Garda free coffee

KaneToad · 03-02-2020 02:13PM

Green Peter wrote: »

I don't see any difference as to me there are no strings attached. In fact I nearly always end up buying something else to go with it that I probably don't really need just to pay for something. My ethics don't hinge on a free cup of coffee.

But there are strings attached. That's why the garage is giving guards the free coffee. Why do you think they are giving you free coffee? Why not give free coffee to teachers? Or cleaners? Or pilots? Or receptionists?

You are a guard and you don't see any problem with taking a free gift from a business (that is offered to you purely because you are a guard). I'm not a guard, I think it's an unethical practice.

I don't think we're going to see eye to eye on this one.

EmmetSpiceland · 03-02-2020 02:18PM

There’s more to this “story” than meets the eye. All it’s going to take is one brave soul, with a conscience, to take a stand and it’ll be all over the news.

Obviously, it will lead to a lengthy “tribunal” and possibly some senior members of the force will be hauled before the “public accounts committee” but the country, as a whole, will see what’s been going on and things will change.

This is only the beginning.

Killinator · 03-02-2020 02:18PM

KaneToad wrote: »

But there are strings attached. That's why the garage is giving guards the free coffee. Why do you think they are giving you free coffee? Why not give free coffee to teachers? Or cleaners? Or pilots? Or receptionists?

You are a guard and you don't see any problem with taking a free gift from a business (that is offered to you purely because you are a guard). I'm not a guard, I think it's an unethical practice.

I don't think we're going to see eye to eye on this one.

So what are the garages expecting from firefighters and ambulance crew who also very often get a free tea/coffee.
What can they offer? What's the benefit of giving them a freebie?
Why are you only complaining about 'corruption' by Gardai when there is several other workers in the public sector who also often avail of the same perk?

You've already stated its clearly not some altruistic gesture of thanks so what's the benefit to give to other emergency services other than Gardai?

corner of hells · 03-02-2020 02:23PM

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

There’s more to this “story” than meets the eye. All it’s going to take is one brave soul, with a conscience, to take a stand and it’ll be all over the news.

Obviously, it will lead to a lengthy “tribunal” and possibly some senior members of the force will be hauled before the “public accounts committee” but the country, as a whole, will see what’s been going on and things will change.

This is only the beginning.

Its clearly an election issue too.
I think you should run as a candidate.

Edgware · 03-02-2020 02:24PM

Bam Bam Mickey wrote: »

Even if the postie wanted to, how could they deliver it quicker?

Deliver it at 9 am instead of 1pm

corner of hells · 03-02-2020 02:27PM

KaneToad wrote: »

But there are strings attached. That's why the garage is giving guards the free coffee. Why do you think they are giving you free coffee? Why not give free coffee to teachers? Or cleaners? Or pilots? Or receptionists?

You are a guard and you don't see any problem with taking a free gift from a business (that is offered to you purely because you are a guard). I'm not a guard, I think it's an unethical practice.

I don't think we're going to see eye to eye on this one.

No , there's no strings attached.
It's a Garda having a coffee and maybe having a natter with the petrol station staff , just a little bit of social interaction. It even proves Gardai are human and not robo-cops.

Green Peter · 03-02-2020 02:28PM

KaneToad wrote:

I don't think we're going to see eye to eye on this one.

KaneToad wrote:

You are a guard and you don't see any problem with taking a free gift from a business (that is offered to you purely because you are a guard). I'm not a guard, I think it's an unethical practice.

KaneToad wrote:

But there are strings attached. That's why the garage is giving guards the free coffee. Why do you think they are giving you free coffee? Why not give free coffee to teachers? Or cleaners? Or pilots? Or receptionists?

Don't judge people by your own standards. I have mine and a free cup of coffee and a hell of alot more won't buy me. You can't get over the fact that some people appreciate the emergency services and genuinely value them. I'm sorry if some Garda gave you a ticket or didn't listen to your lip on night out when you were pissed. Grow up and do something positive.

Cienciano · 03-02-2020 02:34PM

van_beano wrote: »

Free coffee means guards always around means less likely for shop to be robbed.

That’s the general consensus anyways.

That's like paying protection money.

KaneToad · 03-02-2020 02:42PM

Killinator wrote: »

So what are the garages expecting from firefighters and ambulance crew who also very often get a free tea/coffee.
What can they offer? What's the benefit of giving them a freebie?
Why are you only complaining about 'corruption' by Gardai when there is several other workers in the public sector who also often avail of the same perk?

You've already stated its clearly not some altruistic gesture of thanks so what's the benefit to give to other emergency services other than Gardai?

They can offer the same as the guards - a more prompt/favourable response to an incident at the premises. I think it's not ethical for them to accept freebies either. It's also not ethical for elected officials to take freebies from local businesses.

I'm not against the guards. The thread title is about guards and free coffee, specifically. I'm just putting forward my opinion that accepting freebies from businesses (purely because you're identified as a guard) is unethical.

I think it's totally understandable that you, as a guard who receives the benefit of these freebies, would see otherwise.

KaneToad · 03-02-2020 02:44PM

corner of hells wrote: »

No , there's no strings attached.
It's a Garda having a coffee and maybe having a natter with the petrol station staff , just a little bit of social interaction. It even proves Gardai are human and not robo-cops.

Why not pay for the coffee? You can still do all the other things.

Cienciano · 03-02-2020 02:48PM

I worked in a job before where we had to deal with the public. We provided a service where you could not accept payment for anything. I'm surprised the gardai are allowed to take anything free to be honest

KaneToad · 03-02-2020 02:50PM

Green Peter wrote: »

Don't judge people by your own standards. I have mine and a free cup of coffee and a hell of alot more won't buy me. You can't get over the fact that some people appreciate the emergency services and genuinely value them. I'm sorry if some Garda gave you a ticket or didn't listen to your lip on night out when you were pissed. Grow up and do something positive.

Why the abusive tone? You're letting yourself down, I haven't been abusive to you.

It's not up to the individual to decide what level of a freebie is required for him/her to feel indebted to someone. It's unethical for a guard to take any freebie from a business.

forzacalcio · 03-02-2020 02:53PM

This isnt the same but its kind of related. Used to work in a well known pub near Grand Parade in Cork City around 2002/2003ish in my late teens/early twenties. The pub decided to have a table dancing crowd in (Expensive lot too).

It was a student bar and it was €5 and you get a free drink in there. The queue got so big I was sent to the door to take the cash instead of serving, all going well a guard rocks up, flashes his badge and kept walking. I called him back and said he had to pay. He got very very annoyed, was up in arms demanding to speak to the manager etc. At the time (Maybe still) I know guards usually get into nightclubs free when flashing the badge but the fact it was a free drink etc Anyway 15 minutes later of arguing he eventually handed over the fiver and started to walk in while staring me down. Pointless story but I always do laugh at the sense of entitlement he had that night

Cienciano · 03-02-2020 03:03PM

Green Peter wrote: »

I don't see any difference as to me there are no strings attached. In fact I nearly always end up buying something else to go with it that I probably don't really need just to pay for something. My ethics don't hinge on a free cup of coffee.

But you go to the place that gives the free coffee. So there is strings attached.
Imagine a town with a coffee shop and a petrol station. Petrol station makes more money and can offer gardai free coffee. They get the perceived "benefit" of having gardai there. The little coffee shop doesn't do the same offer. They get less protection from the gardai because they never go in there. Robbery in both places. Who gets better service? The guy who's on first name terms with all the local gardai at the station, or the coffee shop?

TBH, when I first saw the thread I thought "I can't believe people are begrudging the gardai free coffee" but the more I think about it, the more I can't believe it's actually allowed.

keyboard_cat · 03-02-2020 03:06PM

Cienciano wrote: »

I worked in a job before where we had to deal with the public. We provided a service where you could not accept payment for anything. I'm surprised the gardai are allowed to take anything free to be honest

+1 I work in an automotive company and we have a lot of anti corruption/ethics training if we accepted a free coffee in the garage we fill up the company cars in we would be up in front of HR straight away.

The same garage is actually frequented by guards who get free coffee, which tbh I couldn’t care less about except the sense of entitlement. Go up to the counter and offer to pay like a decent human.
But instead generally I have seen them grab a coffee and pastry and raise it so the cashier can see it and then walk out the door

Killinator · 03-02-2020 03:07PM

KaneToad wrote: »

They can offer the same as the guards - a more prompt/favourable response to an incident at the premises. I think it's not ethical for them to accept freebies either. It's also not ethical for elected officials to take freebies from local businesses.

Christ! If you honestly think firefighters will respond to a fire or accident at a petrol station or ambulance crews will respond to an heart attack or other serious illness faster because they got a free coffee then we are on completely opposite ends of thinking so yeah we won't agree!!

Also you've ignored the fact that calls are handled by a controller who doesn't have a clue where any of us get the odd free coffee and just sends us to calls as they come in (or if multiple at the same time then prioritised by severity).
So the whole responding faster to favoured venues thing is just false anyway

Feisar · 03-02-2020 03:09PM

If it's a filling station I presume Topaz? That's the only petrol station one sees Gardaí as that's who they have a fuel thingy with.

KaneToad · 03-02-2020 03:11PM

Cienciano wrote: »

TBH, when I first saw the thread I thought "I can't believe people are begrudging the gardai free coffee" but the more I think about it, the more I can't believe it's actually allowed.

Their own code of ethics would suggest it's not allowed:

From the Guards code of ethics:

Honesty and Integrity

The honesty and integrity of the Garda
Síochána are critical to the functioning
of the criminal justice system and for our
democracy. The public, your colleagues,
the courts and other organisations expect
and rely on you to tell the truth. By acting
with honesty and integrity, you gain and
maintain their trust.

To meet this standard, and to ensure the
public can have confidence that you are
acting impartially and fairly, you must not
use your position to gain personal
advantage or place yourself under an
obligation which might influence you in
the performance of your duties.

There is a reason why bodies, such as the guards, are held to such high ethical standards. Allowing lower end unethical behaviour, such as freebies from shops/garages, muddies the water and leads to more serious unethical behaviour.

perrito caliente · 03-02-2020 03:32PM

keyboard_cat wrote: »

But instead generally I have seen them grab a coffee and pastry and raise it so the cashier can see it and then walk out the door

Is it always pastries or do they sometimes get wedges/potato cubes from the deli counter too?

Doctor Nick · 03-02-2020 03:59PM

KaneToad wrote: »

Their own code of ethics would suggest it's not allowed:

From the Guards code of ethics:

Honesty and Integrity

The honesty and integrity of the Garda
Síochána are critical to the functioning
of the criminal justice system and for our
democracy. The public, your colleagues,
the courts and other organisations expect
and rely on you to tell the truth. By acting
with honesty and integrity, you gain and
maintain their trust.

To meet this standard, and to ensure the
public can have confidence that you are
acting impartially and fairly, you must not
use your position to gain personal
advantage or place yourself under an
obligation which might influence you in
the performance of your duties.

There is a reason why bodies, such as the guards, are held to such high ethical standards. Allowing lower end unethical behaviour, such as freebies from shops/garages, muddies the water and leads to more serious unethical behaviour.

It's a coffee, not a brown paper bag filled with euros. Before my mate retired he flashed his badge on buses and the luas and got free travel there too. Whiff of begrudgery is strong in this thread.

Graces7 · 03-02-2020 04:15PM

Last Christmas I was at a Christmas lunch with other old folk, attached to the meals on wheels service. The community Garda arrived, out of uniform. so that we old ones knew who he was etc; there had been break ins locally so it was in a very real way a PR exercise. A comfort visit, a reassurance.

He got a free Christmas dinner. Sat and ate with us. Oh, actually we all got a free Christmas dinner.

There is a lot more to being a Garda than being a car salesman etc, A good Garda ( please correct me if I am wrong! Thank you!) needs to know the people , to be familiar and trusted. A cup of coffee helps this along. To know his "patch" and to be known

There is nothing corrupt or scandalous about it. It does not "buy" anything. Just a simple cup of coffee and maybe a bite to eat .

Stop this terrible suspicion etc please. And yes, begrudgery, j

Green Peter · 03-02-2020 06:15PM

An old lady dropped in buns last week, the cleaner had one as well at the coffee break. I knew she was dodgy.

03-02-2020 06:27PM

Graces7 wrote: »

Last Christmas I was at a Christmas lunch with other old folk, attached to the meals on wheels service. The community Garda arrived, out of uniform. so that we old ones knew who he was etc; there had been break ins locally so it was in a very real way a PR exercise. A comfort visit, a reassurance.

He got a free Christmas dinner. Sat and ate with us. Oh, actually we all got a free Christmas dinner.

There is a lot more to being a Garda than being a car salesman etc, A good Garda ( please correct me if I am wrong! Thank you!) needs to know the people , to be familiar and trusted. A cup of coffee helps this along. To know his "patch" and to be known

There is nothing corrupt or scandalous about it. It does not "buy" anything. Just a simple cup of coffee and maybe a bite to eat .

Stop this terrible suspicion etc please. And yes, begrudgery, j

But could he not just pay for it anyway?

corner of hells · 03-02-2020 06:33PM

Green Peter wrote: »

An old lady dropped in buns last week, the cleaner had one as well at the coffee break. I knew she was dodgy.

I used do contract work for the OPW years ago in different stations, feckin' Gardai used make me eat toasted ham and cheese sandwiches on my breaks.

Gardai weren't to bad , the chefs in Baldonnel used force feed us dinners every day.I was always afraid we might be invaded while in the air base and I might have to man an AA gun.

begbysback · 03-02-2020 06:33PM

Cienciano wrote: »

But you go to the place that gives the free coffee. So there is strings attached.
Imagine a town with a coffee shop and a petrol station. Petrol station makes more money and can offer gardai free coffee. They get the perceived "benefit" of having gardai there. The little coffee shop doesn't do the same offer. They get less protection from the gardai because they never go in there. Robbery in both places. Who gets better service? The guy who's on first name terms with all the local gardai at the station, or the coffee shop?

TBH, when I first saw the thread I thought "I can't believe people are begrudging the gardai free coffee" but the more I think about it, the more I can't believe it's actually allowed.

I can’t believe such a scenario of simultaneous Garda assistance ever occurring, and if it was roughly same time then I’m sure the guards would go to nearest first, or if a call came in when they were on the way to one then again they would go to nearest if both had exact same level if urgency.

corner of hells · 03-02-2020 06:35PM

begbysback wrote: »

I can’t believe such a scenario of simultaneous Garda assistance ever occurring, and if it was roughly same time then I’m sure the guards would go to nearest first, or if a call came in when they were on the way to one then again they would go to nearest if both had exact same level if urgency.

Happened to him in GTA.

Cienciano · 03-02-2020 07:19PM

begbysback wrote: »

I can’t believe such a scenario of simultaneous Garda assistance ever occurring, and if it was roughly same time then I’m sure the guards would go to nearest first, or if a call came in when they were on the way to one then again they would go to nearest if both had exact same level if urgency.

I never said at the same time. Just in general. Gardaí are human, they'll obviously do a better job at helping they guy they know and gives them free coffee. There's a benefit to it, giving the coffee or whatever else is not to thank them for their service as some people have said.

mynamejeff · 03-02-2020 07:22PM

Cienciano wrote: »

I never said at the same time. Just in general. Gardaí are human, they'll obviously do a better job at helping they guy they know and gives them free coffee. There's a benefit to it, giving the coffee or whatever else is not to thank them for their service as some people have said.

so your just going to keep on ignoring the poster that explained in detail how the dispatcher system works then ? and how the gardai have no say in where they go in the event of a call ?
how much benefit do you think a few cups of coffee and a stale donut earns a service station putting tens of thousands through its till every week

begbysback · 03-02-2020 07:33PM

Cienciano wrote: »

I never said at the same time. Just in general. Gardaí are human, they'll obviously do a better job at helping they guy they know and gives them free coffee. There's a benefit to it, giving the coffee or whatever else is not to thank them for their service as some people have said.

I would actually agree that it’s to the benefit of the service station, but not in the way you stated. Garda cars need petrol and must be considered valuable customers to service stations, I’m not sure how exactly it works, if individual Garda have a choice which station to fill up, or if they all go to one, but either way they would be seen as valuable customers to keep, or as a lucrative customer to entice - either way it’s good business sense to make a small gesture.

shamrockvilla · 03-02-2020 07:35PM

KaneToad wrote: »

Why the abusive tone? You're letting yourself down, I haven't been abusive to you.

It's not up to the individual to decide what level of a freebie is required for him/her to feel indebted to someone. It's unethical for a guard to take any freebie from a business.

I've listened to you long enough and felt I had to comment.
Jaysus you sound like you have a serious problem with the guards. We have probably one of the least corrupt police systems in the world. The amount of abuse that these lads and lasses get in the normal course of their duties would not be tolerated by most other industries. They are just ordinary people protecting the country for,in my opinion, quite average pay. A cup of tea or coffee is not going to corrupt them.

Garda free coffee

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