Gardai Identifying Themselves?

Ray Palmer · 04-04-2022 11:20PM #1

A strange incident happened today.

I was in a property and I heard an odd noise and went to look to see what it was. A stranger to me was coming up the stairs. I asked who he was and he flashed a badge. I insisted he got out of the building. He tried to stall and turn around but I insisted he and the person behind him got out. Wearing shirts and ties but winter jackets.

At the door I asked him to identify himself and he flashed a badge again and when I went to look he pulled it away. There was a weird chat but I insisted he identify himself and the other guy should do too. Second guys acts like he is going to show ID and then both turn and walk away ignoring me.

I watch and note where these guys go and they are just walking away. No car? Kept an eye open and they came back to a car and still refused to ID claiming they already did. To me an 06 car seems a bit odd for detectives to be using

So how do I know these guys were legit? Is this legal behavior? a bit freaked out as it appears they may have been watching the property considering how quickly they arrived after me.

GM228 · 04-04-2022 11:42PM

Old thread on Garda ID requirements:-

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057688526/uniformed-gardai-and-identification

In particular this post:-

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/102164731#Comment_102164731

What you describe does sound odd (an 06 car wouldn't actually be unusual in some districts), you can always make enquiries at the local station.

Atlantic Dawn · 04-04-2022 11:56PM

If you had the reg of the car and put it in to the motortax website and no rate came back it would be legit, there's probably a handful left of the Mondeo's of that era still knocking about.

I'd ring the local station and see if it was legit. It's a big offence to be pretending to be a Garda.

Ray Palmer · 05-04-2022 12:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881780#Comment_118881780

Local gardai said I had to come in and make a formal statement. It wasn't a Mondeo

Atlantic Dawn · 05-04-2022 12:18AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881799#Comment_118881799

Was it a Dublin reg?

Ray Palmer · 05-04-2022 12:22AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881806#Comment_118881806

yeap

Atlantic Dawn · 05-04-2022 12:28AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881810#Comment_118881810

Could be legit.

I'd be inclined to go for legal advice and have a solicitor present if you make a statement, wouldn't make one on my own.

BattleCorp · 05-04-2022 12:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881814#Comment_118881814

Why would he need a solicitor present when making a statement to the Gardai? He hasn't done anything wrong and hasn't been accused of doing anything wrong. He's only making a statement that he saw two people who may or may not have been Gardai on a premises.

05-04-2022 09:48PM

Was it your property OP? Has it been empty a while? Could other people be using it?

How did this pair get in?

05-04-2022 09:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881814#Comment_118881814

Legal advise for what? to make a witness statement? What solicitor is going to go to a station with someone because they saw two people who may or may not have been gardai?

There are some really paranoid people out there!

Peintre Celebre · 06-04-2022 02:10AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118881814#Comment_118881814

This kind of advice is always truly baffling.

You certainly do not need a solicitor.

Ray Palmer · 06-04-2022 08:39AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118886421#Comment_118886421

A person lives there. I was showing somebody the top flat which has been empty but with people going down doing work. No other people could have been using it. I hadn't locked the door behind me so they opened the door and came in. They appeared to be looking for the person who lives there but never used his name only the flat number.

The thing is we had an issue before where somebody made repeated claims of drug dealing from the property by different tenants. It appeared to be a neighbour causing trouble.

06-04-2022 08:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887459#Comment_118887459

So quite possibly they were gardai then

I wouldn't count on finding out for sure though, they may not want to be identified or their reason for being there known.

Ray Palmer · 06-04-2022 08:57AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887528#Comment_118887528

Which they can't do legally. The entered the property without a warrant nor permission and refused to identify themselves. I think I will go to the Garda Ombudsman. It is possible they are gardai acting like thugs or thugs pretending to be gardai.

ohnonotgmail · 06-04-2022 08:58AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887547#Comment_118887547

or do what somebody else suggested and ask in the local garda station.

maestroamado · 06-04-2022 09:02AM

I think a Gardai must give their number to a member of the public on request when on duty... sounds dodgy to me...

Ray Palmer · 06-04-2022 09:03AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887555#Comment_118887555

If I go to the local station and show them pictures of these guys do you think they will tell me? They won't question me a lot on the subject and be accusing me? There are many reasons I don't trust them and would rather not go to a station.

06-04-2022 09:05AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887547#Comment_118887547

That's not exactly true. You stated the premises is broken into flats. The common areas of such wouldn't need a warrant, given they were not searching anywhere.

Also, you stated they showed you a badge, so they did what they legally have to. How did they act like thugs exactly?

But yep, you are quite entitled to go to the ombudsman

tabby aspreme · 06-04-2022 09:09AM

I know a few detectives, and their transport varies from a 15 year old van with ladders and pipe carriers on the roof hiding surveillance cameras, to a very nice BMW M4

maestroamado · 06-04-2022 09:11AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887584#Comment_118887584

How did you get the pics... was there anything going on that would make it necessary for a Gardai to be present...

Ray Palmer · 06-04-2022 09:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887589#Comment_118887589

The common area is not public, they can't enter a property when they feel like it. The could be reading the names on letters in the common area and other private information. Flashed a badge and refused to let me even read his name and one of them didn't even do that. Failed to identify themselves in real terms and wouldn't say his name. They didn't leave when told and kept stepping towards me to intimidate me, had to tell him several times to step back from me. Thugs with a sense of entilement

06-04-2022 09:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887584#Comment_118887584

What would they accuse you of?

06-04-2022 09:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887579#Comment_118887579

There is no obligation on a member to give their 'number' to anyone

ohnonotgmail · 06-04-2022 09:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887584#Comment_118887584

accuse you of what? you go in and say these people represented themselves as guards and take it from there. They will (or should) take it seriously.

Ray Palmer · 06-04-2022 09:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887641#Comment_118887641

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887633#Comment_118887633

They could accuse me of anything that they think is going on for example. But do you think if I go to a station they are going to tell me if these are gardai?

They are obliged to identify themselves if in plain clothes and they didn't. Flashing a badge is not identifying themselves

maestroamado · 06-04-2022 09:24AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887641#Comment_118887641

I think if a Gardai is asking questions of a person they are duty bound to say they are a member and make themselves known...

The Offences Against the State Acts are a series of laws passed by the Irish Government to stop terrorism, namely the IRA. If the Garda is not wearing their uniform, they must show you identification if you ask them. You may need to give your name and address. If you refuse to do so, you could be arrested.

ohnonotgmail · 06-04-2022 09:28AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887654#Comment_118887654

you do realise that if you make this complaint to GSOC that it will be investigated by a garda officer, right?

Ray Palmer · 06-04-2022 09:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887694#Comment_118887694

Not true. Independent body

ohnonotgmail · 06-04-2022 09:35AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887708#Comment_118887708

for disciplinary investigations the investigation is carried out by a senior garda officer who may be supervised by a GSOC investigator.

https://www.gardaombudsman.ie/make-a-complaint/before-you-complain/how-we-deal-with-complaints/investigation/

Disciplinary investigation by the Garda Síochána (under section 94 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005)

These are conducted by senior Garda officers, in line the Garda Síochána (Discipline) Regulations 2007. They can be supervised or unsupervised by a GSOC investigator, depending on the seriousness of the allegation.

maestroamado · 06-04-2022 09:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887708#Comment_118887708

why don't you show us the pics...

06-04-2022 09:58AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887674#Comment_118887674

That is not giving their number

You really don't need to quote the OASA for me 😂

Gardai Identifying Themselves?

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