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Advantages/ Disadvantages of Joining The Reserves before Full Time AGS

  • 24-10-2010 03:29PM
    #1
    Geri Boyle
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,128 ✭✭✭


    I'm splitting the discussions from other threads into this one for the discussion of this topic. Please discuss with respect for other posters with differing opinions. I will be closing this thread and handing out appropriate punishments if it deteriorates into a slagging match. Normal boards rules and Garda Recruitment Charter apply so please read if you are not familiar with it.


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Comments

  • #2
    thelongwait
    Closed Accounts Posts: 145 ✭✭thelongwait


    Im not a reserve my self, i cant because i work in a pub, but i've talked to enough people, a super, a chief super, and some1 in the appointments office who all said being a garda reserve is like having a foot in the door as regards the interview and background checks.


  • #3
    Paudie223
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 134 ✭✭Paudie223


    There are over 160 people with meds and pct completed and waiting to be called for a full time position in AGS. Alot of people would probably think that there was no point in applying for the reserves when they had been accepted into full time training. You couldn't blame them really.


  • #4
    senordingdong
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,673 ✭✭✭✭senordingdong


    eroo wrote: »
    Please explain this ridiculous statement.

    I for one have had enough of your smart comments regarding Reserves. We are not called 'reservists', we are Garda Reserves btw.

    The ridiculous statement pertains to the vast number of people joining the 'Garda Reserves' in the hope of it assisting their applications to AGS, to get a foot in the door, as it was phrased earlier.

    Ya'see so long as people continue to join the 'Garda Reserves', the DoJ will continue to have an alternative to recruiting new Gardaí.
    PJ Stones recent statment brought this belief closer to reality.


  • #5
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    senordingdong wrote: »
    The ridiculous statement pertains to the vast number of people joining the 'Garda Reserves' in the hope of it assisting their applications to AGS, to get a foot in the door, as it was phrased earlier.

    Ya'see so long as people continue to join the 'Garda Reserves', the DoJ will continue to have an alternative to recruiting new Gardaí.
    PJ Stones recent statment brought this belief closer to reality.

    It is not an alternative and never has been viewed as that. Recruitment for the Reserve will be stopping in 2012.


  • #6
    senordingdong
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,673 ✭✭✭✭senordingdong


    eroo wrote: »
    It is not an alternative and never has been viewed as that. Recruitment for the Reserve will be stopping in 2012.

    No, it's not supposed to be an alternative.

    But continuing to hire "unpaid, improperly trained volunteers in place of real policing*" while the Gardaí numbers dwindle, is not only damning of the DoJ, but highly suspect too.

    *qoute from PJ Stone.


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  • #7
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    Anyone who thinks the idea that the Garda Reserve is being pushed forward as an alternative to full time members is being naive.

    PJ Stone hasn't exactly done much good for AGS rank and file either.


  • #8
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    To those of you waiting and who are at this stage probably heartbroken I have one bit of advice: apply to join the Garda Reserve. I know how demoralised and let down you feel. Like yourselves, I have the bad days and the few good days as of late. But hear me out anyway!

    Unless you are working 40+ hours and have a family to look after, I don't see why you don't/can't join the GR. You all say you want a career in policing, then why not get involved in policing? I couldn't wait for a recruitment campaign to start so that's exactly what I did.

    It may be part time(minimum of 4 hours a week or 8 every 2 weeks!) and your role can be limited, but it is great to be able to get out there with full time members and see what their job is like; the paperwork, the long hours, the quick changeover, the long quiet shifts and the hectic ones, the abuse they get, the little gratitude received but above all what it is like to be working on a unit.

    The experience you get is priceless and I have no qualms in saying most Reserves are much better prepared for joining the full time than non members. That is a simple fact.

    I'm not trying to demoralise you, in fact the opposite! You don't have to wait 4 years to get involved in policing, by joining the Reserve it fuels your ambition to get there, it gives you hope and it makes it a little bit easier to wait.

    So go for it is my advice, and most importantly.. don't give up.


  • #9
    Ruairi88
    Closed Accounts Posts: 204 ✭✭Ruairi88


    Fair Play Eroo! I applied like months ago rang them last Friday and rang them again today...They told me the whole area was sent home 2day because of a health and safety issue...Do you know when you go on publicjobs and select "Garda Reserve" as job alert do they actually get back to you?


  • #10
    seedorf117
    Closed Accounts Posts: 68 ✭✭seedorf117


    Ruairi88 wrote: »
    Fair Play Eroo! I applied like months ago rang them last Friday and rang them again today...They told me the whole area was sent home 2day because of a health and safety issue...Do you know when you go on publicjobs and select "Garda Reserve" as job alert do they actually get back to you?

    Dont wanna sound negative in anyway, but its a horrible wait. Im waiting 14months now, still to do medical....


  • #11
    upthekingdom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 28 ✭upthekingdom


    I applied for for the reserves last year when they actually had the proper application forms and i still didnt get a call...:rolleyes: i thought it was just me... seems to be a huge backlog in the system...I brought it to the attention of my local td about a recruitment drive the weekend so fingers crossed he will start drawing it to their attention on our behalf... he is to get back to me during the week with news so hopefully it will be positive..!!:D


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  • #12
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    Ruairi88 wrote: »
    Fair Play Eroo! I applied like months ago rang them last Friday and rang them again today...They told me the whole area was sent home 2day because of a health and safety issue...Do you know when you go on publicjobs and select "Garda Reserve" as job alert do they actually get back to you?

    Yes they will get back to you about dates for interviews in your area.

    Anyway, have a look at the GR recruitment forum before Blue Belle gives me a spanking!:D


  • #13
    senordingdong
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,673 ✭✭✭✭senordingdong


    eroo wrote: »
    Anyone who thinks the idea that the Garda Reserve is being pushed forward as an alternative to full time members is being naive. .

    And I believe anyone that thinks otherwise is being naive.


  • #14
    C-J
    Closed Accounts Posts: 934 ✭✭✭C-J


    Senordingdong i agree with you 100% that the presence of extra reserves on the street is being used as a smoke screen to make it look like there's a presence on the streets. it's a dangerous game for ahern to play, i used to work in a premises that was robbed, thieves ran out the door into two reserves who didnt even bother giving chase. when i asked why, one replied that they're not paid so weren't going to risk it. ahern thinks this will protect the public? OPEN TEMPLEMORE TO TRAINEES NOW!!


  • #15
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    C-J wrote: »
    Senordingdong i agree with you 100% that the presence of extra reserves on the street is being used as a smoke screen to make it look like there's a presence on the streets. it's a dangerous game for ahern to play, i used to work in a premises that was robbed, thieves ran out the door into two reserves who didnt even bother giving chase. when i asked why, one replied that they're not paid so weren't going to risk it. ahern thinks this will protect the public? OPEN TEMPLEMORE TO TRAINEES NOW!!

    That is a very sad attitude you have in that post. Attacking the credibility of Reserves based on one experince isn't fair. Also, I find your story hard to believe as 2 Reserves would never be sent out together.. ever. That sort of post I would expect from After Hours!

    @Senordingdong, we'll agree to disagree.


  • #16
    thelongwait
    Closed Accounts Posts: 145 ✭✭thelongwait


    Just to let anyone who is thinking of joining the gr know, if you work in a pub, hotel, night club, or any licenced premises you can't join. It's the only reason im not in it.


  • #17
    Devil08
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,659 ✭✭✭Devil08


    An awful lot of pressure seems to be being put on people to join the reserves over the past few weeks here..If people do not want to join the reserves they should be respected for that. It does not mean they do not want to become a member of AGS any less.

    I want to become a full time member of AGS and have been waiting over 2 years to start training. I will NOT be joining the reserve! and here are my reasons for it.

    I work a 40 hour week, and I work very hard. Therefore my spare time is quite precious and I like to use it to relax, spend time with family and friends etc. I do not want to use ANY of my free time taking sh!t from anyone on the street and not getting paid for it. I do not want to get up at 5am to do a shift and not get paid for it. Who would take joy from this!?

    If joining the reserves does prove to get canditiates into the full time force quicker, then so be it. But it still wont make me join. I have too much pride in myself to be dealing with the scum of Dublin, not to get paid for it. This is a form of SLAVERY imo and people shouldnt lower themselves to it. It is the governments way of doing things on the cheap and abusing people.

    No matter how much anyone says they love their job, I can guarantee you they would not do it for nothing.


  • #18
    C-J
    Closed Accounts Posts: 934 ✭✭✭C-J


    If I wanted a debate on the Reserves I'd go to that forum. This is the waiting room for those who have everything done for full time membership and want to talk about relevant issues not the Reserves which are frankly irrelevant


  • #19
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    Your attitudes, I hope, will change if you do get in to the full time. You wont be long realising every extra body helps.


  • #20
    Devil08
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,659 ✭✭✭Devil08


    eroo wrote: »
    Your attitudes, I hope, will change if you do get in to the full time. You wont be long realising every extra body helps.

    Of course extra bodies help - like in any job - we are crying out for extra staff in my job, I wouldnt expect anyone to come in and work for free though


  • #21
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    Devil08 wrote: »
    Of course extra bodies help - like in any job - we are crying out for extra staff in my job, I wouldnt expect anyone to come in and work for free though

    If we all took that approach, i.e. don't bother volunteering, the country would be even worse off.

    I, and most other Reserves, do it because we want to get involved in policing and maybe we enjoy the thought of putting on a uniform stacked with pride and tradition, and honouring that as best we can? I actually prefer the Reserve to my own job and as such put in a lot of time, because I enjoy it. I have PRIDE in wearing that uniform. We don't do it for free either, you get expenses(granted not much).


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  • #22
    shakin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭shakin


    I probably cant join the reserves because of my job, but i dont think i would either. I work a 42.5 hour week, all nights, all weekends and dealing with drunk idiots who wanna give me abuse and start fights with me, i dont need that on my time off. Im sure the reserves would be a great learning curve for potential full-timers or a good form of volunteer for those who it suits.

    I work long very unsociable hours for little money and get abused,threatened and unfortunately sometimes attacked for just doing my job and i want my time off to relax. I applied for the full-time and intend to proceed with that, i wont be applying for the reserves, but good luck to anyone who does.

    @eroo- whether reserves are better prepared or not doesnt really matter, we all do the same exams at the end of the day, and its up to the individual to perform.


  • #23
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    shakin wrote: »
    @eroo- whether reserves are better prepared or not doesnt really matter, we all do the same exams at the end of the day, and its up to the individual to perform.

    While I agree in one sense, I don't think Reserves going through the same process is right. Anyway, doesn't matter. I understand where you are coming from with work.


  • #24
    senordingdong
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,673 ✭✭✭✭senordingdong


    eroo wrote: »
    @Senordingdong, we'll agree to disagree.

    Ofcourse, but one other thing I would like to say is, imagine for a second, if tomorrow, every member of the reserve quit, and every member of the public, uniformly refused to join the reserve force...what would happen?

    I believe the truth about the dwindling numbers would be exposed, and DoJ would no longer have a figure spinning smoke screen to hide behind.

    I agree that people passionate about the job can be drawn to the reserve force, but I believe the DoJ are exploiting these peoples good intentions to save some money.

    Push came to shove for me and I put my name down for the reserve, on top of my already hectic schedule. But it shouldn't in any way help towards my AGS application.
    Much the same way the reserves shouldn't be used as a police substitute.


  • #25
    itsallgood
    Closed Accounts Posts: 587 ✭✭✭itsallgood


    eroo wrote: »
    If we all took that approach, i.e. don't bother volunteering, the country would be even worse off.

    I, and most other Reserves, do it because we want to get involved in policing and maybe we enjoy the thought of putting on a uniform stacked with pride and tradition, and honouring that as best we can? I actually prefer the Reserve to my own job and as such put in a lot of time, because I enjoy it. I have PRIDE in wearing that uniform. We don't do it for free either, you get expenses(granted not much).


    I have to disagree with you eroo on the reasons for most reserves joining. Your reasons for joining are genuine, however, you know that most people have joined since the moratorium was brought in under the influence they will walk into the full time AGS ahead of anyone else.
    I personally know 5 lads that joined since I applied for full time AGS and they are all convinced they will be in before me and don't understand the recruitment process at all.
    Everyone has to sit the same exams and pass them to get an interview, which is the only time being in the reserves will be of benefit during the recruitment process.
    I'm not knocking the reserves and have a lot of respect for people like you joining for honest reasons, but its those under the false hope of walking into the AGS full time that I feel sorry for because they are going to be used and abused by this government.
    What happens in the next drive when everyone applies to join AGS full time, they will not be taking 1500 reserves in and be left with none, beats the whole purpose of having garda reserves.If anything I can see them introducing a cap on the amount of reserves stepping into full time (providing they get enough through the recruitment process).


  • #26
    Geansai
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 164 ✭✭Geansai


    I see where you are all coming from when you say that if thee was no reserve, viability would be lower, and a recruitment drive might happen earlier.

    However, as we can tell from the newpaper articicles there are more than enough applicants wanting to become reserves for whatever reasons, genuine or misguided.

    Given that the reserves are here to stay and the uptake is strong (and God only knows when a recruitment drive when happen), it is time to start thinking about what you can gain personally and not care about the big pictue as it will not change in the short term.

    I would recommend the reserves for a couple of reason.

    1: I'm sure it wouldn't do any harm in the interview
    2: We're waiting long enough for something we're pretty sure we understand. this is a way to confirm and be 100% sure.
    3: The limited training and experience can only help when we do finally get to Templemore.

    Thats just my opinion. Obviously it isn't going to suit everybody, but I don't think it should be knocked becasue the GRA aren't 100% behind it.


  • #27
    Hugo13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16 ✭Hugo13


    I've made a preliminary application to join the Reserve,does anybody know how long it would take before I hear back/get an interview, or even when I might get offered a place (assuming I was successful)

    Thanks in advance.


  • #28
    C-J
    Closed Accounts Posts: 934 ✭✭✭C-J


    I don't agree with the notion that reserves are here to stay. With the commissioner ready to retire in very near future, his replacement may very well have a different way of operating, and let's remember that the majority of old school gardai have no time for the reserves whatsoever. By that i mean the actual concept behind reserves and not the individuals themselves obviously so don't go attacking!


  • #29
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    C-J wrote: »
    I don't agree with the notion that reserves are here to stay. With the commissioner ready to retire in very near future, his replacement may very well have a different way of operating, and let's remember that the majority of old school gardai have no time for the reserves whatsoever. By that i mean the actual concept behind reserves and not the individuals themselves obviously so don't go attacking!

    The Garda Reserve will not be scrapped. That is fact. I understand your feelings because you have not heard anymore after waiting for 2 years but I think your posts are a little unfair towards the GR. I'm not having a go at you, but you are very dismissive of something you don't really know anything about.

    I agree that Reserves have limited powers but any senior members I know have told me it is a great thing for blooding those who want to become full time members. You can't buy experience as they say!


  • #30
    C-J
    Closed Accounts Posts: 934 ✭✭✭C-J


    eroo wrote: »
    The Garda Reserve will not be scrapped. That is fact. I understand your feelings because you have not heard anymore after waiting for 2 years but I think your posts are a little unfair towards the GR. I'm not having a go at you, but you are very dismissive of something you don't really know anything about.

    !

    i'd rather not to be dismissed as 'not knowing anything about it', i come from a family of high ranking gardai and civil servants, i've been through ags interview process and have been offered a place which i deferred and i am a lawyer. However i will take up my grievances with the appropriate channels.


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  • #31
    eroo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,084 ✭✭✭eroo


    C-J wrote: »
    i'd rather not to be dismissed as 'not knowing anything about it', i come from a family of high ranking gardai and civil servants, i've been through ags interview process and have been offered a place which i deferred and i am a lawyer. However i will take up my grievances with the appropriate channels.

    That's fine, but I am right in saying you don't really know anything about the Garda Reserve, regardless of who you know or what you are. So I don't think it's fair for you dismiss it as a failed concept that should be scrapped when it is actually a great resource for blooding potential full time members.


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