themselves being unnecessarily hostile and rude in the first place where this isn't warranted. I'm all for giving respect to people in authority but it works both ways.

Heart Break Kid

depends,

was walking across the road, was a bit icy and I slipped a bit. Regained my balance but not without an awkward shuffle. Squad car snailing down the road gets on the megaphone...

"CAREFUL NOW!"

seamus

weldoninhio wrote: »

Is it their job to hassle private citizens who exercise their right to silence??

"Hassle"?

In what way do they "hassle"? If they are asking a question and you refuse to answer that question, all you're doing is creating more questions. And the Garda is going to try and seek answers to those questions. Because that's their job.

Of course, what that means is that you are going to be delayed and scrutinised while the Garda seeks the answers to those questions. You might call that "hassle", but it's entirely of your own making. If you had simply been a reasonable person in the first place and answered a reasonable question, the Garda would had all his questions answered and you wouldn't be delayed.

Also don't confuse "right to remain silent" from US cop shows, with your general obligations. If you are driving a vehicle and are stopped by a Garda, you are obliged on request to provide your name and address to the Garda. Who is entitled to demand further evidence and may go as far as arresting you if they believe you're lying.

Wisesmurf

Always had a fair opinion of the Gardai. They're basically a cross section of the population.

One excellent experience.

I got married 2 years ago on the day of the biggest water protest. We were married and had the reception in town and were worried about access. We called Pierce street station a few days before to ask about road closures and they weren't sure .

The day before the wedding we got a call and they asked the time and venue of the church part (Trinity). They sent two motorbike police who got there some time during the service and waited outside. The proceeded to wait while we got photos and sorted everything.

They then lead a cavalcade of all our guessed through the closed roads and got us to the hotel. They didn't have to offer and we weren't pushing for anything but obviously we talked to one of the good 'uns when we needed it.

yourdeadwright

Look lets get it straight 98% of the time the only people who have issues with the Guards are people who are breaking the law,
They try to do there best to protect and serve us, yes there a re a few bad people but that's in every line of work and walk of life,
Its Judges and the court system that lets the country down ,

Skedaddle

I've only ever had to deal with the Gardai for friendly reasons i.e. form filling, or on a couple of occasions where I've had to call them due to minor issues with anti-social behaviour and one break in and on all occasions I found them really nice to deal with and very helpful.

I've also dealt with them around festival organisation and stuff like that and again, I can't say I found them anything other than really nice to work with and generally a nice bunch at local level.

The impression I get is that they're badly let down by structural issues in the organisation itself - obsolete / dysfunctional management structures as well as relatively poor IT / communications and other resources.

To be fair to them though, it takes some guts to go out there dealing with serious thugs everyday without much more than a uniform and a radio in most cases. Most of the time they seem to manage to get the balance right and never seem to be that kind of 'oppressive police' sense of 'us' and 'them' you can get in the US and even on the continent at times.

I would never feel uncomfortable approaching a Garda for help or even if I just was needing directions, but I'd really think twice about approaching a US police officer or some of the continental ones.

BIGDAWWG01

I find ban garda go out of there way to do you over for something like they have something to prove. About 2 years back, I was out and had about 2 drinks and I was nowhere close to being drunk. My friend was fairly drunk so I was taking care of him and he broke a taxi drivers window(by accident). The guards came and took him and told me to go home so I said I'm going to walk down and wait across the road from the station for him. The guard who was a man was an absoloute gent I had a normal conversation with him but the ban guard came shouting at me while I was talking to the other guard. So i said goodbye and started to walk in the direction of the station when the ban guard comes up behind me and throws handcuffs on and arrests me for being drunk and disorderly and I got a 150 euro fine even though I was completely sober. Absoloute joke.

weldoninhio

seamus wrote: »

"Hassle"?

In what way do they "hassle"? If they are asking a question and you refuse to answer that question, all you're doing is creating more questions. And the Garda is going to try and seek answers to those questions. Because that's their job.

Of course, what that means is that you are going to be delayed and scrutinised while the Garda seeks the answers to those questions. You might call that "hassle", but it's entirely of your own making. If you had simply been a reasonable person in the first place and answered a reasonable question, the Garda would had all his questions answered and you wouldn't be delayed.

Also don't confuse "right to remain silent" from US cop shows, with your general obligations. If you are driving a vehicle and are stopped by a Garda, you are obliged on request to provide your name and address to the Garda. Who is entitled to demand further evidence and may go as far as arresting you if they believe you're lying.

"you'll probably end up having a bad time." is what i replied to. So yes, if I have done nothing wrong, and the Gardai are giving me a bad time for adhering to my rights then it is a hassle. Your only legal obligation if stopped in the street, without arrest, by the Gardai is to give your name and address.

Also, i mentioned "right to remain silent" after arrest. "You are not obliged to say anything unless you wish to do so, but whatever you say will be taken down in writing and may be given in evidence." - You won't hear a US cop say that, no matter what show you are watching.

No one mentioned a vehicle except you.

NIMAN

Very limited contact, but excellent.

Then again, I grew up with the RUC.

EmmetWhitey

square_head wrote: »

its you who are simple yet even more smug

it doesnt matter what you are , all that matters is if you have pull , the force is riddled with politics with every breath it takes

Please tell me that pun was intentional

:D:D:D

Captain Obvious

RustyNut wrote: »

This is the case unfortunately but people should be free to act completely within the law and invoke the rights that the law gives them without getting a bad time from the guards.

Generally they can. But the law also grants Gardaí powers to investigate potential criminals acts. Sometimes this involves talking to innocent people. In most cases talking is all that happens but if you act the bollocks you increase your chances of it going further.

weldoninhio wrote: »

If you are not under arrest you have no obligation to speak to them, and if arrested it is your "right to remain silent". What "law" supersedes that??

You are, of course, incorrect. There are multiple laws that grant the Gardaí the power to demand information from you and failure to do so is an offence. Public order, road traffic and firearms legislation are good places for you to start.

Captain Obvious

Alun wrote: »

Some have pointed out though that many interactions with individual members of the Gardai start off with the Garda themselves being unnecessarily hostile and rude in the first place where this isn't warranted. I'm all for giving respect to people in authority but it works both ways.

The best thing to do in a situation like that is go along with it and report the Garda afterwards. A Garda that bad with interacting people is also likely to not back down.

Mint Sauce

NIMAN wrote: »

Very limited contact, but excellent.

Then again, I grew up with the RUC.

Living close to the Border, have probably had equal interactions with the Guards and the RUC/PSNI. The difference being the lads and lassies in the Wee Six have guns. Whilst you might have a wee bit of banter with them in the appropriate circumstances, the everyday joe I'd say will try and get away with less, compared to our crowd.

marvin80

BIGDAWWG01 wrote: »

I find ban garda go out of there way to do you over for something like they have something to prove. About 2 years back, I was out and had about 2 drinks and I was nowhere close to being drunk. My friend was fairly drunk so I was taking care of him and he broke a taxi drivers window(by accident). The guards came and took him and told me to go home so I said I'm going to walk down and wait across the road from the station for him. The guard who was a man was an absoloute gent I had a normal conversation with him but the ban guard came shouting at me while I was talking to the other guard. So i said goodbye and started to walk in the direction of the station when the ban guard comes up behind me and throws handcuffs on and arrests me for being drunk and disorderly and I got a 150 euro fine even though I was completely sober. Absoloute joke.

Did you contest this?
If you were prosecuted for this you have a criminal record.

weldoninhio

Captain Obvious wrote: »

Generally they can. But the law also grants Gardaowers to investigate potential criminals acts. Sometimes this involves talking to innocent people. In most cases talking is all that happens but if you act the bollocks you increase your chances of it going further.

You are, of course, incorrect. There are multiple laws that grant the Gardahe power to demand information from you and failure to do so is an offence. Public order, road traffic and firearms legislation are good places for you to start.

Public order: In the case of most of the offences under this Act, if a Garda suspects you of being involved, you are obliged to give your name and address if asked. In fact, it is an offence if you fail to do so. You may be arrested without warrant if you fail to give your name and address. You are liable on summary conviction to a class D fine for that offence. You may be arrested without warrant if the Garda suspects you of having committed one of these offences. (Source: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/criminal_law/criminal_offences/public_order_offenses_in_ireland.html)

The conversation was started about being stopped by the Gardai whilst walking down the street having done nothing.

Captain Obvious

weldoninhio wrote: »

Public order: In the case of most of the offences under this Act, if a Garda suspects you of being involved, you are obliged to give your name and address if asked. In fact, it is an offence if you fail to do so. You may be arrested without warrant if you fail to give your name and address. You are liable on summary conviction to a class D fine for that offence. You may be arrested without warrant if the Garda suspects you of having committed one of these offences. (Source: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/criminal_law/criminal_offences/public_order_offenses_in_ireland.html)

The conversation was started about being stopped by the Gardai whilst walking down the street having done nothing.

Right, but the law is based on what the Garda suspects, not what you were doing. So even if you did nothing wrong the Garda can still use this power if he suspects you may have.

weldoninhio

Captain Obvious wrote: »

Right, but the law is based on what the Garda suspects, not what you were doing. So even if you did nothing wrong the Garda can still use this power if he suspects you may have.

He can use his powers to ask me my name and address. Thats it. If he suspects I've committed a crime, he can arrest me, but he's going to have to provide an explanation as to why he suspected me. He was using his civil rights and this annoyed me is not enough to arrest someone.

Aglomerado

Positive in all respects.
The worst (read strangest) experience was being asked at a checkpoint last year if what I was driving was my own car ... it was a Fiesta and I'm a small bespectacled woman: hardly odd!

I was in an accident 3 years ago as well and the Garda helping me was brilliant.

I've worked in Garda Civilian in a regional station and they were sound colleagues. Work could be busy at times if there was a big investigation. Downtime: never had so much fun in a job!

Noveight

Stonedpilot wrote: »

You're an idiot. Speak to any solicitor in the world and they tell you the same thing!

I don't need a solicitor or a VICE article to tell me otherwise tbh. Experience trumps knowledge for me and in my experience being up front and straightforward with a Garda is a surefire way of going about your day as planned as opposed to cracking on with "no comment" or questioning the legal obligations to answer a question.

But hey, whatever floats your boat.

Stonedpilot

Noveight wrote: »

I don't need a solicitor or a VICE article to tell me otherwise tbh. Experience trumps knowledge for me and in my experience being up front and straightforward with a Garda is a surefire way of going about your day as planned as opposed to cracking on with "no comment" or questioning the legal obligations to answer a question.

But hey, whatever floats your boat.

Ok, but you mentioned time wasting, hey if they approach you simply not answering questions saves time on both parties. You can knock yourself out telling them your life story!.

Here is an excellent youtube video by an American Solicitor on why you should NEVER speak to police on duty. Think his decades of law knowledge trumps yours or mine!.

https://youtu.be/d-7o9xYp7eE