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Who s behind the Gardai road checks?

Coillte_Bhoy

I dont think my locality (rural Mayo) is any different but for whatever reason in the last few months the amount of Garda checkpoints etc has been ramped up to an incredible degree, they are everywhere at all hours, breathalyzers, tax checks, speeding etc. I mean it makes zero sense for a force that was always complaining and maybe rightly so about being under resourced. obv a decison has been taken at a high level and im wondering by whom and for what reason?

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wyf437gn6btzue

there was a chap plowed out of it and killed by a drunk driver up my way a few years ago, the same people who complained about the lack of garda intervention with drink driving at the time that happened are the ones who complain now when they hear of check points and proactive policing.

if you`re not doing anything wrong then you`ve nothing to worry about. They don`t set them up to catch ordinary people out, they set them up to catch the f*cking low lives who think drinking and driving is ok

Esel

The cousins are all 'home' for Christmas.

Captain Obvious

Sycamore Tree wrote: »

Full GSOC report here;

https://www.gardaombudsman.ie/news-room/archive/gsoc-investigation-fixed-charge-notice-cancellations-2009-2014/

I've just been reading through it. It seems the 442 number is the number of people that actually cancelled tickets over the 4 years. It doesn't actually reveal much though as the number cancelled per person ranges from 1 to 46,161.

RobbieMD

Sycamore Tree wrote: »

Go ahead then sunshine, give me your figure.

A quick scan of your other posts leads me to believe you are a member of the Gardaí. Can you confirm?

Sunshine says there’s roughly 500 members of inspector rank and above. That’s from an Oireachtas question posed to justice minister. I imagine that figure moves up and down slightly due to retirements promotions etc

Thanks for having a look at my previous posts. Long time listener, recent poster.

Graces7

corsav6 wrote: »

I'm also living in rural mayo and I haven't come across a checkpoint in years. I'm on the road during fairly busy hours and also do a lot of driving at the weekends.

Nor me in coastal mayo, but to me that shortens the odds...

opinionated3

Garda checkpoints have increased massively in Clare too. In my opinion they do very little in the way of real crime fighting any more. Just another branch of revenue. Drugs are rampant here, even in reasonably affluent areas. We all know who the dealers are, everything seems so blatant, and yet no arrests. Anti social behaviour in villages is on the rise, the culprits are well known, and yet no arrests. Personally I have no confidence in them as a police force. There are so many issues in our region more important than road tax, or insurance, and nothing is being done about it...

blanch152

opinionated3 wrote: »

Garda checkpoints have increased massively in Clare too. In my opinion they do very little in the way of real crime fighting any more. Just another branch of revenue. Drugs are rampant here, even in reasonably affluent areas. We all know who the dealers are, everything seems so blatant, and yet no arrests. Anti social behaviour in villages is on the rise, the culprits are well known, and yet no arrests. Personally I have no confidence in them as a police force. There are so many issues in our region more important than road tax, or insurance, and nothing is being done about it...

If you all know who the dealers are, I assume that you all have made a written statement to that effect down at your local garda station. Otherwise it is meaningless that you all know.

Witnesses need to make sworn statements, most of the time they won't.

andekwarhola

I'd obviously be heavily opposed to drink driving but I'd be opposed to the recent legislation change that judges a next morning level that previously attrcted points now has a ban. It just hits marginal cases that probably in good faith stopped drinking at XY hours and avoided driving until XY hours and then lose their license based on a miscalculation of a few hours.

One thing that amuseas me is that I'd love to do a random test of half the Garda manning the checkpoints. I wonder how many of them would fail it in an instant.

dxhound2005

Rubberchikken wrote: »

there should be a lot more and at different time and different locations.
not enough is done to rid the roads of the drunk or uninsured or nontaxed or even no nct lot.
a clown of a system where speed vans are flagged up and visible so the arrogant so and sos can slow down and avoid detection. there should also be cameras at traffic lights- might cure the need for breaking red lights that is so prevalent nowadays.

I have never seen anyone breaking a red light. Just my experience. I would only be at red lights for a few minutes out of any day. How would anyone find out that it is prevalent?

Graces7

blanch152 wrote: »

If you all know who the dealers are, I assume that you all have made a written statement to that effect down at your local garda station. Otherwise it is meaningless that you all know.

Witnesses need to make sworn statements, most of the time they won't.

I reported one way back. Would have gladly made a statement but the Gardai were not interested. I get the impression it takes too much time and attention?

His house burned down the following week..

opinionated3

blanch152 wrote: »

If you all know who the dealers are, I assume that you all have made a written statement to that effect down at your local garda station. Otherwise it is meaningless that you all know.

Witnesses need to make sworn statements, most of the time they won't.

The Gardai in the local stations know exactly who the drug dealers and users are. A simple bit of detective work would nab most of them without civilians having to go to stations to give statements. It's utter laziness on their part. Even if people did go to them and report incidents I'm pretty sure they won't be bothered looking in to it. It's easier to go out and set up road checkpoints and assist revenue collection. Maybe things are different in Dublin and the other cities but I know around here they seem to just want the handy number day in day out..

Wildly Boaring

opinionated3 wrote: »

Garda checkpoints have increased massively in Clare too. In my opinion they do very little in the way of real crime fighting any more. Just another branch of revenue. Drugs are rampant here, even in reasonably affluent areas. We all know who the dealers are, everything seems so blatant, and yet no arrests. Anti social behaviour in villages is on the rise, the culprits are well known, and yet no arrests. Personally I have no confidence in them as a police force. There are so many issues in our region more important than road tax, or insurance, and nothing is being done about it...

They really are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

They have noticeably more presence out on the road and about the place.

Moaning Michaels still moan.

Checkpoints are not about tax and insurance.

They are getting cops out and about. Doing the very thing rural people want them to do.

Having a presence
Drink drivers
People who should be off the road
Known criminals in our area being monitored

Also - and all need inforcing badly
Cars without one light
Cars without NCT
Cars without insurance

Sycamore Tree

RobbieMD wrote: »

That’s what I couldn’t understand. It’s not 4000 eligible to cancel fcpns. I had a quick look and it looks like there’s about 500 who hold the rank of inspector and above.

Comment on fake breath tests? Yeah they shouldn’t have happened.

Ok lets agree on 500 of Gardai of Inspector rank or above during the 4 year period of the GSOC report.

The conclusion is that the vast majority of senior Gardai (442 - 88%) were cancelling points during the 4 year period of the report and giving very little reason if any for doing so.

It's a culture of corruption led from the top.

No wonder the lower ranks felt entitled to fake almost 2,000,000 alcohol breath tests.

Eggs For Dinner

GAA Beo wrote: »

It's similar where I am, I recently joined a facebook group where people post up the checkpoints in our county, it has 12,000 members. Every single checkpoint is posted to warn people. It has seriously ramped up there are checkpoints literally everywhere.

The anger at Gardai and Shane Ross is also quite something. I wonder do they realise how angry they are making people in rural areas. They are never around to police burglaries or assaults but just harass motorists and be tax collectors for Fine Gael.

What about personal responsibility? If we didn't have such a blatant disregard for motoring laws, Gardai would have more resources for other crimes.

Bottom line is that if you comply with the law, you'll be waved through to go about your business. I'd love to meet a checkpoint at least once every time I'm on the road

Captain Obvious

opinionated3 wrote: »

Garda checkpoints have increased massively in Clare too. In my opinion they do very little in the way of real crime fighting any more. Just another branch of revenue. Drugs are rampant here, even in reasonably affluent areas. We all know who the dealers are, everything seems so blatant, and yet no arrests. Anti social behaviour in villages is on the rise, the culprits are well known, and yet no arrests. Personally I have no confidence in them as a police force. There are so many issues in our region more important than road tax, or insurance, and nothing is being done about it...

opinionated3 wrote: »

The Gardai in the local stations know exactly who the drug dealers and users are. A simple bit of detective work would nab most of them without civilians having to go to stations to give statements. It's utter laziness on their part. Even if people did go to them and report incidents I'm pretty sure they won't be bothered looking in to it. It's easier to go out and set up road checkpoints and assist revenue collection. Maybe things are different in Dublin and the other cities but I know around here they seem to just want the handy number day in day out..

Why don't you join up and show everyone how it's done?

Del2005

dxhound2005 wrote: »

I have never seen anyone breaking a red light. Just my experience. I would only be at red lights for a few minutes out of any day. How would anyone find out that it is prevalent?

You must be the only person in the country who hasn't. Its got so bad in Tallaght that about 4 or 5 go through on red. The Amber gambler is long gone and now you really have to proceed with caution when you get a green light.

opinionated3

Captain Obvious wrote: »

Why don't you join up and show everyone how it's done?

Pretty sure I'd be too good for them.

opinionated3

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

They really are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

They have noticeably more presence out on the road and about the place.

Moaning Michaels still moan.

Checkpoints are not about tax and insurance.

They are getting cops out and about. Doing the very thing rural people want them to do.

Having a presence
Drink drivers
People who should be off the road
Known criminals in our area being monitored

Also - and all need inforcing badly
Cars without one light
Cars without NCT
Cars without insurance

The first thing you listed is "having a presence". That's hilarious seeing as the only time we see them around here is for a tax and insurance checkpoint. Take for example the infamous traveller family riot in the Oakwood hotel in Shannon lately. Everyone saw the video footage. By co Clare standards it was vicious and totally uncalled for. It's an event that was run trouble free for nearly twelve years and yet a select group of well known traveler families decided to destroy the whole spectacle. At the same time this was going on the local Gardai were out on a revenue checkpoint yet again. Rumor has it that when the phone calls came in to Shannon Gardai, they allegedly delayed their response, as it was one traveller family versus another. So much for keeping the peace. If that's what's been taught in templemore then templemore is a joke and needs to be completely scrapped or overhauled.

tayto lover

opinionated3 wrote: »

Pretty sure I'd be too good for them.

Big chip by the sound of it.

2018na

tayto lover wrote: »

Big chip by the sound of it.

I'd say he probably wants to take home more then €500 quid a week lol

opinionated3

tayto lover wrote: »

Big chip by the sound of it.

Not at all. Just observing what does on in my county and the lack of justice being doled out to those to really deserve it.

opinionated3

2018na wrote: »

I'd say he probably wants to take home more then €500 quid a week lol[/
A lot of Gardai are bringing home way more than that every week. What's your point?

2018na

opinionated3 wrote: »

2018na wrote: »

I'd say he probably wants to take home more then €500 quid a week lol[/
A lot of Gardai are bringing home way more than that every week. What's your point?

It's not exactly the cream of society that joins the Garda now is it in fairness

Fozzie Bear

opinionated3 wrote: »

At the same time this was going on the local Gardai were out on a revenue checkpoint yet again. Rumor has it that when the phone calls came in to Shannon Gardai, they allegedly delayed their response, as it was one traveller family versus another. So much for keeping the peace. If that's what's been taught in templemore then templemore is a joke and needs to be completely scrapped or overhauled.

My brother is a Garda in that area (not Shannon but won't mention the exact station) and I can assure you the "rumor" along with the Revenue checkpoint story is complete and utter b0ll0x. When the call came in units from six surrounding Garda stations were sent to Shannon. Of course they don't have portal guns/time travel abilities (yet) so they didn't get there within 30 seconds of it kicking off. Hence they must have been holding back obviously or in Supermacs maybe having a feed or cos they don't care, were afraid, asleep, off on revenue duties, let the travellers kill each other etc etc (pick which ever story sounds best to your biased ears and spread it)

In the absense/knowledge of the facts bullsh1t like this fills the void and becomes "fact". But sure thats grand gives some people another stick to beat the Gardai with...

McCrack

Checkpoints can and do detect other offences besides the obvious

And people don't realise that and think it's just about tax, insurance etc

opinionated3

Fozzie Bear wrote: »

My brother is a Garda in that area (not Shannon but won't mention the exact station) and I can assure you the "rumor" along with the Revenue checkpoint story is complete and utter b0ll0x. When the call came in units from six surrounding Garda stations were sent to Shannon. Of course they don't have portal guns/time travel abilities (yet) so they didn't get there within 30 seconds of it kicking off. Hence they must have been holding back obviously or in Supermacs maybe having a feed or cos they don't care, were afraid, asleep, off on revenue duties, let the travellers kill each other etc etc (pick which ever story sounds best to your biased ears and spread it)

In the absense/knowledge of the facts bullsh1t like this fills the void and becomes "fact". But sure thats grand gives some people another stick to beat the Gardai with...

If units were called from six stations as you claim why the hell did it take them so long to get there? Were they walking?? Call a spade a spade. They didn't want to deal with it. Simples.

james678

I've been driving 15 years doing an average of 40KM a year and have never once went through a checkpoint.

Insect Overlord

james678 wrote: »

I've been driving 15 years doing an average of 40KM a year and have never once went through a checkpoint.

40km a year. What are you driving, a tortoise? :pac:

Captain Obvious

opinionated3 wrote: »

Pretty sure I'd be too good for them.

Translation : Failed the aptitude test or, more likely, the interview.

bunderoon

Driving daily between Knock and Tuam for nearly 9 years and hardly ever see a Garda checkpoint. I would see the odd Garda car pull into the 24 hour that was just past the Claremorris junction, but that was about it.

Since Harris has come in, I, like a lot in Mayo, have seen a huge difference. Many checkpoints and Garda cars with speed guns etc.

Begs the question - what were these same Gardai doing for the years when Callinan and O'Sullivan were in charge??

I reckon its down to the fact that for years they were lying and falsifying the records but now that they cant, the Gardai have to go out and actually catch people committing the road traffic offences as it will be checked.