Why did you join the Gardai?

mrpeech · 04-07-2010 04:27PM #1

Hi,

I'm a film student/writer and am doing some character research for a police film I have in mind.. why you joined the gardai etc I'd also like to learn a bit more about the day to day life of being an officer or detective - the workplace dynamics, anecdotes etc. Michael Connelly the famous crime writer wrote that one of the most telling things he saw when researching cops were the dents in the plastic of a homicide detective's glasses when he put them into his mouth to study a crime scene. It showed the intensity that he brought to his work, the anger.. and to be a good writer he said he needed to find those toothmarked glasses again and again.

please msg me, this is your chance to blow that phrase out of the water when you watch a film "thats not the way it is".. i'd love someone to tell me,,

Shield · 04-07-2010 05:17PM

I think it's only fair to set your expectations now and let you know you might not get what you want here.

AGS are very protective of their operational procedures, planning and tactics. They need to be this way now more than ever to combat the increase in gangland activity.

No member will disclose anything that is not already available in official publications, Irish Criminal Law books and so on.

You might get a few giving you a very general outline of a typical "Day in the life of..." but this is already available here.

You'd be far better off writing a letter to your local Garda Superintendent, explaining your situation, include a list of questions you would ideally like answered, and see what questions he would be comfortable answering.

Otherwise - AGS members... anything else to add?

mrpeech · 04-07-2010 06:10PM

Of course, i just wanted to get the human slant on what it was like to be working in what can be a very dangerous profession at times.

psni wrote: »

I think it's only fair to set your expectations now and let you know you might not get what you want here.

AGS are very protective of their operational procedures, planning and tactics. They need to be this way now more than ever to combat the increase in gangland activity.

No member will disclose anything that is not already available in official publications, Irish Criminal Law books and so on.

You might get a few giving you a very general outline of a typical "Day in the life of..." but this is already available here.

You'd be far better off writing a letter to your local Garda Superintendent, explaining your situation, include a list of questions you would ideally like answered, and see what questions he would be comfortable answering.

Otherwise - AGS members... anything else to add?

Shield · 04-07-2010 06:12PM

Hard. Very hard at the best of times... but you're not doing the PSNI!

AGS members might be able to give you their personal thoughts and opinions without compromising their identities or districts.

shakin · 04-07-2010 06:22PM

besides most posters on recruitment threads (myself included) are only applicants and people wishing to apply

pah · 15-07-2010 04:40PM

mrpeech wrote: »

why did you join the gardai?

To save the world.

da__flash · 15-07-2010 05:28PM

pah wrote: »

To save the world.

The shiny blue pants

Geri Boyle · 15-07-2010 05:46PM

Moved to Emergency Services. You might get better responses in there OP

Delancey · 15-07-2010 10:51PM

I sooooooo want to see Deadwood's answer.

Beruthiel · 16-07-2010 07:51AM

pah wrote: »

To save the world.

Should the AGS uniform be upgraded with a cloak?
All the best superheros have one.

pa990 · 16-07-2010 10:25AM

Beruthiel wrote: »

Should the AGS uniform be upgraded with a cloak?
All the best superheros have one.

I thought we were suppose to get one with the new uniform, to replace the tunic.

Geri Boyle · 16-07-2010 11:46AM

Blue Belle wrote: »

Moved to Emergency Services. You might get better responses in there OP

I take it back!

Il leave the thread open for another day or so in case anyone has anything constructive and on topic to add..

Hooch · 16-07-2010 11:52AM

Beruthiel wrote: »

Should the AGS uniform be upgraded with a cloak?
All the best superheros have one.

You mean I shouldnt be wearing my cape on duty??:eek::eek::eek:

(all jokes aside AGS had a cape on issue....mosty to members in DMA......up until the late 80s!!)

da__flash · 16-07-2010 12:45PM

nice guy always wrote: »

You mean I shouldnt be wearing my cape on duty??:eek::eek::eek:

(all jokes aside AGS had a cape on issue....mosty to members in DMA......up until the late 80s!!)

can i believe my eyes NGA has made a return

:pac:

Beruthiel · 16-07-2010 01:13PM

nice guy always wrote: »

You mean I shouldnt be wearing my cape on duty??:eek::eek::eek:

Pics or GTFO!

Sorry BB.
Fridays make me giddy.

chem · 16-07-2010 06:48PM

But how could we tell the difference between AGS and the villians, if they all wore capes???...............Oh right the Dynamite

See pic :pac:

trad · 16-07-2010 07:02PM

nice guy always wrote: »

You mean I shouldnt be wearing my cape on duty??:eek::eek::eek:

(all jokes aside AGS had a cape on issue....mosty to members in DMA......up until the late 80s!!)

I joined in 78 and capes were well gone then.

Why did I join? I came from a rough and tumble part of Dublin with a high crime rate and I thought I could make a contribution to making a better society.

Delancey · 17-07-2010 12:48PM

trad wrote: »

I joined in 78 and capes were well gone then.

Why did I join? I came from a rough and tumble part of Dublin with a high crime rate and I thought I could make a contribution to making a better society.

Would I be right in saying Trad that in those days the majority of Garda recruits were from outside Dublin ? I've always thought that at the time most Guards seemed to be from Kerry or Cork.

trad · 17-07-2010 01:42PM

delancey42 wrote: »

Would I be right in saying Trad that in those days the majority of Garda recruits were from outside Dublin ? I've always thought that at the time most Guards seemed to be from Kerry or Cork.

72 in my class, 12 from Dublin, the rest from all parts of the country from Muff to Doneraile. It wasn't a question of being recruited from outside Dublin, it was that Dubs generally didn't apply. We had a very influential local Garda who rode a motorcycle, lived locally and came to the local youth club and was generally very approachable. 7 of my class in school joined up and one is now a very high ranking officer.

Delancey · 17-07-2010 05:15PM

Beruthiel wrote: »

Pics or GTFO!

Alas I can't supply photos . I can say that I remember clearly during the Hunger Strike of 1981 walking past BHS in O'Connell Street which had a large contingent of Gardai outside every night and some of them wore capes.
Old-fashioned but strangely somehow - dashing !

pa990 · 17-07-2010 06:16PM

delancey42 wrote: »

Alas I can't supply photos . I can say that I remember clearly during the Hunger Strike of 1981 walking past BHS in O'Connell Street which had a large contingent of Gardai outside every night and some of them wore capes.
Old-fashioned but strangely somehow - dashing !

You're probably thing of the "Great Coats".
they were big woolen coats that went down to your ankles almost.
They were still issued up to a 6 or 7 years ago.

trad · 17-07-2010 06:43PM

delancey42 wrote: »

Alas I can't supply photos . I can say that I remember clearly during the Hunger Strike of 1981 walking past BHS in O'Connell Street which had a large contingent of Gardai outside every night and some of them wore capes.
Old-fashioned but strangely somehow - dashing !

You didn't lob a petrol bomb my way by any chance. I was outside BHS (now Pennys) during one of the demos and we came under a barage of paint bombs, darts and a petrol bomb. Interesting times.

Delancey · 17-07-2010 07:34PM

trad wrote: »

You didn't lob a petrol bomb my way by any chance. I was outside BHS (now Pennys) during one of the demos and we came under a barage of paint bombs, darts and a petrol bomb. Interesting times.

Interesting ( or scary times ). Yeah every British business in Dublin was guarded at night by lots of Guards - British Airways on Nassau Street , Norwich Union on Dawson Street and of course the big Kahuna - BHS.
Moi involved in trouble ? Never been on a demo in my life then or since.

I am 100% sure about the capes being worn by some guards - short capes that just covered chest and shoulders - held closed by a strange sort of button/clasp arrangemment.

trad · 18-07-2010 10:53AM

Therw were a few capes around in those times, cherished possessions of old timers. From what I can remember they were phased out in the 60's. May have been a throwback to the Dublin Metropolitan Police. The motorcycle breeches we were issues with would not have been out of place in the previous century as were the leather leggings before we were allowed to buy our own motorcycle boots.

deadwood · 27-07-2010 11:23AM

nice guy always wrote: »

You mean I shouldnt be wearing my cape on duty??:eek::eek::eek:

Read it again, NGA. It says "cap" not cape.

I have my cape. They were issued years ago for bicycle duty. Black plastic things with a button up collar and matching pull-ups. We were given them because they were clearing out the stores.
This pic from google is the one.

We also got the last of the rubber macs that looked very smart, but stank to high heaven when wet. They're both in the attic, with the gimp suit and whips.

deadwood · 27-07-2010 11:26AM

delancey42 wrote: »

I sooooooo want to see Deadwood's answer.

I only came out for a bucket of turf.

shampon · 27-07-2010 12:06PM

deadwood wrote: »

Read it again, NGA. It says "cap" not cape.

I have my cape. They were issued years ago for bicycle duty. Black plastic things with a button up collar and matching pull-ups. We were given them because they were clearing out the stores.
This pic from google is the one.

We also got the last of the rubber macs that looked very smart, but stank to high heaven when wet. They're both in the attic, with the gimp suit and whips.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

trad · 27-07-2010 05:20PM

We must be the same vintage deadwood. I remember having one of those rubber macks during the H-Blocks. Made a great ground sheet.

Why did you join the Gardai?

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