Gardaí warned discounts at takeaways is seen as corruption

worded · 14-12-2020 10:50PM #1

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/garda%C3%AD-are-warned-receiving-discounts-in-takeaways-is-seen-as-corruption-1.4435768

Friends parents owned a restaurant in the 70s and Guards frequently ate steak and walked without paying. There was no way to get paid.

With all these new rules there will be a lot of police getting fired I would imagine

14-12-2020 10:55PM

Discounts? My local McDonalds feeds them for free.

tdf7187 · 14-12-2020 11:00PM

These guidelines/requirements introduced by the new chief commissioner are entirely correct, it is corruption. It might be regarded as a comparatively trivial of corruption by some, but that is the nature of corruption, it always starts with small things. The Garda unions will probably throw a little hissy fit. They (the unions) should be ignored. In fact, though I am generally pro-union, at least in so far as anyone in the workplace should have the right to join one, there is a strong case for making Garda unions illegal. They are, if you pardon the pun, a law onto themselves and certainly too powerful in this little country.

14-12-2020 11:05PM

tdf7187 wrote: »

These guidelines/requirements introduced by the new chief commissioner are entirely correct, it is corruption. It might be regarded as a comparatively trivial of corruption by some, but that is the nature of corruption, it always starts with small things. The Garda unions will probably throw a little hissy fit. They (the unions) should be ignored. In fact, though I am generally pro-union, at least in so far as anyone in the workplace should have the right to join one, there is a strong case for making Garda unions illegal. They are, if you pardon the pun, a law onto themselves and certainly too powerful in this little country.

Gardai don't have unions.

tdf7187 · 14-12-2020 11:18PM

bubblypop wrote: »

Gardai don't have unions.

They do indeed.

Get Real · 14-12-2020 11:20PM

tdf7187 wrote: »

They are, if you pardon the pun, a law onto themselves and certainly too powerful in this little country.

Gardaí are the pawns of the criminal justice system.

People seem to see police as some kind of international, homogenised brand. This isn't a documentary about NYPD officers in the 70s, seizing coke and then selling it.

I'd wager its quite low, and in fact for minor things, you see guards arresting and prosecuting guards (drink driving, personal cocaine possession etc) which you can read news articles about. Surely if they were such a law unto themselves, this wouldn't be the case?

I presume you have no issue with nurses or fire Brigade getting 50% off Domino's? I don't particularly care whether the guards do or not. People didn't pop out of the womb a guard. Many, especially the young ones, have been anything from accountants to archaeologists before joining.

They'd have the same world view as the general population in Ireland do, specific to their age group . Corruption exists like it does in any walk of life. Where it does exist, its not epic levels you'd see in a Hollywood blockbuster most of the time.

I took home ketchup sachets from a pub I worked in for a few months. That's a form of corruption. Doubt they'd make a film about it.

PopZiggy · 14-12-2020 11:23PM

Like writing off a few speeding fines for friends, discount or free meals was seen as par for the course for the Gardai. Free entry to nightclubs was another one. From a restaurants perspective they were probably happy for the Gardai to eat there to "keep an eye" on the place and also hopefully get preferential treatment if any incidents occurred. I don't think all Gardai availed of free stuff when offered (I certainly knew one very well who used to refuse any free or discounted meals etc on a point of principle).

It is very positive to see our police force moving in the right direction. A lot done, but an awful lot more to do.

14-12-2020 11:35PM

tdf7187 wrote: »

They do indeed.

No they dont.
They have representative associations, they are only allowed to join one named rep body, it is illegal for them to start another one, or try to join another.

GarIT · 14-12-2020 11:39PM

Get Real wrote: »

Gardaí are the pawns of the criminal justice system.

People seem to see police as some kind of international, homogenised brand. This isn't a documentary about NYPD officers in the 70s, seizing coke and then selling it.

I'd wager its quite low, and in fact for minor things, you see guards arresting and prosecuting guards (drink driving, personal cocaine possession etc) which you can read news articles about. Surely if they were such a law unto themselves, this wouldn't be the case?

I presume you have no issue with nurses or fire Brigade getting 50% off Domino's? I don't particularly care whether the guards do or not. People didn't pop out of the womb a guard. Many, especially the young ones, have been anything from accountants to archaeologists before joining.

They'd have the same world view as the general population in Ireland do, specific to their age group . Corruption exists like it does in any walk of life. Where it does exist, its not epic levels you'd see in a Hollywood blockbuster most of the time.

I took home ketchup sachets from a pub I worked in for a few months. That's a form of corruption. Doubt they'd make a film about it.

I do know a Garda who sized fireworks and gave them to his son or set them off himself.

KevRossi · 14-12-2020 11:44PM

GarIT wrote: »

I do know a Garda who sized fireworks and gave them to his son or set them off himself.

Did he tell you what size they were? Big? Small? Middling size?

jimwallace197 · 15-12-2020 12:06AM

bubblypop wrote: »

No they dont.
They have representative associations, they are only allowed to join one named rep body, it is illegal for them to start another one, or try to join another.

Stop being so pedantic, they are extremely well represented whether its unions or representative associations. We have all heard of blue flu you know and experienced it. On top of this, they are one of the best paid police forces in the EU and thats before we even start discussing their overtime.

I hope this is the start of a major curb of the serious corruption that exists amongst them in this country.

Now the shoe is on the other foot, long may it last.

And to think, it took an ex loyalist to get us here. Bloody hell

saabsaab · 15-12-2020 12:47AM

What if they offer to pay and they refuse to accept a payment?

Big Gerry · 15-12-2020 12:49AM

Is getting a happy ending also corruption ?

PopZiggy · 15-12-2020 12:54AM

Big Gerry wrote: »

Is getting a happy ending also corruption ?

Jesus Christ

dxhound2005 · 15-12-2020 01:06AM

Happens in New Zealand.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/gifts-to-new-zealand-police-revealed/

The most popular gifts were alcohol, 38, followed by vouchers, 29. Event tickets, restaurant meals and food also featured highly. Along with golf towels, desk clocks and paperweights, there were some more unusual items across the country.

These included two bags of horse feed from the Lake Hayes A&P Show committee, five massage vouchers for stressed-out police staff in Wellington, 20 free tickets from Weber Bros Circus, a Chinese New Year kit and a "bag of biscuits" from an Auckland individual.

highgiant1985 · 15-12-2020 01:08AM

Get Real wrote: »

I took home ketchup sachets from a pub I worked in for a few months. That's a form of corruption. Doubt they'd make a film about it.

How do you sleep at night!

saabsaab · 15-12-2020 01:14AM

Many public servants are offered or given presents anonymously at times like Christmas or because of a job well done.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 15-12-2020 01:17AM

tdf7187 wrote: »

They do indeed.

They don’t. They have a representative body. It is not a union so therefore you are wrong.

antodeco · 15-12-2020 01:35AM

highgiant1985 wrote: »

How do you sleep at night!

He tries to ketchup on lost sleep every few days

Pauliedragon · 15-12-2020 11:36AM

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Happens in New Zealand.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/gifts-to-new-zealand-police-revealed/

The most popular gifts were alcohol, 38, followed by vouchers, 29. Event tickets, restaurant meals and food also featured highly. Along with golf towels, desk clocks and paperweights, there were some more unusual items across the country.

These included two bags of horse feed from the Lake Hayes A&P Show committee, five massage vouchers for stressed-out police staff in Wellington, 20 free tickets from Weber Bros Circus, a Chinese New Year kit and a "bag of biscuits" from an Auckland individual.

I used to run a pub in Sydney with a heap of regular cops and we used to ply them with free booze then try and extract info out of them.

Samuel T. Cogley · 15-12-2020 11:49AM

No more free entry to Coppers, if it ever reopens.

tdf7187 · 29-12-2020 06:24PM

bubblypop wrote: »

Gardai don't have unions.

tdf7187 wrote: »

They do indeed.

Lol...no Garda unions indeed....and now their own president is finding it necessary to publicly whistleblow regarding the militancy of some of the membership.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/gra-president-reports-concerns-over-militancy-of-organisation-to-minister-1.4447051?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime-and-law%2Fgra-president-reports-concerns-over-militancy-of-organisation-to-minister-1.4447051

Aongus Von Bismarck · 29-12-2020 07:14PM

A lot of them should stay out of the takeaways anyway. When I come back to Ireland I'm always shocked at how fat and unfit looking so many of the Gardaí look. Almost bursting out of their uniform.

Strumms · 29-12-2020 07:49PM

Gardai get paid by the citizens of this country, to work for them.

That should be enough...

If you want to be a Garda, but you don’t think the pay is enough, go find an alternative career.

You shouldn’t be taking gratuities, it’s not ethical it’s not fair.

A pub in my area which has a station about 1.5 km’s to the north and one 2kms to the south of it... the pub put on an annual shindig each year for the Gardai, in the nightclub... meal, a few drinks vouchers and a DJ... all free gratis... they use kegs that are gifted by the brewery to be given out to the regulars as Xmas drinks but are instead used to give to the Guards... it keeps them sweet, onside. If there is trouble, Gardai are there in a heartbeat, if there is a ‘late night’ one thursday ie. a lock in to mark an occasion, no bother, Gardai give a hall pass.... if they themselves are celebrating a retirement or whatever, they only need lift the phone. They book a room and happy days...

Another pub down the road, a well ran, quiet, nice , no trouble establishment, get the odd visit at 11.50, checking if people are still drinking on the premises... they of course don’t grease Garda wheels. The other place wouldn’t have called last orders as well they know.

Edgware · 29-12-2020 07:56PM

So should the Residents Association give the Community Garda a box of biscuits at Christmas as a gesture of appreciation or is that corruption?

Strumms · 29-12-2020 08:24PM

Edgware wrote: »

So should the Residents Association give the Community Garda a box of biscuits at Christmas as a gesture of appreciation or is that corruption?

Nahhhh... Hardly corruption. What you could do is make a donation to a charity, the ISPCC on their behalf, send in the card to their superintendent thanking the Garda, and acknowledging their work, they get recognition and credit .....good gesture of thanks and acknowledgement yet no gifts..

Mimon · 29-12-2020 08:34PM

highgiant1985 wrote: »

How do you sleep at night!

He needs to look up the definition of corruption, stealing from work isn't corruption ffs.

dxhound2005 · 29-12-2020 08:34PM

Strumms wrote: »

Gardai get paid by the citizens of this country, to work for them.

That should be enough...

If you want to be a Garda, but you don’t think the pay is enough, go find an alternative career.

You shouldn’t be taking gratuities, it’s not ethical it’s not fair.

They can accept some things, once they comply with the rules. Same for the polices forces in lots of other countries. Of course they can never ask for anything, but in the real world there are going to be offers.

https://www.scotland.police.uk/spa-media/25oj4k05/gifts-gratuities-hospitality-and-sponsorship-sop.pdf

Mimon · 29-12-2020 08:38PM

Local guards would get anything on the menu for a nominal fee from the local hotel. A blind eye was turned to the fact that the hotel never applied for a late licence for the niteclub. Hotel saved tens of thousands per year.

Not saying it was terrible or anything as places should be allowed open 24/7 if they want in my book but as the system stands it was definitely corruption.

29-12-2020 08:39PM

The OP says his folks had a place in Galway back in the 70's where the guards just got up and walked without paying, there's a difference between that and giving a discount to emergency service workers. But if I thought it was going to be a problem for my business, the only thing I'd ever hand them over is a plate of slops and leftovers. The 70's guards I mean, not the lads driving the ambulances.

Two friends of mine ran a nightclub for about 15 years, late 80's to early 00's. Inevitably there was always one drunken prikc of a guard (and by "one" I mean "a different one every week") would turn up with his pals in tow flashing the ID badge saying he was on duty, gardai investigation, etc.

It was absolute nonsense of course and everyone knew it. But what could they do? Asking a drunk guard and his equally drunk mates to pay for a ticket in them days was a bit like asking Tony Soprano to pay for one. Your business would be shut in a week and all your staff on the dole because of some made up story about over crowding, under age drinking, noise, fire hazard, fights, open drug dealing, take your pick.

Mimon · 29-12-2020 08:40PM

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I used to run a pub in Sydney with a heap of regular cops and we used to ply them with free booze then try and extract info out of them.

? Do you work for the mafia or something, what would the point of this be?

Gardaí warned discounts at takeaways is seen as corruption

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