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Cowboy Gardai

Xavi6

Now before I start this is NOT a garda bashing thread. They do a great job blah blah blah. However they get some nice perks out of it. Take my mate. He's a recently qualified garda, straight out of the sty and full of power. Flashes the badge wherever possible to prevent crime.....or to get a free bag of chips from Macari's.

It's unbelievable. Spar down from the station give him and his buddies free coffee in exchange for extra vigilence, he never pays into a nightclub, he can park his car in Dublin Castle all day to do his shopping and only today I've been informed he is on his way to Limerick by train with his buddies on the piss. Did he pay for the ticket? Did he f*ck. Quick badge flash and he's off.

What I'm wondering really is this just a perk of the job or should it be stood for? Also does anyone else have stories of rogue guards getting free chicken rolls?

P.S. He's also allowed drive a squad car yet is a notorious dodgy driving. I've had a brush with death on at least one occassion.

"Cowboys Ted, they're all a bunch of cowboys"

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Maple

I used go out with a Guard and all of what the OP said is true. Plus they get free passage across the toll bridge without having to pay the toll. Or at least they did when I went out with him.

I don't begrudge them tho, the amount of absolute sh1t they have to put up with is unreal.

nice1franko

I wonder do they pay tax on their Benefit In Kind?

thebman

daveharnett wrote: »

I want my police force clean too, but there's a difference between free coffee and a bribe.

If a shop/petrol station feels it would benefit from having a regular stream of cops coming through, that's fine, everybody wins.

If a nightclub owner wants the local cops to feel they owe the owner a favour, that's a whole other story.

There's a fine line here, something we as a society do not do well with.

Seems like the line is pretty bloody obvious to me.

If a politician did it, what would you say? Maybe the filling station wants politicians round because they are known figures and may help business. There is nothing wrong with giving politicians free coffee and if they get a few favours from it, sure where is the harm?

Nonsense, its a bribe, it maybe a stupidly small bribe but its still a bribe. If they got the sack for accepting any size of a bribe then they would be pretty stupid to risk their job for a free cup of coffee but they don't.

Do they get sacked for any level of corruption? Is there anybody watching to see if any guards are accepting bigger bribes? When was the last time you heard of guard getting done for accepting bribes or doing favours that brought to light by the guards themselves?

daveharnett

Rob_l wrote: »

its criminal for a garda to do it
so its very different

I want my police force clean too, but there's a difference between free coffee and a bribe.

If a shop/petrol station feels it would benefit from having a regular stream of cops coming through, that's fine, everybody wins.

If a nightclub owner wants the local cops to feel they owe the owner a favour, that's a whole other story.

There's a fine line here, something we as a society do not do well with.

hottstuff

At least the yanks have to pay for their doughnuts!!!!:)

thebman

TheNog wrote: »

It is true about the free public transport, the free coffee and usually free into niteclubs.

theres nothing cowboyish about it

What do you call it so?

Lump

The Guards used to buy petrol from the Statoil I worked in, ****ing **** never got anything free from me

TheNog

It is true about the free public transport, the free coffee and usually free into niteclubs.

theres nothing cowboyish about it

Xavi6

yayamark wrote: »

Exactly

Have a look at statoil onn the dock rd ive seen guards in their the whole time in for FREE coffoe and pay then for sandwich paper or bottle of water whatever.

They are only getting free coffoe, they are paying for everything else

Why wouldnt statoil give out free coffoe. it equals free security. No security staff needed.

Whens the last time u heard a statoil getting robbed?

I'll admit its not 100% pc but it isnt the worst thing in the world

I think companies adopt this "free " policy, dont think the gardai make them give out freestuff.

If people think its so great to get ALL THIS FREE COFFOE why dont they join?

My God man the word is coffee

yayamark

Kernel wrote: »

It makes good business sense for a nightclub to be Garda friendly, as in the case of Coppers/Flannerys, the places are packed throughout the week due to the numbers, odd hours/time off, and chicks wanting to **** Guards.

It also makes good business sense for the newsagent to throw out a free cup of coffee, because other guards from the station will use the shop, buy loads of stuff EVERY day and the chances of being robbed are lower, since the crim will know that the shop is full of Guards.

Multinational employees get discounts in many places for these reasons. Business acumen.

Get over it people, it's a cup of coffee for **** sake. :rolleyes:

Exactly

Have a look at statoil onn the dock rd ive seen guards in their the whole time in for FREE coffoe and pay then for sandwich paper or bottle of water whatever.

They are only getting free coffoe, they are paying for everything else

Why wouldnt statoil give out free coffoe. it equals free security. No security staff needed.

Whens the last time u heard a statoil getting robbed?

I'll admit its not 100% pc but it isnt the worst thing in the world

I think companies adopt this "free " policy, dont think the gardai make them give out freestuff.

If people think its so great to get ALL THIS FREE COFFOE why dont they join?

Helix

Xavi6 wrote: »

only today I've been informed he is on his way to Limerick by train with his buddies on the piss. Did he pay for the ticket? Did he f*ck. Quick badge flash and he's off.

if an off duty garda flashes his badge to get onto public transport/use a toll bridge for free, hes obliged by law to step in and act if anything occurs in contravention with the law

if he pays, hes entitled to completely ignore any law breaking

Kernel

It makes good business sense for a nightclub to be Garda friendly, as in the case of Coppers/Flannerys, the places are packed throughout the week due to the numbers, odd hours/time off, and chicks wanting to **** Guards.

It also makes good business sense for the newsagent to throw out a free cup of coffee, because other guards from the station will use the shop, buy loads of stuff EVERY day and the chances of being robbed are lower, since the crim will know that the shop is full of Guards.

Multinational employees get discounts in many places for these reasons. Business acumen.

Get over it people, it's a cup of coffee for **** sake. :rolleyes:

scaramanga

An Citeog wrote: »

Afaik, Coppers is owned by an ex-guard and the policy is to let guards in for free. If a guard goes flashing his badge to get into any other nightclub, he's asking for trouble.

not at all its common place, im good buddies with 2 cops and been out with em in cork,limerick galway(only been to coppers in dublin with em:() and a few more places and its the same criac.
sure they call the badges disco passes:D

HammerHeadGym

Xavi6 wrote: »

...straight out of the sty...

This gave me the biggest AH laugh of the year.

big_show

had standing tcikets for the police back in october, mate flashed the badge, golden circle baby!

Xavi6

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Tea then Xavi?

Milk, no sugar

TheBigLebowski

colliegG wrote: »

Yeah the guards are disgusting with all their 'perks' of getting into nightclubs free etc.

Not like insurance workers with their cheap insurance.
Or bank workers with their preferential loans.
Or shop workers with their store discounts.
Or assorted civil servants with their free parking, subsidised canteens etc.
Or bar workers with their late pints after work.
Or anyone with flexi time.
Or teachers with their half days.

I could go on.

You know cops can get their stab proof vest replaced, just like that, when it gets splashed with bodily fluids. It's a disgraceful waste of resources really!

Point is every job has perks.

Hold on a second...Most, if not all, of these are company policy that are clearly stated when you start your job. And things such as flexi time, half days for teachers, free parking etc are a part of your contract that you sign. I don't believe it's in the Garda contract to get free burgers out of Macari...

An Citeog

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

He doesn't really head to nightclubs that often any more but he definitely never pays into Coppers and has gotten in free elsewhere. I'm sure he has paid into many places though.

The free coffee and the train part are 100% true, I give you my word on that.

Xavi6 wrote: »

Everyone knows that coppers don't pay into Coppers. They go in upstairs for free. Even student guards get in with their ID. I've witnessed it in other clubs too.

Afaik, Coppers is owned by an ex-guard and the policy is to let guards in for free. If a guard goes flashing his badge to get into any other nightclub, he's asking for trouble.

cson

Just stay asleep in ethics class in Templemore and then you can do what you want. Again, if you've evidence, hand it in to the Garda Ombudsman, if not your claims are unsubstantiated hearsay. They do a job, you do a job, there are perks in everything.

Oh and lol at the person that reported this thread to the Garda Ombudsman. G'wan the vigilantes!

Potential-Monke

Oh right, my bad. The same would happen here. A mate of mine is a student Garda and they only got a speech about it the other day from a head guy, but it's because Eire isn't a complaining nation (by complaining, i mean actually doing something about it, God knows we give out enough).

[Deleted User]

Potential-Monke wrote: »

You jokin? They do it all the time! It's the same worldwide! Thing is though, in America something does get done about it. Fook all happens here, because no-one reports it, be it businesses not wanting to be on the bad side of the Gardai for obvious purposes, or individuals afraid of being targeted by these same, idiotic Gardai!!! But the majority of the Gardai would not be bothered by people/businesses complaining these "rogue" Gardai, as they all don't like to be tarnished with the same bad brush, as there are thousands of honest Gardai out there!

Tea then Xavi?

Thats what I meant, if they get caught out, there would be the serious sh1t.

Potential-Monke

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that if a cop tried to do any of this stuff in America, they'd be in some serious sh1t. So, why is it different here?

You jokin? They do it all the time! It's the same worldwide! Thing is though, in America something does get done about it. Fook all happens here, because no-one reports it, be it businesses not wanting to be on the bad side of the Gardai for obvious purposes, or individuals afraid of being targeted by these same, idiotic Gardai!!! But the majority of the Gardai would not be bothered by people/businesses complaining these "rogue" Gardai, as they all don't like to be tarnished with the same bad brush, as there are thousands of honest Gardai out there!

Tea then Xavi?

[Deleted User]

I'm pretty sure that if a cop tried to do any of this stuff in America, they'd be in some serious sh1t. So, why is it different here?

Xavi6

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Oh, is someone feeling left out because they didn't get free coffee?

Nope I don't like coffee.

Potential-Monke

Oh, is someone feeling left out because they didn't get free coffee?

Look, the majority of Gardai DO NOT accept perks, it's a fact. There are those in teh force who are so high and mighty that they think that they can do what they want and should get what they want. I guarantee, if you watched these places for a while, it's always the saem Gardai going in there.

Some places give free coffee or tea, but thats because they agreed to do this to have Gardai presence there, as it's the best deterrence for criminals.

Granted, Gardai should not use their badges to get into palces, but Copperface Jacks is basically a Garda nightclub, so you wouldn't blame them there.

I guarantee if you took the **** they take and do the ****e they do, you wouldn't mind the odd perk here and there. The pay is ok, but alot of that is taken out for numerous different things they "have to be" members of. The overtime is great, but you need to do alot of it to see any significant extra bit in the wages, and if you do alot of overtime, you have no social life...

MIN2511

It's worse in America. Some states, they never pay for anything! Food, drink, gas e.t.c
Like fair play, it comes with the perks of protecting us:D

I think i am going to enrol!

Xavi6

Terry wrote: »

Hold on a second.

The OP is in Australia.

This information could be either bullshít from his friend or second hand information from another friend.

I'm not saying he is lying, but there is a chance this information could be false.

Every one of the incidents I described I have witnessed for myself except obviously yesterday's trip to Limerick. I assure you there's no bs.

Terry wrote: »

I have a couple of friends who are cops and I can tell you now that they do not get into nightclubs free.

Everyone knows that coppers don't pay into Coppers. They go in upstairs for free. Even student guards get in with their ID. I've witnessed it in other clubs too.

lennox1

I know many Gardai who:
never try to get into clubs free by 'flashing the badge',never accept free cups of coffee or any other food,never travel for free on public transport,never use or abuse their position.In fact,nobody would ever know they were a Garda unless they were in uniform and on duty.I also know people in the private sector who expect and get discounted furniture and other goods and services from retailers,and who,at Christmas,receive lots of alcohol and other expensive gifts.
The difference is that I don't know any people in the private sector who never accept free or discounted goods or services from other businesses.I'm sure there are some but I don't know any.
Not all Gardai use or abuse their position just as I'm sure not all people working in the private sector do either.

POKERKING

i can confirm that what the op said is true, my friends a guard most of the time he pays in but if we ever get the aul 'not tonight lads' or 'sorry were full' he flashes the badge ad asks is there anythin they can do which gets us in maybe not for free but at least in and he would sometimes get in for free depending on the night...

also i have worked in elvery sports and leisureplex as a kid and in both cases discounts were given to gaurds i dont begrudge them it at all in the case of leisureplex any time it kicked off at night they were always there in a flash!!

everyjob has perks and thats the joy of been a guard it never even crossed my mind to be illegal to be honest i still wouldnt do it for all the tea in china....

Kernel

brim4brim wrote: »

When they pick on someone that has committed a small crime to make themselves feel like big men they are no more than thugs.

When they won't go after the bigger criminals they are not doing the job we pay them to do and encourage more people to become violent criminals, drug dealers etc...

Where do you get the insane notion that Gardaí are not targetting serious criminals? Do you read the papers?