Psychic Sleuths Drive Gardai Mad

44leto · 25-03-2012 12:45PM #1

Just read an interesting article in the times (I can’t quote the article as it is subscription only online). Apparently the Gardai are been forced to divert precious Gardaí resources after been put under pressure from the victim’s family to investigate so called leads, supplied by psychic or spiritualist.

In a lot of cases the whackos come forward voluntarily or the family consults them. The most effected investigation is operation trace, the cold case unit investigating the disappearance of 6 women in the Leinster area from the 90s.

I find this depressing, that in this day and scientific age people could still believe in this crap. Also the so called psychics themselves spreading their faith and not realising the damage they are doing. I think the Gardai should introduce a blanket policy of absolutely and totally ignoring them and any prompts from them.

What are your thoughts.

Doc Ruby · 25-03-2012 12:48PM

The guards don't have to investigate anything they don't want to. If the family wants to take it up with the ombudsman they can. I smell fishiness.

AngryBollix · 25-03-2012 12:48PM

what if one of these leads prove helpful?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 25-03-2012 12:49PM

what if they threw darts at a map of Ireland and dug the ground where the darts hit hoping to find murder victims corpses?

Deus Ex Machina · 25-03-2012 12:50PM

AngryBollix wrote: »

what if one of these leads prove helpful?

What if I flip a coin 80 times and get 80 heads? I'm not going to bet a tenner on it happening again, certainly not the welfare of a loved one.

AngryBollix · 25-03-2012 12:51PM

44leto wrote: »

Just read an interesting article in the times (I can’t quote the article as it is subscription only online). Apparently the Gardai are been forced to divert precious Gardaí resources after been put under pressure from the victim’s family to investigate so called leads, supplied by psychic or spiritualist.

In a lot of cases the whackos come forward voluntarily or the family consults them. The most effected investigation is operation trace, the cold case unit investigating the disappearance of 6 women in the Leinster area from the 90s.

I find this depressing, that in this day and scientific age people could still believe in this crap. Also the so called psychics themselves spreading their faith and not realising the damage they are doing. I think the Gardai should introduce a blanket policy of absolutely and totally ignoring them and any prompts from them.

What are your thoughts.

If science is so strong why are the cases still unsolved?

byte · 25-03-2012 12:51PM

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

what if they threw darts at a map of Ireland and dug the ground where the darts hit hoping to find murder victims corpses?

It'd be awkward if the dart landed on a graveyard!

AngryBollix · 25-03-2012 12:52PM

Deus Ex Machina wrote: »

What if I flip a coin 80 times and get 80 heads? I'm not going to bet a tenner on it happening again, certainly not the welfare of a loved one.

Or you could leave the unsolved case with the gardia cold case unit where it will remain unsolved. Its a cold case for a reason

Deus Ex Machina · 25-03-2012 12:53PM

Look up Sylvia Browne and Sean Hornbeck on YouTube. The creepy bitch played emotional poker with that child's parents, genuinely sickening and hard to watch.

AngryBollix · 25-03-2012 12:54PM

It may very well be a long shot but I'd consider anything if one of my nearest and dearest went missing.

Deus Ex Machina · 25-03-2012 12:56PM

AngryBollix wrote: »

Deus Ex Machina wrote: »

What if I flip a coin 80 times and get 80 heads? I'm not going to bet a tenner on it happening again, certainly not the welfare of a loved one.

Or you could leave the unsolved case with the gardia cold case unit where it will remain unsolved. Its a cold case for a reason

Psychic abilities have never been proven in test conditions. Why don't we pray to Odin that he'll be found, we can get the most devoted Odin followers from all over the world with the tax payer's money, why not?

wexie · 25-03-2012 12:57PM

44leto wrote: »

I find this depressing, that in this day and scientific age people could still believe in this crap.

.....I agree that it's depressing, but I can't say I'm too surprised. Seems a lot of people still bellieve in an awful lot of weird and completely unfounded fairy tales. I guess that's why it's called faith rather than understanding or science.

Must be hard for the gardai though, I wouldnt really want to be the one to tell a grieving family to stop believing in some quack/hoaxster and give up all hope.

44leto · 25-03-2012 12:57PM

AngryBollix wrote: »

If science is so strong why are the cases still unsolved?

Its based on reason and evidence not faith and superstition. Off course its not perfect but it is developing. Take for example the scientific tools they have now in comparison to 50 years ago. Example DNA evidence ETC.

FatherLen · 25-03-2012 12:58PM

i do not believe in psychics. i dont care if other people do because it's not my money they are throwing away. if the family want to use a psychic let them.

My name is URL · 25-03-2012 12:58PM

AngryBollix wrote: »

It may very well be a long shot but I'd consider anything if one of my nearest and dearest went missing.

And the 'psychics' know that. I wonder if they get paid for 'helping' the families.

The Gardai should simply refuse to engage with them in any way. I'm surprised they actually give them the time of day.

44leto · 25-03-2012 01:01PM

Doc Ruby wrote: »

The guards don't have to investigate anything they don't want to. If the family wants to take it up with the ombudsman they can. I smell fishiness.

They are put under pressure by the families of the victims who were taken in by a wacko to appease them they sometimes will meet with them even search an area.

A leading detective is quoted as saying never has a psychic helped solve any case in his 30 years of experience (surprise surprise).

Wereghost · 25-03-2012 01:03PM

AngryBollix wrote: »

If science is so strong why are the cases still unsolved?

No doubt this is the bit where someone usually throws that picture of Fry from Futurama at you. You know the one - "Not sure if troll or just really, really stupid."

wexie · 25-03-2012 01:04PM

44leto wrote: »

They are put under pressure by the families of the victims who were taken in by a wacko to appease them they sometimes will meet with them even search an area.

A leading detective is quoted as saying never has a psychic helped solve any case in his 30 years of experience (surprise surprise).

Wonder what the psychics explanation for this is, bad detective work I guess. (i think physics have probably helped solve a few cases

)

(WTH I could have sworn that said physics just now?)

up for anything · 25-03-2012 01:04PM

If it was my child or family missing I would try every avenue possible. It still stumps me the amount of manpower and Gardaí power that was put into searching for Shergar and how little of that we see when a human being goes missing! I remember the gardaí coming round to search the shed at the back of our house and the near ruined house next door. Nobody did that for any of the missing women in Operation Trace.

AngryBollix · 25-03-2012 01:04PM

44leto wrote: »

Its based on reason and evidence not faith and superstition. Off course its not perfect but it is developing. Take for example the scientific tools they have now in comparison to 50 years ago. Example DNA evidence ETC.

The case remains unsolved either way. All "reason and logic" had previously failed to come up with a satisfactory solution.

Socialist_Pig · 25-03-2012 01:06PM

AngryBollix wrote: »

It may very well be a long shot but I'd consider anything if one of my nearest and dearest went missing.

like saying prayers to a bearded sky fairy?

AngryBollix · 25-03-2012 01:07PM

Socialist_Pig wrote: »

like saying prayers to a bearded sky fairy?

You could say prayers to the bearded garda sergeant in the sky that couldnt solve your case if it makes you feel better.

goose2005 · 25-03-2012 01:07PM

AngryBollix wrote: »

It may very well be a long shot but I'd consider anything if one of my nearest and dearest went missing.

Exactly. A lot of people would, and so there are those who are ready to take advantage of desperate people.

AngryBollix · 25-03-2012 01:09PM

goose2005 wrote: »

Exactly. A lot of people would, and so there are those who are ready to take advantage of desperate people.

Dont pay them then. That solves preying on desperate people.

biko · 25-03-2012 01:10PM

44leto wrote: »

Just read an interesting article in the times (I can’t quote the article as it is subscription only online).

Put in a link so people with subscriptions can read it.

AngryBollix · 25-03-2012 01:13PM

Socialist_Pig wrote: »

like saying prayers to a bearded sky fairy?

I did say it was a long shot but it may be worth a shot if a police investigation did not lead a to a satisfactory conclusion.

There is a fair probability that it may not help but why not?

Doc Ruby · 25-03-2012 01:13PM

44leto wrote: »

They are put under pressure by the families of the victims who were taken in by a wacko to appease them they sometimes will meet with them even search an area.

Its the pressure part I'm having trouble with. While I know of course its a delicate area, to be treated with sensitivity, its pretty hard to put pressure on the guards. Have you got a link to that article I wouldn't mind having a look.

Bad Panda · 25-03-2012 01:14PM

These fcuking frauds should prove their 'powers' in a scientific forum if they want to be taken seriously by the Gardai or anyone for that matter.

The fact that so many have flat out refused speaks volumes.

There's no such thing as a 'psychic'. I believe perhaps there's a possibility as we evolve there could be scope for that, but right now. Nope.

AngryBollix · 25-03-2012 01:17PM

Bad Panda wrote: »

These fcuking frauds should prove their 'powers' in a scientific forum if they want to be taken seriously by the Gardai or anyone for that matter.

The fact that so many have flat out refused speaks volumes.

There's no such thing as a 'psychic'. I believe perhaps there's a possibility as we evolve there could be scope for that, but right now. Nope.

Even if psychic ability did exist how can it be proven?

Bad Panda · 25-03-2012 01:19PM

AngryBollix wrote: »

Even if psychic ability did exist how can it be proven?

I'd imagine that would be quite an easy thing to prove, just by being psychic....

There's any number of things they could do to prove themselves..

Wereghost · 25-03-2012 01:21PM

Isn't "wasting police time" still a crime, anyway? In that case, charlatans or the delusional shouldn't be paid much attention to during an investigation; certainly not if it diverts resources from tried-and-proven methods. That's tried-and-proven. So-called psychics have been tried, tested and found wanting. The very fact that there's not a psychic investigation division of every police force tells us that.

Psychic Sleuths Drive Gardai Mad

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