Should Garda's Carry Guns ?

NeVeR · 06-02-2003 08:09PM #1

Well i just thought i'd ask if you thought Garda should carry Gun's like the US Police,

If you look at todays crimes and killings there are alot more Gun related crimes, It's getting mad, and they know Gards dont carry guns ,

Washout · 06-02-2003 08:22PM

Definetly Not!!!We have an armed branch which is more than sufficient...

guns are carried by police in the states cause of the ludicrous gun laws....we dont have that problem here in ireland

NeVeR · 06-02-2003 08:24PM

yea i see your point, But Guns are getting more and more easier to get in Ireland.

Vuk · 06-02-2003 08:28PM

*shudder*

The thoughts of some gardai in charge of a baton scare me. Imagine how the Reclaim the Streets fiasco could have concluded with guns?

The ERU have had their fair share of criticisms concerning their use of guns.

I am of the belief that if both the Gardai and the criminals are both armed to the teeth, the chances of instigating a gun battle increase with every twitchy finger.

The Gopher · 06-02-2003 08:32PM

Im unsure.Sure,guns can be an advantage in foiling an armed robbery but there is the possibility that they could use the guns in a rage over a minor matter.
For example I think most people haveargued with a guard after having too much to drink.What if you are so drunk that if the guard insults you or is being unreasonably and you,without thinking,push him to the ground or even hit him a box,that he isnt going to shoot you in a blind rage.Just to clarify I have never attacked a guard and am not endorsing it,but suppose you were so drunk that you managed to get into this situation.

I myself know what murderous rage is all about.Once at a club some skanger who had been going around all night boxing people at random and running away whacked me as I came up the stairs and ran before Id a chance to fight him.He eventually got thrown out but earlier I had seen a brick lying loose on the ground outside.
I told my friends,and I was deadly serious,that if when we came out if that brick was still there and he was still about I was going to break his face with it.In all honesty if I had a gun with me that night I would have had no hesitation in shooting him infront of a crowd of people.Sure I would regret it afterwards if I were caught but at that moment I just didnt give a fcuk about the consequences of what would have happened.So there is no telling how a guard might over react if armed.
It has certainly happened in the USA before in similiar cicrumstances.

Shad0r · 06-02-2003 08:46PM

No no and no again. Defintely not for the normal garda on the beat.

Dont be at yourself · 06-02-2003 09:01PM

Definitely not.

Jim · 06-02-2003 09:33PM

oi, u, no.

Cian · 06-02-2003 09:39PM

No way. I was at the may 6th reclaim the streets. Absolutely no way.

Pepe LeFrits · 07-02-2003 12:30AM

Christ, NO.

Mossy Monk · 07-02-2003 01:07AM

no ****ing way!!!! some members of the gardaí are bad enough as it is

yellum · 07-02-2003 03:29AM

Wasn't it in Athy at the foiled robbery where they shot the robbers to pieces ? Didn't they also shoot a guy that was up the road by accident and injury themselves.

Then there was the ERU taking down that John Carthy guy. Shot from behind. When the trained "experts" can't get it right why should the plebs on the beat get a gun ?

Xterminator · 07-02-2003 10:22AM

Wow, guess what!

Gardai are human, and they make mistakes!!

Good god! Every criminal and his brother have a gun, (as demonstrated in Limerick, Finglas etc) or a replica so good the only way you can tell its not a gun, is when they pull the trigger (eg too late!)

When the guards were formed, society did not need (or want) armed police.

Now, if you want the guards to be able to provide effective protection against todays scum, they have to be armed.

It is not hard to establish a mandate for when and how a gun can be used. Every shot fired would automatically be reviewed to ensure the guard who fired it did so correctly, according to the mandate there given.

This would prevent the worst of abuses.

X

oeNeo · 07-02-2003 05:12PM

Yes and no.

Normal police patrolling the streets shouldn't I think, but just say there's a robbery or a riot of some kind, armed police should arrive mainly just to scare people and not to use them.

Ofcourse there is a much greater argument against having them and after thinking about it more it's probably a better idea for them not to have them at all.

azezil · 07-02-2003 06:00PM

Not yet, voilent crime is on the rise but i don't think it necessary yet.

/side note detectives do carry them.

daveirl · 07-02-2003 08:59PM

This post has been deleted.

hunkypex · 07-02-2003 09:17PM

senario: police carries gun> copper is overwhelmed< gun taken off him> shot with his own gun< happens in america
it happened in northern ireland too

Victor · 07-02-2003 09:20PM

When was the last time a Garda was shot? Jerry McCabe?

Arming the average Garda will only encourage criminals to arm themselves.

Sangre · 07-02-2003 09:26PM

Originally posted by Xterminator
It is not hard to establish a mandate for when and how a gun can be used. Every shot fired would automatically be reviewed to ensure the guard who fired it did so correctly, according to the mandate there given.

This would prevent the worst of abuses.

X

A lot of good that does after someone is shot/killed. In the heat of the moment a garda isn't going to consider anything like a mandate

/Edit: Just like prison stops criminals? I know its stupid comparing gardai to criminals, but not many people think of the consequences when they're surrounded by 10 knackers

Samson · 07-02-2003 09:35PM

Originally posted by NeVeR
yea i see your point, But Guns are getting more and more easier to get in Ireland.

What the fuck are you on about?
Guns are not easy to get hold of in this country.

As the owner of two legally held firearms, I must state that in my experience guns are not easy to get hold of, there are a lot of hoops one must jump through.
Even in the wrong circles they are not particularly easyt to come across.

Spunog UIE · 07-02-2003 09:45PM

nope they are dangerous enough as is.

bugler · 07-02-2003 11:29PM

Originally posted by Samson
What the fuck are you on about?
Guns are not easy to get hold of in this country.

Stop pissing on the scaremonger fire!

Guns are everywhere, I live near Limerick, and can't walk at night without getting shot at! (By the ERU admittedly)

Victor · 08-02-2003 12:17AM

Originally posted by bugler
Guns are everywhere, I live near Limerick, and can't walk at night without getting shot at! (By the ERU admittedly)

Damn, can't even go about a bit of peaceful petrol bombing these days.

ozt9vdujny3srf · 08-02-2003 03:38AM

heh but seriously, if the Gardai can't ahndle a few protestors and stop them from getting into shannon airport hangar, then they are hardly competent enough to use guns.

Anyway, guns for guards would be more of a self defense measure. i.e. against other ppl with guns.

I Can't rememeber hearing about a Garda being shot b4 (although i am sure it has happened it is very rare)

Cian · 08-02-2003 04:00AM

was going to post this earlier but boards was down

Originally posted by Xterminator
Wow, guess what!

Gardai are human, and they make mistakes!!

Usually these mistakes are non-fatal, and are easily covered up. When's the last time you saw a garda charged with assault bar the may 6th incident?

Good god! Every criminal and his brother have a gun, (as demonstrated in Limerick, Finglas etc) or a replica so good the only way you can tell its not a gun, is when they pull the trigger (eg too late!)

A friend of mine was involved in an incident in finglas. She's still against arming guards despite having a gun in her face. So am I, and I have been threatened with a gun several times.

When the guards were formed, society did not need (or want) armed police.

Now, if you want the guards to be able to provide effective protection against todays scum, they have to be armed.

Look at the poll. Society still doesnt want it. (/me hopes poll results stand the test of time

)

It is not hard to establish a mandate for when and how a gun can be used. Every shot fired would automatically be reviewed to ensure the guard who fired it did so correctly, according to the mandate there given.

This would prevent the worst of abuses.

Just like the garda review board effectively polices the police. Yeah right. Face it, we have a prehistoric police force (btw, not my quote; paraphrased from the former head of the london metropolitan police).

Samson · 08-02-2003 01:28PM

Originally posted by bugler
Stop pissing on the scaremonger fire!

Guns are everywhere, I live near Limerick, and can't walk at night without getting shot at! (By the ERU admittedly)

Yes, of course, I should have prefaced what I typed with:
The following statement does not apply to Limerick.

Turner · 08-02-2003 02:10PM

Originally posted by The Gopher
For example I think most people have argued with a guard after having too much to drink.What if you are so drunk that if the guard insults you or is being unreasonably and you,without thinking,push him to the ground or even hit him a box,that he isnt going to shoot you in a blind rage.

If you do this you deserve to be shot.

Originally posted by Samson
The following statement does not apply to Limerick.

Or Dundalk.

woosaysdan · 08-02-2003 03:01PM

whats the point in giving them gun? there never around when theres trouble anyway!!!

Victor · 10-02-2003 07:21PM

Originally posted by Cian
Usually these mistakes are non-fatal, and are easily covered up. When's the last time you saw a garda charged with assault bar the may 6th incident?

Typically they aren't, but the Garda has forked out €6m for compensation claims over the last few years.

Cian · 11-02-2003 02:15AM

Originally posted by Victor
Typically they aren't, but the Garda has forked out €6m for compensation claims over the last few years.

I don't feel that financial compensation is adequate when you're talking about the lack of individual culpability within a government agency.

Chaos-Engine · 11-02-2003 02:36AM

some should carry largish weapons

MP5's and teh like
no hand guns

dress different also

Should Garda's Carry Guns ?

should Garda Carry Guns ? 47 votes

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