Garda on Primetime

blondie83 · 09-01-2004 06:42PM

The worst was the fact that none of the guards involved in the May Day protest in Dame Street could identify the guards who were going mad and attacking ppl, apparently they "didn't see then", it was a f*cking joke.

They're not all bad though, was out with my friends in Bobs in Temple Bar, one of my friends was really, really drunk. Started throwing herself at guys (literally!), and causing trouble. Anyway the bouncers threw her out, though we didn't know this, we though she'd gone to the toilet of something. Three of us went to look for her after about 15 minutes, and a call came in on one of my other friend's mobile. It was from two guards on Dame Street, saying they had found her up there falling under the traffic, and asking if we would be able to take care of her, if they brought her down. We were like "yeah of course", and they walked with her down to Bobs, where we met them outside. As soon as we took her off their hands, they started to give out to the bouncers for throwing her out in that state, without telling her friends. They were sound guards. The state she was in, it wouldn't have taken a lot for her to be thrown into a cop car for D+D, but they actually went to the trouble of ringing us up, and walking back to Bobs with her.

HarryD · 09-01-2004 06:47PM

Originally posted by SuperStudent
Anyone got any storys about themselfs or friends getting the Garda treatment?

Who can forget the professional manner, in which the Guards dealt with the [URL=hhttp://www.raymondquinn.com/links/policeriot.mpeg]mayday protests[/URL].
Only for it was caught on camera, it would all be 'allegations'.
And how they covered each others asses when asked about it.
"Oh I don't remember who I was working with that day"
"I don't recognise my colleagues, in the video"
Nice one lads.

daveirl · 09-01-2004 06:49PM

This post has been deleted.

vasch_ro · 09-01-2004 06:53PM

Prime Time h'mmm biased , not at all objective, designed to Tantalise
it maximised footage of the May Day riots to emphasise unrelated points
it had poor reconstructions of alleged Garda assaults

Some of it was interesting , I think the Garda manager guy Nacie Rice was in a difficult position and was not really allowed to ans any questions that he was asked,

A point that was made by the the retired judge that he believed Gardai had perjured themselves in his court on numerous times, then why didn't he do something about it then ??

Some mothers son is an expression that can be applied to a lot of things
every Garda out there is some mothers son or daughter, they are just like you and me they are no different it is foolish to say they are country louts running riot in Dublin , just plain foolish
I think there is far more corruption in Irish Politics than in the Irish Police Force
irsih People love corruption look at the TD who topped the poll down in Tipperary
despite being utterly corrupt
look at Bertie Ahern writing to a County Manager to stall a civil action on behalf of an olld FF party hack

let he is with out sin cast the first stone

Tommy Vercetti · 09-01-2004 07:06PM

The head of HR (Nacie Rice, once known as Ignatius, musta shortened it to be hip and cool in his new job) used to be based in Coolock Garda station up until a few years ago, I don't know why he's telling so many lies since his own colleagues there have been taking people to the field at the back of Chanel College for years to beat the **** out of them. If anyone knows about Garda brutality, it's him.

Tommy Vercetti · 09-01-2004 07:12PM

Originally posted by vasch_ro
I think there is far more corruption in Irish Politics than in the Irish Police Force
irsih People love corruption look at the TD who topped the poll down in Tipperary
despite being utterly corrupt
look at Bertie Ahern writing to a County Manager to stall a civil action on behalf of an olld FF party hack

let he is with out sin cast the first stone

Since I haven't beaten anyone with a baton, I'll cast a stone.

Corruption and Brutality are two different things, your point is irrelevant to this discussion, but since you brought it up, I'd rather my local TD was getting a few quid in a brown envelope than some kid was getting the crap beaten out of him by a bunch of scumbags with badges.

Agent Smith · 09-01-2004 07:12PM

afaik i think the good cop bad cop thing will be around forever.....

it's a lottery in the end of the day

Tommy Vercetti · 09-01-2004 07:15PM

Originally posted by agent smith
afaik i think the good cop bad cop thing will be around forever.....

it's a lottery in the end of the day

at least there's a winner in the lottery

tinkerbell · 09-01-2004 07:19PM

This ain't really about garda brutality but nonetheless.

Was out in some pub in town, I have absolutely NO idea where abouts in town now it was - maybe around Dame St / George's St.

Anyway - we look out the window, there's two cops on horses dealing with some dude. Next thing, they handcuff him to one of the saddles. Then a cop on a motorbike arrives, two unmarked cars arrive filled with undercover cops, two squad car arrives, and a squad van!!!! All for ONE guy. Never found out what the hell this one guy did that needed about twelve cops, but my god ....

Moral of the story is - they either don't bother answerin your call for help, or else they send out way too many when they could be helpin more people!

pigeonbutler · 09-01-2004 07:54PM

I've a few ponts to make.
For the people complaining about Dublin being policed entirely by culchies, to the best of my knowledge it's Garda policy to station people away from their hometown in the early stages (first 10 years or so) of their careers in the force. This is to avoid 20 year-old guards coming up against all the thugs they went to school with. So that should explain the proportion of country lads policing Dublin.
As for the level of institutional brutality I'm short on knowledge of specific cases but I've heard considerable anecdotal evidence, from someone whose father is a solicitor and whose friends father is a senior Garda officer, that the majority of assaults committed here in Athlone are happening inside the walls of the garda station.
Here's an example of the attiitude of many guards: 3 or 4 years ago a 16 or 17 year old from the town who was well known for being as respectable as they come (Head prefect at school, now in Trinity etc.) was stopped by a guard in plain clothes while walking through a residental area during daylight. The Guard asked him where he was going to and coming from. At this stage the youth asked him to show some proof he was a guard. The guards reply was to pull out his handgun and say "Is that enough proof for you?" That guard picked the wrong fella to this to though. His brother was working as a journalist with a National broadsheet so the case got a few column inches and I think he got an apology. I'm fairly sure the Guard was never formally reprimanded though.

Tommy Vercetti · 09-01-2004 08:04PM

Originally posted by pigeonbutler
I've a few ponts to make.
For the people complaining about Dublin being policed entirely by culchies, to the best of my knowledge it's Garda policy to station people away from their hometown in the early stages (first 10 years or so) of their careers in the force. This is to avoid 20 year-old guards coming up against all the thugs they went to school with. So that should explain the proportion of country lads policing Dublin.

Do you seriously believe there's a bunch of Gardai from Tallaght down in Dingle maintaining law and order:p

bug · 09-01-2004 08:05PM

I didnt see the programme myself, and have nothing personally against the gardi except for their effiency in some situtations. Like for example the group of future junkies who are going about Camden street, punching ppl randomly each friday night, which they havent done anything about....

I did hear (from a taxi driver today, who was watching the programme) that there was a discussion about an Ombudsman, who would look into cases where gardi have abused their powers, he was saying that in the North the Ombubsman has the right to walk into any station and demand records, notebooks, anything they want about a particular policeman if an incident is reported, down here they want 48 hours notice beforehand...which is absolutley laughable.

I have heard and Im not sure of the truth of this..it kind of disturbs me, that Pearse street garda station has a quota of 100 arrests per "rookie" per year, which may explain some unwarrented arrests...and a steam room according to the slate

when one of their writers was arrested.

In my own experience I was standing outside the point a few years ago and my brother had forgotton to collect me..it was freezing cold out, and the guards stopped me and asked me what the story was. The asked me if I wanted to come to the station (store street) with them and ring him from there rather than stand in the cold. So I did, they made me tea and we had a bit of a laugh with them until he arrived, which was nice...

T.G Catter · 09-01-2004 08:17PM

i had to go to the local garda station last week and found them all sitting around watching home and away, harmless i guess, and it was lunchtime.

the only time i've needed the gardai was when a bunch of skangers from Ballymun decided to jump around our yard, and on the roof-yes the roof.

they failed to turn up when we rang them(santry gards) on the first 'skanger invasion' and on the second 'skanger invasion'.

but when we had a party a month later, they came around 3 times (to break it up). so when we reminded them about our calling them a month previous , the female gard announced 'i'm not in the mood for this', drove off and we partied 'til dawn.

this is the only time i've ever needed them, and it wasn't very positive.

Stephen · 09-01-2004 11:50PM

Any time i've had to call them (last I recall was because of the muppets in the flat upstairs going ape**** and throwing furniture and stuff out the windows), they've always shown up promptly, but then this is Carlow we're talking about, and the station is about 10 minutes drive time away

Tommy Vercetti · 10-01-2004 02:02AM

Originally posted by Stephen
Any time i've had to call them (last I recall was because of the muppets in the flat upstairs going ape**** and throwing furniture and stuff out the windows), they've always shown up promptly, but then this is Carlow we're talking about, and the station is about 10 minutes drive time away

There's 4 Garda stations within a 10 minute drive from me, no chance of getting someone here within an hour. Unless you're doing 31 in a 30 zone of course.

vasch_ro · 10-01-2004 01:27PM

okay lets dispel a few myths here ... i know a fair few lads in the police icluding my brother and my sisters boyfriend as well as three very close friends
generally Dublin people always get sent to dublin as a general rule of thumb
most "culchies" as they have been dubbed here who are stationed in Dublin look to transfer back down to their home area as soon as they are able( often apparently swapping with Dublin lads who are trying to get back to the big smoke )

my friends are educated people (all third level ) highly motivated and do the job from an altruistic sense of wanting to help people in some way and make Ireland a safer place, they certainly do not do it for the money and they act within the law , they are the first to admit there are bad apples and poor mangement,
they nearly all have been injuued at some time or another , one was bitten on the nose another bitten in the ear and head butted in the face , both necessitating months of anxious worry over blood tests etc

where I to tar the Irish people in the same generalistic and ancedotal way the the Police have been here, I could easily say somthing like
All Irish People are Drunken Louts and Alcoholics they are always drinking themsleves silly and falling out of pubs and are all good for nothing but drinking!
All Irsih people must be corrupt look at the amount of tribunals they have in that country !!All politicans are corrupy lazy and self serving

All I ask is that people look in their own places of employment, remove their rose tinted glasses and have a goof look around, can you honestly say that every one there is 100 % dedicated to their job, there nearly always is one person just cruising through, turning in late every day leaving early, lazy and letting the side down , but thats just a small minority.
Are we saying that every single Police man in the country is an ignorant corrupt brute , please lets have some mature discussion and reflection and realise we are talking about a small minority who reflect badly on the whole force

My experience of the Guards was when there was a young man shot in the head
on the street corner down in Drimnagh in Dublin, the Gardai were there I would say with a minute or two , every one was so shocked they just stood around staring at the young lad on the ground with his head in a pool of blood, they immediately(the cops) gavalanised everyone tried (unsuccessfully) to keep him alive organised us to get Blankets to keep him warm and after the ambulance left comforted us onlookers as best they could.

edited for typo's

slieveb · 10-01-2004 01:53PM

Originally posted by vasch_ro
okay lets dispel a few myths here ... i know a fair few lads in the police icluding my brother and my sisters boyfriend as well as three very close friends
generally Dublin people always get sent to dublin as a general rule of thumb
most "culchies" as they have been dubbed here who are stationed in Dublin look to transfer back down to their home area as soon as they are able( often apparently swapping with Dublin lads who are trying to get back to the big smoke )

my friends are educated people (all third level ) highly motivated and do the job from an altruistic sense of wanting to help people in some way and make Ireland a safer place, they certainly do not do it for the money and they act within the law , they are the first to admit there are bad apples and poor mangement,
they nearly all have been injuued at some time or another , one was bitten on the nose another bitten in the ear and head butted in the face , both necessitating months of anxious worry over blood tests etc

where I to tar the Irish people in the same generalistic and ancedotal way the the Police have been here, I could easily say somthing like
All Irish People are Drunken Louts and Alcoholics they are always drinking themsleves silly and falling out of pubs and are all good for nothing but drinking!
All Irsih people must be corrupt look at the amount of tribunals they have in that country !!All politicans are corrupy lazy and self serving

All I ask is that people look in their own places of employment, remove their rose tinted glasses and have a goof look around, can you honestly say that every one there is 100 % dedicated to their job, there nearly always is one person just cruising through, turning in late every day leaving early, lazy and letting the side down , but thats just a small minority.
Are we saying that every single Police man in the country is an ignorant corrupt brute , please lets have some mature discussion and reflection and realise we are talking about a small minority who reflect badly on the whole force

My experience of the Guards was when there was a young man shot in the head
on the street corner down in Drimnagh in Dublin, the Gardai were there I would say with a minute or two , every one was so shocked they just stood around staring at the young lad on the ground with his head in a pool of blood, they immediately(the cops) gavalanised everyone tried (unsuccessfully) to keep him alive organised us to get Blankets to keep him warm and after the ambulance left comforted us onlookers as best they could.

edited for typo's

Good post.

By the way I think I was the one who first referred to "culchie cops", but I'm a culchie myself. My point was that, while I absolutely condemn the savages who beat up people in stations (be they mucksavages or not), I also think Dubliners should take more responsibility for policing their city. In general New York is policed by New Yorkers, London by Londoners etc. Despite my earlier uncivilized comments, Dubliners are a grand bunch but they have a uniquely low rate of participation in the police. Which is why I get annoyed at the generalized "mucksavage" type of remark.

SuperStudent · 10-01-2004 07:10PM

Originally posted by slieveb
Good post.

By the way I think I was the one who first referred to "culchie cops", but I'm a culchie myself. My point was that, while I absolutely condemn the savages who beat up people in stations (be they mucksavages or not), I also think Dubliners should take more responsibility for policing their city. In general New York is policed by New Yorkers, London by Londoners etc. Despite my earlier uncivilized comments, Dubliners are a grand bunch but they have a uniquely low rate of participation in the police. Which is why I get annoyed at the generalized "mucksavage" type of remark.

What are ye like.

I also think Dubliners should take more responsibility for policing their city

I don't even want to get into explaining this to you..
Here are a few qoutes from you during this thread

No you were probably watching BBC like everyone else in West Britannia. Don't in anyway condone police brutality but I'd hate to spend my life chasing thievin Dublin junkies....what a kip.

Bitter Culchie

No bones about it, I have several chips on my shoulders. One is for condescending Dublin idiots, another is for people who start discussions based on hearsay.

Ridiculous

I will desist from the Dub v. Culchie stuff now. You're right it's boring, and I won't take the bite again.

Oh, aren't you fuking great

Just a point about culchie cops: Dublin is the only sizeable city that I know of that depends on ousiders to make up its police force

FFS, are you braindead?

All these rants and whinges because I mentioned the word 'mucksavages'...
I'd love to see your reaction if I were to tell you what I really thought of backwater boggers like you.

Amz · 10-01-2004 08:19PM

Eh... can ye leave the stupid Jackeen Vs Bogman debate it's not really relevant to the thread and it's boring me now!

Slutmonkey57b · 10-01-2004 09:39PM

I say:

Bash em all and let the judge sort them out.

slieveb · 11-01-2004 01:17AM

Originally posted by SuperStudent
What are ye like.
I don't even want to get into explaining this to you..
Here are a few qoutes from you during this thread
Bitter Culchie

Ridiculous

Oh, aren't you fuking great

FFS, are you braindead?

All these rants and whinges because I mentioned the word 'mucksavages'...
I'd love to see your reaction if I were to tell you what I really thought of backwater boggers like you.

Whatever. Yawn.

luckat · 11-01-2004 09:47AM

Why are Dubliners and country people abusing each other? We are all Irish, and we need to remember this and stand together.

I've been on these boards a shortish time, and one thing I've noticed is the startling level of ill manners, something I've seen on no other forum on the Net.

Getting back to the subject of gardai - their violence is unacceptable; to me it reflects two things: the fact that some think they're in an American TV show, and the fact that they think their work is worthless.

It's a common feeling among gardai that they're shoring up a crumbling wall of crime - they arrest "bad guys" and bring them to court, where they're given a slap on the wrist.

They may be right in this; what they don't realise is that heavier sentences would be no more effective in controlling crime. What stops crime isn't punishment but opportunity for other ways of making a living. Except for a tiny central core of criminals, most of the kids who take part in crimes steady up in their late 20s and early 30s when they marry and have kids.

Anyway, at the moment most of the crime happening is centred on the profit for drugs. If the government wanted to end it, this would be simple enough: start making drugs under properly controlled conditions in government laboratories and sell them very cheaply. The market would collapse overnight. That's basic economics.

The money saved from policing drug crime could be pumped into drug rehabilitation programmes so that those who were already addicted could be helped to get off drugs and get a better life.

(Of course, this would threaten Garda jobs, so the guards wouldn't like it much. But a lot of money could also be flooded into fighting women-smuggling and boy-smuggling for prostitution.)

The only problem with this plan is that it would need to happen all across Europe at the same time, or you'd get an influx of desperate druggies into the country that did it first.

jank · 12-01-2004 04:13PM

not all garda's are pricks but there is alot of them out there more than you think!!

I myself was arrested and thrown into jail for a few hours the "official charge" was assault on a garda!! wtf!!

left out after a while and told go home and relax!
never got a summons or heard anything else about it!
maybe because i didnt do it in the first place! dooh
(helped that one of the senior detectives on the scene knew my uncle very well)

the reason that they charged me was that they beat the living ****e out of me and my friends(i got off the lightest to be honest but getting digs into the back of your head while being pinned down isnt a nice experience)

one of the guys was very badly beaten had to be taken to hospital and everything
he was only out of the hospital 4-5 weeks cause of a broken leg on saying this to a garda the reply was "ill ****ing break it again"

anyway i was charged so i wouldnt speak out at what happened simple as that
in a court who will a judge believe you or the garda!!

remeber all those gardai are still on your street day in day out lovely to know isnt it

oh and the story behind this is a long one which is too long to explain at the mo
i will at a future date though

Garda on Primetime

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