Garda on mobile phone.

TheNog · 09-05-2008 02:02AM

BJC wrote: »

I heard somewhere that the ombudsman has been turned over to the Gardai for help to process the complaints because the sheer number of complaints exceeded all expectations. So now the guards are effectivley managing complaints about themselves, themselves. Like governing themselves... and hence rendering the ombudsman more useless than ever.

Anyone know if this is true??:p

That is true. The Ombudsman is turning over minor infractions such as discourtesy complaints to the Commissioner for investigation. If a member is found to be guilty of this, then an internal discipline procedure is applied. The GSOC has received 3,000 complaints from the general public and cannot investigate all within the 6 months timeframe. The GSOC is of course investigating the more serious cases.

Overheal · 09-05-2008 02:09AM

Watch a couple episodes of 24 lady.

Holsten · 09-05-2008 02:15AM

Interesting they are allowed to do it.

The boyos in Maynooth are never off their phones! Every time I see a squad car in Maynooth the Garda driving has his ear glued to the thing.

faceman · 09-05-2008 02:42AM

Garda drivers do advanced driving courses too. Id imagine they are better prepared for "out of the blue" situations than most regular drivers

Steve · 09-05-2008 04:17AM

Yes Guards are exempt *as long as it's a company phone and the call is in the course of duty*.
Main reason is the guards have shite radios and any crim worth his salt can listen in.

This is also one of the reasons the introduction of the mobile phone / driving laws were delayed. The first draft didn't exempt them properly.

Overheal · 09-05-2008 04:24AM

And they still dont need to be tested before getting a squad car?

This stinks of silly.

I do understand the benefit though.

In the states Nextel has done something wonderful with the Phone. Nextel phones come installed with Networked radio. Meaning you can radio anyone in your user network like a call: so you can have 2 way chat or broadcast APBs to anyone in your department. The range is only limited by Cell Towers, and using mobile encryption, it would be exceptionally difficult for anyone to listen in unauthorized. Kinda cool watching someone have a radio chat with someone 8 states away.

TheNog · 09-05-2008 04:40AM

Overheal wrote: »

In the states Nextel has done something wonderful with the Phone. Nextel phones come installed with Networked radio. Meaning you can radio anyone in your user network like a call: so you can have 2 way chat or broadcast APBs to anyone in your department. The range is only limited by Cell Towers, and using mobile encryption, it would be exceptionally difficult for anyone to listen in unauthorized. Kinda cool watching someone have a radio chat with someone 8 states away.

The Tetra radios we are getting are supposed to have this feature too as well as talking to or conference in other services such as Ambulance, Fire and PSNI.

TheNog · 09-05-2008 04:42AM

stevec wrote: »

Yes Guards are exempt *as long as it's a company phone and the call is in the course of duty*.
Main reason is the guards have shite radios and any crim worth his salt can listen in.

This is also one of the reasons the introduction of the mobile phone / driving laws were delayed. The first draft didn't exempt them properly.

The general public are also exempt from this law only if they are phoning an emergency service and can prove so at the roadside.

DublinWriter · 09-05-2008 07:33AM

faceman wrote: »

Garda drivers do advanced driving courses too. Id imagine they are better prepared for "out of the blue" situations than most regular drivers

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

Typically, most guards you see driving about haven't completed any particular in-service vehicle course, but are doing so on the permission of their Chief Superintendent on the back of having a full and clean driving license.

When you become a fully-attested member you automatically receive super-hero powers, such as the ability to talk on a mobile phone and concentrate on driving as well.

delta_bravo · 09-05-2008 09:13AM

DublinWriter wrote: »

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

Typically, most guards you see driving about haven't completed any particular in-service vehicle course, but are doing so on the permission of their Chief Superintendent on the back of having a full and clean driving license.

Got a source for this?

Alun · 09-05-2008 09:20AM

DublinWriter wrote: »

When you become a fully-attested member you automatically receive super-hero powers, such as the ability to talk on a mobile phone and concentrate on driving as well.

A very valid point.

Using a mobile phone while driving is illegal precisely because it's been proven in scientific studies to be dangerous, not as some random "oppression of the masses" or something. There's no way you can be trained to make it suddenly safe, whether you're a highly trained (LOL) Garda driver or not, so the fact that they're immune from this particular law does not suddenly make it OK to do so, it's still dangerous.

Notorious · 09-05-2008 09:35AM

Deleted User wrote: »

They should practice what they preach, should take a photo if you get a chance and send it to http://www.gardaombudsman.ie/

Give the man a break, jeez... No need to turn everyone into a snitch. I'd say some people get off over that site. Imagine having to work and anything you do wrong gets reported by every Tom, Dick and Harry who think its their Godly right to inform 'the man', that someone isn't doing their job properly. Thats ridiculous, the amount of people who would be out of their jobs would seriously put a dent in the economy.

DublinWriter wrote:

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

Typically, most guards you see driving about haven't completed any particular in-service vehicle course, but are doing so on the permission of their Chief Superintendent on the back of having a full and clean driving license.

As an aside, don't all gardai get a course in defensive driving before leaving the recruitment yard? I'm pretty sure they used to.

sdanseo · 09-05-2008 02:45PM

delta_bravo wrote: »

Got a source for this?

I can't for the life of me remember the source, but I also heard that and it was reliable. Possibly a Garda here on boards.

ScumLord · 09-05-2008 03:04PM

Saw a guard on the phone while driving the other day. It was on a small country road and he was fairly motoring, not speeding but he had the phone up to his ear coming around a corner. Bit o bluetooth wouldn't go astray.

DublinWriter · 09-05-2008 06:57PM

Notorious wrote: »

As an aside, don't all gardai get a course in defensive driving before leaving the recruitment yard? I'm pretty sure they used to.

Nope. Having a driving licence is not a pre-requisite for acceptance into Phase I training or to becoming a fully attested member.

I'm pretty sure that the skill of chatting away with a mobile stuck between cheek and shoulder isn't one taught on the advanced driving course.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 10-05-2008 10:39AM

foinse wrote: »

all road users are required to. unless there is a serious medical condition and a doctor has signed off on it, or if a woman is heavily pregnant and has received medical advice that she shouldn't wear a seat belt across her stomach.

Soldiers on duty are exempt from wearing seatbelts.

daveharnett · 10-05-2008 12:23PM

ScumLord wrote: »

Bit o bluetooth wouldn't go astray.

Well said. You can get a reasonable bluetooth earpiece for 25-30 notes now. That really leaves no excuse for anyone, guard or civvie.

Garda on mobile phone.

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