200 high power vehicles for Garda

POGAN · 20-10-2015 7:04am #1

A new garda "motorway patrol unit" using high-powered cars forms the cornerstone of a new Government plan to upgrade the force's fleet with more than 200 extra vehicles.

The Government is finally responding to the worsening crime epidemic by signing off on the immediate purchase of more than 200 high-visibility vehicles, the Irish Independent has learned.

The fleet, which will be announced today by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, will be used to target criminal gangs suspected of using the country's motorway network to carry out burglaries and other crimes.

A significant number of the vehicles will also be provided to rural communities which are struggling to cope with a recent spate in criminal activity.

Such is the level of fear, leading members of the farming community say landowners will go to whatever lengths necessary to defend their homes.

Homeowners have reported sleeping with firearms beside their beds, while many country communities say they have lost faith in the ability of gardaí to protect them.

Poignant stories detailing individual efforts to combat criminals have also been detailed by TDs in the Dáil. But it was the ordeal suffered by Tipperary couple Mark and Emma Corcoran and their three young daughters that sent shockwaves throughout the country. The family have been left scarred after a seven-man gang from Dublin carried out an aggravated burglary at their home two years ago.

The vicious thugs were handed prison sentences ranging from 12 to 20 years for a burglary that had "catastrophic" effects on the young family, according to the judge in the trial.

Now, the Government has pledged to unveil a series of special operations and multi-million euro investments aimed at responding to the crime epidemic.

As part of a package of long-awaited measures due to be announced in the coming days, the Department of Justice has shored up additional cash for more than 200 vehicles.

Sources say the Garda fleet will consist of high-powered Audi vehicles, motorbikes, vans and BMWs for undercover gardaí. This will include specially commissioned Audi Q7 four-wheel drives kitted out to the highest spec by the German manufacturer.

These vehicles will be given to the armed Emergency Response Unit, which will fit compartments for assault rifles and handguns. The 4WDs will be used for checkpoints and high-speed motorway pursuits of roaming burglary gangs.

"They have very high horsepower - they are a serious piece of kit," a senior source said.
Undercover gardaí will be given access to a new fleet of BMWs. For security reasons, the exact model of the German brand can not be published.
It's believed more than €5m has been approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the purchase.

"The vehicles will be on the road by the end of the year and will be used for motorway and rural policing," a source told the Irish Independent.
The purchase has been agreed between Ms Fitzgerald and Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan.

The new vehicles are separate to the 370-strong fleet that was made active in 2015. Some €1.75m was also set aside for the installation of new infra-red technology Garda aircraft, while the recruitment of more than 600 new gardaí was announced in last week's Budget.

A core group of up to 10 family-based mobs are involved in the crime wave that has targeted vulnerable rural homes and used the country's motorway system to make rapid getaways.
The gangs, who use high- powered cars that often speed away from Garda vehicles, are mostly Dublin-based, made up of criminals based in suburban areas in the south of the capital.
It is estimated that more than 300 criminals are involved.

Irish Independent

Potential-Monke · 20-10-2015 9:09am

Meanwhile, city stations will continue to get Hyundais...

Tell me how · 20-10-2015 9:11am

I'm reading this as Gardai getting cocaine fuelled cars....

flazio · 20-10-2015 10:20am

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Meanwhile, city stations will continue to get Hyundais...

Well if you're going to get vehicles that will be subjected to this sort of abuse

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/thugs-ram-garda-car-in-stolen-vehicle-after-high-speed-chase-34120487.html

No point in buying in vehicles that would be expensive to repair or replace.

kirving · 20-10-2015 10:34am

flazio wrote: »

No point in buying in vehicles that would be expensive to repair or replace.

Put all the Gards in Dacias in that case. No. The Gardai need adequate vehicles for the job.

[Deleted User] · 20-10-2015 1:06pm

flazio wrote: »

No point in buying in vehicles that would be expensive to repair or replace.

There is never any problem getting cars repaired. Or should I say, the only problem is cars being repaired that should be scrapped.

ratracer · 20-10-2015 1:33pm

Any word on what motorbikes they they are going with? Will it be more FJR's? I know they had a BMW on trial, how did that go? And also, what will they use to replace the Deauville ( probably not in this segment, I know).

Little CuChulainn · 20-10-2015 6:10pm

Those high powered cars will really go well alongside the current pursuit policy.

timmywex · 20-10-2015 6:15pm

Who do they intend will drive these high powered cars?

sasta le · 20-10-2015 6:17pm

Pre election pr stunt shur birdie thinks the cars will need the fast motorcars

arthur daly · 20-10-2015 6:33pm

If it's high power they wanted they made a mistake going with bmw unless they are going to x3 the 5m and get m3/5
There are quiet a few cars priced way lower than the bm putting put way more hp quicker 0-60(that's all that matters if they want speed and reliable.
I'm yet to be impressed by a bmw over other cars iv always managed to easily find something else of better value.
Bmw are more business class middle aged-pensioner that hot race machine

They should gave invested in a few r32 golf st focus/mondeo and others known to fun drivers cars.

I guarantee you would find it hard to get something to catch a r32 or st focus on a backroad(government are targeting rural areas with the fleet)
So why do they want a heap of big heavy cars that won't handle at all.

gctest50 · 20-10-2015 6:57pm

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

Those high powered cars will really go well alongside the current pursuit policy.

it's just a huge dose of fixing the symptom & not the cause all over again

it must be election time again soon is it ?

(there should be safety benefits to better yokes though - good thing any day of the week ))

.

Rawhead · 20-10-2015 7:22pm

POGAN wrote: »

A new garda "motorway patrol unit" using high-powered cars forms the cornerstone of a new Government plan to upgrade the force's fleet with more than 200 extra vehicles.

The Government is finally responding to the worsening crime epidemic by signing off on the immediate purchase of more than 200 high-visibility vehicles, the Irish Independent has learned.

The fleet, which will be announced today by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, will be used to target criminal gangs suspected of using the country's motorway network to carry out burglaries and other crimes.

A significant number of the vehicles will also be provided to rural communities which are struggling to cope with a recent spate in criminal activity.

Such is the level of fear, leading members of the farming community say landowners will go to whatever lengths necessary to defend their homes.

Homeowners have reported sleeping with firearms beside their beds, while many country communities say they have lost faith in the ability of gardaí to protect them.

Poignant stories detailing individual efforts to combat criminals have also been detailed by TDs in the Dáil. But it was the ordeal suffered by Tipperary couple Mark and Emma Corcoran and their three young daughters that sent shockwaves throughout the country. The family have been left scarred after a seven-man gang from Dublin carried out an aggravated burglary at their home two years ago.

The vicious thugs were handed prison sentences ranging from 12 to 20 years for a burglary that had "catastrophic" effects on the young family, according to the judge in the trial.

Now, the Government has pledged to unveil a series of special operations and multi-million euro investments aimed at responding to the crime epidemic.

As part of a package of long-awaited measures due to be announced in the coming days, the Department of Justice has shored up additional cash for more than 200 vehicles.

Sources say the Garda fleet will consist of high-powered Audi vehicles, motorbikes, vans and BMWs for undercover gardaí. This will include specially commissioned Audi Q7 four-wheel drives kitted out to the highest spec by the German manufacturer.

These vehicles will be given to the armed Emergency Response Unit, which will fit compartments for assault rifles and handguns. The 4WDs will be used for checkpoints and high-speed motorway pursuits of roaming burglary gangs.

"They have very high horsepower - they are a serious piece of kit," a senior source said.
Undercover gardaí will be given access to a new fleet of BMWs. For security reasons, the exact model of the German brand can not be published.
It's believed more than €5m has been approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the purchase.

"The vehicles will be on the road by the end of the year and will be used for motorway and rural policing," a source told the Irish Independent.
The purchase has been agreed between Ms Fitzgerald and Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan.

The new vehicles are separate to the 370-strong fleet that was made active in 2015. Some €1.75m was also set aside for the installation of new infra-red technology Garda aircraft, while the recruitment of more than 600 new gardaí was announced in last week's Budget.

A core group of up to 10 family-based mobs are involved in the crime wave that has targeted vulnerable rural homes and used the country's motorway system to make rapid getaways.
The gangs, who use high- powered cars that often speed away from Garda vehicles, are mostly Dublin-based, made up of criminals based in suburban areas in the south of the capital.
It is estimated that more than 300 criminals are involved.

Irish Independent

I can only assume that Commissoner O'Sullivan will be immediately launching a investigation to root out the source of this leak. If one was a cynic you would nearly think this was a well timed story designed to appeal to the traditional Fine Gael farming base in the run up to an election.
Still, I suppose if this kind of garbage story is the price that needs to be paid for AGS to get the equipment they need, so be it. Still disgusting to see a national newspaper doing free PR pieces for the government though.

carzony · 20-10-2015 8:12pm

I'm sure they also have an order in with the likes of Ford and toyota but keeping that quiet. you may see focus, mondeo st soon lads...

200 is a fairly big order also..

The Black Oil · 20-10-2015 9:39pm

Rawhead wrote: »

I can only assume that Commissoner O'Sullivan will be immediately launching a investigation to root out the source of this leak. If one was a cynic you would nearly think this was a well timed story designed to appeal to the traditional Fine Gael farming base in the run up to an election.
Still, I suppose if this kind of garbage story is the price that needs to be paid for AGS to get the equipment they need, so be it. Still disgusting to see a national newspaper doing free PR pieces for the government though.

It was discussed on Prime Time earlier this week or last. There's a whiff of electioneering about it, of course. As for the Independent, they're very much pro-AGS and will always do these pieces quoting "sources".

Welcome news anyway. Needs to be sustained in the long-term, not just for the lifetime of one government. Even when the country was awash with money it's not as if Fianna Fail furnished AGS with a fleet fit for the job.

gctest50 · 21-10-2015 1:37am

carzony wrote: »

I'm sure they also have an order in with the likes of Ford and toyota but keeping that quiet. you may see focus, mondeo st soon lads...

200 is a fairly big order also..

meh - could have used it on a downpayment on an apache

downside - you may not get the farmer his good bosch drill back in one piece

[Deleted User] · 21-10-2015 8:02am

Rawhead wrote: »

I can only assume that Commissoner O'Sullivan will be immediately launching a investigation to root out the source of this leak.

It's a press release and statement from the Minister for Justice. One which has been made several times but sure, keep announcing it and it sounds new to some people.

Rawhead · 21-10-2015 9:45am

foreign wrote: »

It's a press release and statement from the Minister for Justice. One which has been made several times but sure, keep announcing it and it sounds new to some people.

I was referring to the "sources say the fleet will consist of Audi's etc., etc". Given the commissioners high profile arrest of a ranking officer for speaking to the press despite him being authorised to do so, I would only presume she would appoint her husband senior officer to investigate this leak.
Then again, it seems that leaks that make management and ministers look good are okay, ones that embarrass same are bad.
Anyway, I'm delighted that AGS are finally starting to get some of the equipment they need to do their job, it's badly needed.

carzony · 21-10-2015 5:38pm

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCUQqQIwAWoVChMIuMCMif_TyAIVSN0sCh3XrAi-&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime-and-law%2Fonly-one-in-10-new-garda-cars-high-powered-1.2399420&usg=AFQjCNFUPnJYi1gaCbg1wEk2MJMPK-KFig&bvm=bv.105454873,d.bGg

ezra_ · 21-10-2015 9:06pm

What do they use in the UK/NI for 'standard' police cars?

flazio · 21-10-2015 11:07pm

London Met use Hyundais i30s.

toptom · 21-10-2015 11:09pm

They should be giving helicopters to the Gardai. Be a great way to police the rural areas

Capri · 21-10-2015 11:35pm

carzony wrote: »

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCUQqQIwAWoVChMIuMCMif_TyAIVSN0sCh3XrAi-&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime-and-law%2Fonly-one-in-10-new-garda-cars-high-powered-1.2399420&usg=AFQjCNFUPnJYi1gaCbg1wEk2MJMPK-KFig&bvm=bv.105454873,d.bGg

'Creative journalism' meets 'Govt spin' ?

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/only-one-in-10-new-garda-cars-high-powered-1.2399420

Only one in 10 of the 260 new Garda vehicles promised by the Government will be high-powered and none will be specifically allocated to the fight against highly mobile gangs carrying out crimes in rural areas, it has emerged.

Specialist units within the Garda will instead be given the vehicles to replace existing cars that must be taken out of service because they have reached their safe mileage limit.

Reliable sources said while the unveiling of €5.3 million for Garda vehicles by Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald yesterday had been billed as additional resourcing, the money for the high-powered vehicle component of the announcement was revealed last month.

The Government is set to sign off on a fleet of new Garda cars to patrol the motorways.

And the total order for the 260 vehicles was placed three months ago after a protracted procurement process.

One senior source said “less than 30” of the new vehicles would be high-powered models and that these would go to the emergency response unit, regional support units and anti-terrorism special detective unit for a wide range of police work.

The high-powered cars will be Audi Q7 4x4s and BMW 5 Series saloon and estate cars.

The remainder of the order would be made up mostly of Hyundai i30 and i40 family cars fitted with Garda emergency lights and sirens and in the Garda livery.

And while Ms Fitzgerald said the “new investment” in the Garda fleet would enhance the force’s capacity to fight serious crime – from organised and mobile gangs to public order flashpoints – senior Garda sources have revealed the current state of neglect of the existing fleet, including:

54 per cent of all Garda vehicles are now more than three years old.

360 vehicles must be put out of service this year having passed 300,000km, a safety limit only recently increased from 200,000km.

€700,000 to purchase the high-powered Garda vehicles promised by Ms Fitzgerald had been included in a press release from her department on September 29th.

Only one-third of Garda vehicles are less than two years old.

The Garda fleet is still 125 vehicles off its high of 2,814 of 2010.

The current fleet numbers of 2,690 is an increase of 282 vehicles off the 2013 low point of the fleet.

Speaking about the €5.3 million in funding, Ms Fitzgerald said: “[It is] proof positive of this Government’s determination to ensure that the gardaí have all the necessary tools at their disposal to tackle the scourge of highly-mobile criminal gangs and to disrupt crime, particularly burglaries, across both rural and urban communities.”

Chronic need However, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) said its members were now expected to be “really grateful for having the basic tools” for policing work.

Vice president Ciaran O’Neill said while the Government had invested in vehicles and was continuing to do so, there was a chronic need for that investment to even maintain the fleet at current numbers.

Out of service “The cars we’ve gotten so far are standard family cars with Garda lights and radios; these are not specially fitted out policing vehicles,” said Mr O’Neill.

“They are replacing the cars that have been on the go 24-7 for years now and simply have to be put out of service.

“We are talking about replacing [vehicles] that reached 200,000km on the clock and would have gone out of service then but for the safety limit being increased to 300,000km.”

Wed, Oct 21, 2015, 08:18

Basic maths, E5.3mil 260 vehicles = E20,384 per unit. 'Fleet price / No VRT VAT etc means that you'll probably get a 'Police spec' Mondeo for the price of a civilian Fiesta so we can put away the leather driving gloves required for X5 /Q7's

Seeing as it's 'Back to the Future' day how about 'investing' in some 'Aerial Policemen' http://www.policeuavdrones.com/
http://www.policeuavdrones.com/applications_lawenforcement.htm

Back in the days when they were downsizing US patrol cars it was said that 'Police radio (waves) travel faster than patrol cars' so if you know where your target is, or is going to, then you only need something (expendable) to block him, and not destroy a good BMW http://www.bmw.com/_common/shared/general/corporate_specialsales_2013/authority_vehicles/overview/50-years-of-experience.jpg

http://media0.faz.net/ppmedia/aktuell/gesellschaft/2196608864/1.3204042/article_multimedia_overview/truemmerfeld-auf-der-autobahn.jpg

[Deleted User] · 22-10-2015 7:56am

flazio wrote: »

London Met use Hyundais i30s.

Which are being replaced by the Ford Focus. Their main response cars were BMW's and they were replaced with the Octavia VRS. Their traffic have Volvo's and X5's, not a Hyundai in sight.

ezra_ · 22-10-2015 4:13pm

foreign wrote: »

Which are being replaced by the Ford Focus. Their main response cars were BMW's and they were replaced with the Octavia VRS. Their traffic have Volvo's and X5's, not a Hyundai in sight.

Are the Uk cars modded?

it seems a complaint here that the cars are the standard model, just painted up.

In the UK, do non specific traffic emergency cars get upgrades to the engine, suspension etc?

flazio · 22-10-2015 5:38pm

foreignDeleted wrote: »

Which are being replaced by the Ford Focus. Their main response cars were BMW's and they were replaced with the Octavia VRS. Their traffic have Volvo's and X5's, not a Hyundai in sight.

Yes but the question was "standard " police cars.

[Deleted User] · 22-10-2015 6:25pm

flazio wrote: »

Yes but the question was "standard " police cars.

They do it different to the Gardaí.

Response cars - Octavia/Insignia/Focus
Incident Response Vehicles - i30/astra/focus

Here we just do here's a car, be happy you have it.

pah · 22-10-2015 8:10pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

As for the Independent, they're very much pro-AGS

I lol'd

The Black Oil · 22-10-2015 9:44pm

pah wrote: »

I lol'd

They do these sort puff pieces at the drop of a hat, that's even before we talk about the likes of Paul Williams.

The Times piece would suggest standard operating procedure for the Irish public service, band aid solution for the allocation of resources.

Capri · 22-10-2015 10:51pm

foreign wrote: »

Which are being replaced by the Ford Focus. Their main response cars were BMW's and they were replaced with the Octavia VRS. Their traffic have Volvo's and X5's, not a Hyundai in sight.

Ford supply Police Scotland with new fleet

Ford is to supply vehicles to Scotland’s new unified police force; Police Scotland. The new force has already placed its first order for 124 Ford Focus and 58 Ford Transit Custom models as part of a new contract with the carmaker.

Established in April 2013, the police force is the second largest in the UK after the Metropolitan Police, and is responsible for policing an area of 28,000 square miles. The latest order brings Police Scotland’s fleet to 3,500 vehicles.

The new vehicles are now being prepared for life as cop cars, fitted with the police livery and specialist equipment such as sirens.

“We chose from vehicles approved by the National Association of Police Fleet Managers and after evaluation of the whole-life costs of the various models available, Ford won the contract,” said Tony Chalk, Police Scotland transport manager. “The creation of Police Scotland has meant the centralisation of all purchasing for the police across the country, which improves standardisation and helps to reduce costs.”

Terry Adams, Ford’s direct sales manager, said: “From the production line the Ford vehicles are sent to our ‘one-stop shop’ facility, Ford SVP, in Essex, where they are stripped and equipped to the force’s requirements – everything from livery, sirens and blue lights through to specialised equipment – and then they are delivered to the customer ready for action.

“Ford has supplied vehicles to the various regional police forces across Scotland for many years, and we welcome the opportunity and benefits offered by the centralised purchasing decisions.”

Is Ireland any different in territory (small roads ) to Scotland - compared to English forces motorway/large cities patrol areas. Wonder what sort of feedback the Ford reps give to their bosses regarding our purchasing system

[Deleted User] · 23-10-2015 12:08pm

Capri wrote: »

Is Ireland any different in territory (small roads ) to Scotland - compared to English forces motorway/large cities patrol areas. Wonder what sort of feedback the Ford reps give to their bosses regarding our purchasing system

The purchase of the Hyundai's and the Avensis before it was based on the lowest purchase price rather than the long term value. Look at he well the 07 Fords lasted compared to the Toyota's?

200 high power vehicles for Garda

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