Benefits of being a Garda

TravisLogan123 wrote: »

hi all, have been sifting through the pages of forums here as i am hoping to go for a career with the Guards, hopefully a new recruitment drive isnt to far away in the horizon.
im just wondering, what are some benefits of being a Garda? aside from the known, competitive wage and state pension, is their any other really good benefits? apart from skipping the que in coppers at the weekend

I wonder when next recruitment will be.. I will apply aswell.
Personally I do think that working shifts 4 days on 4 days on is a also a bonus.. I understand most people dislike shifts working but that would be ideal for me.

thegills wrote: »

Not a Garda myself but know a few. Flexible hours to pursue sports; lots of GAA players are Garda. Potential to earn overtime; highest paid Garda are beat Garda. Good training; especially technology if thats your preference. Also can you get access to the pension way before a private worker employer. I've heard of Garda retiring at say 55 with a decent pension.

Yes and no.
A person at the rank of Garda MUST retire on their 56th birthday. If you choose to remain in fulltime employment at that stage (many think 55 is a bit young to retire from the workforce) your pension is considered income, so anything you earn in your new job goes to the taxman. Some enter the civil service at this stage as current mandatory retirement age is 69. I Was on phase 1 in 1995 when a neighbour was on the pre retirement course. He's as active now as he was then.
The flexible hours to pursue sports is common during training but afterwards depends on 2 things (a) are you any good at it (b) does local supervisor like you.
Potential to earn overtime depends on your station. Also, see (b) above.
I didn't see any overtime in my station and we were in the midst of a gangland war and the murder of a garda. It was only when I went to the border that I joined the gravy train (BSE outbeak).

HalfBlues wrote: »

Retirement age is 60 now for garda rank.
Lots of perks but my favourite is watching everyone file into offices for a dull 9 to 5 while you are having the crack with your colleagues.
Overtime is mostly in the city centres.
You will see things most people won't.
Also the autonomy is fab.

Really hope a return to 6 and 4 is not on the cards.

Can you request where you would like to be stationed?

HalfBlues wrote: »

You can put in an expression of interest for an area you would like but not specifically a station.

How would I go about doing that, is there someone you need to email about it? And do you know what it’s like to work in Dublin?

It used to be prohibited to work in the same area you were from, except for Cork and Dublin. I think this prohibition was lifted recently, but it is still unwise.
You don't want to be in a position where you may have to deal with your mates domestic violence or worse.

If you join the Guards your working life will seldom be boring amd always changing. Depending on your interests there is almost always a suitable unit that you can work towards I.e riding motorcycles, carrying weapons, working with animals etc etc.

TravisLogan123 wrote: »

When you say it’s not free , do you mean you pay for a new uniform yearly or something ? Or how does it work actually ?

The state pays for your uniform. You get issued replacement as you need it. (usually every year). No part of the uniform is comfortable to wear for 10 hours at a time,the hat is the least comfortable, and least practical. A new uniform is supposed to be on the way, but they kept the stoopid hat.
Forget about the specialist things like Motorbikes, firearms and animals until you are in the job for at least 3 years. Even then only if your supervisor thinks you'd be a suitable candidate AND can spare you. Everything you apply for must be approved by your Sgt/Super/Chief. I once applied for what was then known as chiefs authorisation (You could drive a patrol car if nobody else who had completed a driving course was available, once you had a full driving licence. It's gone now). Before I applied I asked my Sgt if I was wasting my time, being the junior man on the unit etc. He told me to apply anyway, see where it goes. When I got my refused application back, the Sgt had sent it up the chain with a 2 page note of reasons why I wouldn't be a suitable candidate for the authorisation. When I politely asked why did he waste my time, his answer was "That's not how the system works, try again when we have less drivers, we need you in the communication room for now".
All those things are away from "frontline" policing. If everyone went to specialist units then who will do the day to day policing?
You'll be either walking the beat on your own, doing duty in the station or observer in the patrol car, dealing with calls depending on the motivation of your colleague (or lack of same). That's how you build up the experience of dealing with routine matters to advance to Traffic, RSU or Dog Handler/Mounted unit etc.
The only exception is the Water unit. People for that are flagged early on during their training, based on their swimming prowess. Once his probation was over, he was nabbed for the unit and spent most of his career there.

I hate to hijack a thread, I hope others would join in too, but the biggest shock for me was realising I was a terrible judge of character when it came to the people I considered friends.
While I wore the uniform I was very popular with some recently found friends (and some long term friends too). Once I finished up, and remained in that town, almost as soon as I took the uniform off for the last time, I was no longer of any use to these people. At the same time, after leaving, I ended up working with some of the finest people I have ever met, who had I stayed, I would not have become friends with (due to their background etc).
2 things happen. It is no different in any police force.
1. Some of your older friends will put distance between you and them, because they think you will always be watching them, waiting to catch them doing something illegal.
2. Others will gravitate towards you because of the job, and the perception that when they get in trouble, they can call on you to bail them out.

I never for once saw that coming.

bubblypop wrote: »

Yea, I have to second the above, I wasn't ready for the change in people's attitude towards me. And always being introduced by your occupation. That is annoying, I'm well used to it after 23 years, but it is annoying.
Now, it wouldn't put me off joining, but something to be aware of.

23 years?
ROOKIE!
(Some of my class have already reached retirement age).

Zux wrote: »

Funnily enough, everybody I care about is sick of hearing me rabbit on about joining. So of the potential downsides, that particular one doesnt bother me at all.

Are there other aspects of the job that you guys didn't enjoy? Aside from the obvious negative aspects of policing I spose.

Domestics on christmas day.
Sorry kids, we have to arrest your daddy cos he had a few too many and gave your mum a nice black eye, and a broken wrist but hey, It's a christmas memory you'll tell your marriage counsellor in 30 years time, when you end up doing the same thing. Season of goodwill my arse.
The other one is the reality of life and death. It's not like the movies, and the general public are better off not knowing about what really happens.