Your experience with the Gardai

jim_bull wrote: »

most guards earn more per annum than most solicitors , your average solicitor in a small town isnt on close to what your average guard brings home , i say that as someone who had two uncles in the guards until they retired a few years ago , my sister is a solicitor in a ( small ) firm in dublin , she earns 40 k per year and is there since 2006 , average guard is on 60 k

the top criminal law firms or the michael mc dowells of this world can give a skewed version of the profession

they also put in far more hours per week than a guard

You're way off. Michael McDowell is a barrister, not a solicitor. Starting salaries for newly solicitors outside Dublin just might be around €40k. 10 years experience in private practice in Dublin would be closer to €100k.

https://www.morganmckinley.ie/article/2017-legal-salary-guide

opinionated3

Certain Gardai made over seventy thousand euro in overtime last year outside of their normal salary. This for a force that has a piss poor record in actual crime fighting i.e burglaries etc but seemingly spends most of its time checking tax and insurance and generally just earning a bit extra for revenue. If the system that allows those sorts of payments is broken, fair enough, it needs fixing. But there is no way anyone will convince me that there isn't an inherent and real credibility problem with this" force".

cursai

This ****e is on its 11th page!!!

Generally lacking any empathy i was on the phone to hospital where parent was still gave me points. i reported some animal cruelty they ignored it so i went back until they did something in general they dont really care like anyone in a repetitive job just collect the wages and leave me alone !! And since the wages are soo good i am not suprised !!

puppieperson1 wrote: »

Generally lacking any empathy i was on the phone to hospital where parent was still gave me points.

Fair play to them. If it was that important to you, you would have stopped to make the call.

Discodog

opinionated3 wrote: »

Certain Gardai made over seventy thousand euro in overtime last year outside of their normal salary. This for a force that has a piss poor record in actual crime fighting i.e burglaries etc but seemingly spends most of its time checking tax and insurance and generally just earning a bit extra for revenue. If the system that allows those sorts of payments is broken, fair enough, it needs fixing. But there is no way anyone will convince me that there isn't an inherent and real credibility problem with this" force".

I wonder how many crimes are committed close to checkpoints whilst the Guards are busy. If you need a Guard in a hurry, drive to your nearest checkpoint.

ANDREW _ thanks i didnt make the call i received the call and i was on a single country road no where to pull in ........ could have not lifted the phone but was about a parent on life support and i was rushing home to be there OK

puppieperson1 wrote: »

ANDREW _ thanks i didnt make the call i received the call and i was on a single country road no where to pull in ........ could have not lifted the phone but was about a parent on life support and i was rushing home to be there OK

You can stop without pulling in, right? If it is an emergency, just stop and put on your hazards. Or you can get a bluetooth headset for a tenner to allow you to take such calls, right? Someone else will end up on life support as a result of you driving on the phone.

siblers

puppieperson1 wrote: »

Generally lacking any empathy i was on the phone to hospital where parent was still gave me points. i reported some animal cruelty they ignored it so i went back until they did something in general they dont really care like anyone in a repetitive job just collect the wages and leave me alone !! And since the wages are soo good i am not suprised !!

To be fair, if they believed the excuse every driver gave when caught using their phone while driving, no one would have any points

ok thanks to all you perfect citizens. Heres another experience for i went out with a guard and boy could he drink and drive and flash his badge . If i look back to my leaving cert year and see who went to college and who went into the cops it summed it up for me the bullies and sociopaths went to the cops. I stand by my lacking in empathy stance ..... Have a nice day !

malinheader

siblers wrote: »

To be fair, if they believed the excuse every driver gave when caught using their phone while driving, no one would have any points

Don't worry about points if you know the right garda and your well connected he will wipe the points off for you

puppieperson1 wrote: »

ANDREW _ thanks i didnt make the call i received the call and i was on a single country road no where to pull in ........ could have not lifted the phone but was about a parent on life support and i was rushing home to be there OK

The law is the law and you broke the law. Sh1tty situation but it's your fault not theirs

puppieperson1 wrote: »

ok thanks to all you perfect citizens. Heres another experience for i went out with a guard and boy could he drink and drive and flash his badge . If i look back to my leaving cert year and see who went to college and who went into the cops it summed it up for me the bullies and sociopaths went to the cops. I stand by my lacking in empathy stance ..... Have a nice day !

My boyfriends a guard and he's kind, sweet, understanding and likes helping people. What's your point? Just like every profession there's pricks and there's good people.

good for you and lucky for you too.

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

You're way off. Michael McDowell is a barrister, not a solicitor. Starting salaries for newly solicitors outside Dublin just might be around €40k. 10 years experience in private practice in Dublin would be closer to €100k.

i know he is a barrister , i just didnt want to be a pedantic pete

it is you who are way off if you think most solicitors are on 100 k after ten years

tracey turnblad

Unfortunately I had to deal with them for a very serious crime. They were amazing and went above and beyond for us. One guard in particular is a super hero in my eyes and I cannot thank him enough for everything he did for us.

opinionated3 wrote: »

Certain Gardai made over seventy thousand euro in overtime last year outside of their normal salary. This for a force that has a piss poor record in actual crime fighting i.e burglaries etc but seemingly spends most of its time checking tax and insurance and generally just earning a bit extra for revenue. If the system that allows those sorts of payments is broken, fair enough, it needs fixing. But there is no way anyone will convince me that there isn't an inherent and real credibility problem with this" force".

its a goldmine for people who are mediocre and wouldnt come close to those earnings were they to do anything else , most would be labourers on building sites were they not wearing a uniform

its not wonder the force is always oversubscribed with applications

malinheader wrote: »

Don't worry about points if you know the right garda and your well connected he will wipe the points off for you

yes and if a lone honest cop takes him to task over it , the entire force ( including two commissioners ) will embark on a smear campaign to destroy him

Only had minor dealings with them and all pleasant. They came by to check up on my mother once after she had a runin with some local lad causing trouble, which seemed nice to do

Jakey Rolling

Nothing but positive experiences in my few interactions with them - passport docs, checkpoints, event management.
Showed a real interest when I called in to report a dangerous driver yesterday, and followed up to confirm they had spoken with the individual.

Jakey Rolling wrote: »

Nothing but positive experiences in my few interactions with them - passport docs, checkpoints, event management.
Showed a real interest when I called in to report a dangerous driver yesterday, and followed up to confirm they had spoken with the individual.

your direct experience is minimal

i had no experience with them either until i was twenty six , then a well connected man moved in close to me and began making false accusations as a way of engaging in a land grab , the guards lied for this guy in court even after he left me in A+ E , they searched my house for a stun gun which the blow in accused me of pulling on him after he left me with two black eyes

that was in 2005 , they then summonsed my widowed mother to court for the crime of paying a man to cut the hedges , he accidently cut a little of this guys hedge and your man claimed it was mallicious damage to trees , my mother never had to go to court in the end as the guy must have been surprised the boys in blue would do his bidding to that degree and dropped the charges in the end

in 2011 i spent four hours being questioned in a station for the crime of buying a can of coke , the same guy accused me of making a threatening gesture towards him outside the shop and that i followed him in , i never even saw him but we were both in the store at the same time as cctv showed , anyway i had a top criminal solicitor this time round and picked a nice spot on the wall during the interview and refused to answer a single question bar what my name was , corrupt seargent who interviewed me called me two months later to say no further action would be taken

corrupt to the core they are

Ok Jim tell both sides of the story.

mojesius

Generally, I find them helpful. Wish there was more traffic cops to deal with the god awful driving and road rage on Irish roads.

Had one bad experience years ago, Garda in a jeep undertook me going onto a one way, one lane street nearly driving me off the road (unmarked, plain clothes, no siren) who then pulled me over and blamed me for being in the wrong lane, but they were in the wrong lane (lane to turn left only). When I asked if he'd like to walk with me back to the junction to see the road markings/arrows, he told me 'not to be so smart missy' and that he'd 'have me up in front of a judge so fast it would make my head spin'. Horrible fcuker he was, so aggressive. It was 10 years ago and I was young enough, so took it on the chin but in hindsight i should have got his badge number or at least asked to have seen a badge.

Gemma Important Painting wrote: »

Ok Jim tell both sides of the story.

sure you could say that about any little story on any forum ?

mojesius wrote: »

Generally, I find them helpful. Wish there was more traffic cops to deal with the god awful driving and road rage on Irish roads.

Had one bad experience years ago, Garda in a jeep undertook me going onto a one way, one lane street nearly driving me off the road (unmarked, plain clothes, no siren) who then pulled me over and blamed me for being in the wrong lane, but they were in the wrong lane (lane to turn left only). When I asked if he'd like to walk with me back to the junction to see the road markings/arrows, he told me 'not to be so smart missy' and that he'd 'have me up in front of a judge so fast it would make my head spin'. Horrible fcuker he was, so aggressive. It was 10 years ago and I was young enough, so took it on the chin but in hindsight i should have got his badge number or at least asked to have seen a badge.

guards will set out to harm you if you dont show them enough deference , they love two things

1. having their egos massaged

2. easy targets

jim_bull wrote: »

guards will set out to harm you if you dont show them enough deference , they love two things

1. having their egos massaged

2. easy targets

With all due respect that's nonsense.
Since starting driving I've been pulled for speeding, been stopped at checkpoints, dealt with them roadside at an accident, had to call them to violent situations, handing in wallets/handbag that I found, and each time I've interacted with them they've all been respectful and pleasant.
You have had some sh1t experiences but it's not an accurate representation of the entire force.

And TBH if you're approaching them with an attitude because you have no respect for them, they're not going to reciprocate with the utmost respect either.