Your experiences with the Gards over the years.

JackieBauer · 25-05-2016 02:16AM #1

No, I'm not Tony Soprano or Henry Hill. However, this is a mere discussion on our national police force. I know Gards, most people probably do also. What is your general opinion of our police force? There is no reason for this to get out of hand. No libellous or abusive crap etc.

Anyway, I think most of them are very cock sure and ignorant so and so's, and some are nice.

mansize · 25-05-2016 02:24AM

Gardai? All my dealings with them have been pleasant

Lyaiera · 25-05-2016 02:33AM

I'm wary of them because they can lock me up.

pappyodaniel · 25-05-2016 02:58AM

Whilst I wouldn't have a warm relationship with them I do respect the institution. For instance if I get attacked, suffer a burglary or experience an accident they would be my first port of call. My own opinion is the less dealings you have with the Gardai, then your life is going in the right direction.

JackieBauer · 25-05-2016 03:02AM

pappyodaniel wrote: »

Whilst I wouldn't have a warm relationship with them I do respect the institution. For instance if I get attacked, suffer a burglary or experience an accident they would be my first port of call. My own opinion is the less dealings you have with the Gardai, then your life is going in the right direction.

Absolutley, them and the Social Welfare.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 25-05-2016 08:09AM

They're absolute perverts!

the ones I knew anyway
In a professional capacity, they've been always nice to me. The only run in I ever had with a rude one was some young one, bit of a chip on her shoulder. Was grand though.

AndyBoBandy · 25-05-2016 08:19AM

I believe those at the coal face are doing a good job with limited resources. I believe higher up the chain, they probably could be doing better.

If dealing with a Garda (not that I ever do), I would always act cordially and treat them with the respect the badge warrants. After all, If I fear for my or my families safety, they are the ones I would call on and the ones I would expect to protect me.

My first ever 'encounter' with the Garda was being caught writing on the lamp post opposite my house when I was a kid, I wrote that "Eoin has a mallet head" in blue marker, and they wanted to know who Eoin was (Eoin was a kid from a few houses up the road from me), Eoin's father was actually a Garda, and I was shíttíng myself that the Garda questioning me would somehow put 2 & 2 together and lock me up for life!!

Those truly were the days when not a single iota was given.

js35 · 25-05-2016 08:23AM

Never had a problem with the Garda always found them ok to deal with bit them but then again I've never been in trouble with them

AudreyHepburn · 25-05-2016 08:39AM

I've never had issues with the Gardai, they've always pleasant and professional in my dealings with them.

Treat them with respect, be pleasant and polite and you'll get the same in return. I really don't understand why people struggle so much with this simple concept.

The Gardai have a tough stressful job as it is, they deserve our respect and support.

Diemos · 25-05-2016 08:39AM

Never been in any kind of trouble with them.
My bike was stolen, I never even bothered reporting it.
They don't want to know or care (learned that lesson after reporting a break in).

It has to be tough for them, understaffed and seeing scum with 20+ convictions just walking free time after time has to hit morale.
But the level of crime with scum rarely caught and the brazenness of these scumbags has become worse in recent years.

I think the gardai are underpaid (certainly at lower grades) and understaffed but I think they are losing the respect of the community.

Winterlong · 25-05-2016 08:42AM

My main interaction with the Gardai was from going to Coppers.
So all I can really say is that they speak with a funny accent, like drinking and love nurses.
Great bunch of lads.

Timberrrrrrrr · 25-05-2016 08:43AM

Never had an issue with them, tough, thankless job that they do well.

genericguy · 25-05-2016 08:50AM

Have experienced them picking on myself and my friends as a child, for no reason other than the area we grew up in was rough. Have experienced them refuse to come out to assaults and burglaries because they were "too busy". They arrive faster than bullets from guns when you offer to take care of things yourself though. I've noted their absence on occasions where known drug dealers have been murdered, whereas they would have been up those people's arses for weeks on end before suddenly disappearing. And now, on a day to day basis, I hear their cries of lack of support and resources to fight crime while 4 to 6 of them stand on college green to give out fines to people for driving through it at 5pm.

All in all, I wouldn't rate them. I know it's the crap pay that stops useful and hard working humans from joining; I certainly wouldn't work for their money, but the absolute dregs that put on that uniform every day leave a lot to be desired.

Sleepy · 25-05-2016 09:11AM

I'm often a bit wary of them if I meet them in their professional capacity tbh. It's kind of an instinctual response to wonder what they could be planning to arrest me for!

That said, I've never seen one behave less than professionally when on duty and I believe they're woefully under-resourced and that the legal system is letting them down badly. Myself and Mrs Sleepy were watching "The Guards" last night on RTE2 and after each incident the results of any of the convictions they brought in relation to the crimes they were arresting people for were detailed. People who had carried out vicious assaults on the public, or the Gardaí themselves were getting let off with fines (or in the case of one woman, a caution!), scumbags robbing people's mobiles in broad daylight were being released without charge!

Sh1tbag OToole · 25-05-2016 09:20AM

Each time I get stopped by a guard I feel like I'm getting good value for my car insurance. So far it has cost me about €2,000 per guard

Potatoeman · 25-05-2016 09:22AM

genericguy wrote: »

Have experienced them picking on myself and my friends as a child, for no reason other than the area we grew up in was rough. Have experienced them refuse to come out to assaults and burglaries because they were "too busy". They arrive faster than bullets from guns when you offer to take care of things yourself though. I've noted their absence on occasions where known drug dealers have been murdered, whereas they would have been up those people's arses for weeks on end before suddenly disappearing. And now, on a day to day basis, I hear their cries of lack of support and resources to fight crime while 4 to 6 of them stand on college green to give out fines to people for driving through it at 5pm.

All in all, I wouldn't rate them. I know it's the crap pay that stops useful and hard working humans from joining; I certainly wouldn't work for their money, but the absolute dregs that put on that uniform every day leave a lot to be desired.

How would you take care of a burglary yourself unless you knew who did it? Even then you need proof. All they can do is take fingerprints unless there are witnesses.

What do you expect them to do for a known dealer that's killed. They turn up at the murder scene but if friends and family won't talk,what do you expect? It's the same in rough area's, people complain about them but won't talk to them.

razorblunt · 25-05-2016 09:25AM

I've never, thankfully, had any dealings with them other than routine check points.
On a whole though, they're human and as a job they'd have be the same as every profession, some good, some bad, some downright awful. That's life.

bluestrattos · 25-05-2016 09:31AM

I had to deal with the Gardai 3 times so far, and every single time, they were nice, sound, professional people, the kind of characteristics you would expect from a police force.

valoren · 25-05-2016 09:41AM

Majority I've dealt with have been polite and professional.

You'll always get some who rub people up the wrong way, intentionally or not.
You know the type, who talk very condescendingly to you, perhaps looking for a reaction to exploit or any excuse to justify their power tripping.
They're the worst type. It would be true for every police force worldwide I'd imagine.

Rega · 25-05-2016 09:48AM

Years back I was on my way down to Dingle for a bank holiday weekend. This was back before the towns were bypassed and it could potentially take hours to get from Limerick to Tralee depending on traffic. Anyway, I got stuck behind this German reg car who was sauntering along at 50kph enjoying the scenery. The tailback behind him grew and grew but he was oblivious to it all. Just coming into Castleisland there's a straight stretch so I took my chance and flew past him. Got to the bottom of the hill and out steps a guard beckoning me in.

"Christ, you were fairly moving there." he says.
"Was I?"
"Oh you were"
"Seán, show him the speed gun" he roars over to his colleague at the other side of the road.
Seán shows me the speed I was going.
"Sorry, guard. I got stuck behind a tourist who was barely moving."
"Ah yeah, they're a right curse. Where are you off to yourself?"
"Heading down to Dingle for the weekend, guard."
He fills out and gives me the speeding ticket.
"Don't let this ruin your weekend. You'll have a ball."
"Thanks, guard."
"Good luck lads."

He crosses back over the road.

Just at that moment the fúcking German car tootles past.

Duggy747 · 25-05-2016 09:54AM

Have only had bad experiences with the small town variety who were known for getting up to all kinds of shenanigans behind closed doors.

Probably doesn't help that I know some absolutely disturbed people who went off and joined the force, really the last people you would trust in an authority role or even with a baton........hell, wouldn't even trust them with a desk job on the force. I pity the poor sods who've crossed or will cross their paths in the future.

On the flip side, never had problems with the Gardaí in the cities and know a few others on the force who are good folk and hard workers.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 25-05-2016 09:56AM

I got pulled twice for speeding. First guard was lovely. Wanted to see my license I was rooting through about three handbags looking for it before he gave up. Told me not to do it again or I wouldn't make it home in one piece.

Second time, about a week later, another older guard. Blue lights, pulls me over. All for writing me a ticket and has a change of heart, tells me next time he will give me a ticket. Was never caught after that.

25-05-2016 09:57AM

I was thrown up against a wall by one at slane and searched, they were really aggressive but I just complied. I heard another one saying to my brother "F***in Nordies".

I was also asked by one in the Monaghan bus station, when I was having a piss if I had any drugs on me, was very strange.

All other dealings have been grand since.

osarusan · 25-05-2016 09:58AM

Very very little dealing with them apart from them signing a form for me or something.

Had one utter knobhead at a LOI match in Monaghan a few years ago spout some section something point something and instruct me to leave the premises so he could arrest my friend. The summons got dropped later - my friend rang a solicitor, who contacted a solicitor in Monaghan and when the Garda's name was mentioned, the Monaghan solicitor just laughed and said that they'd nothing to worry about and it would come to nothing, which is exactly what happened.

There's a chronic lack of them patrolling Limerick city centre though.

Seth Brundle · 25-05-2016 09:59AM

JackieBauer wrote: »

Anyway, I think most of them are very cock sure and ignorant so and so's, and some are nice.

What were you doing that you managed to meet most of our gardai to know that they're ignorant and cock-sure?

Widdershins · 25-05-2016 10:03AM

The contents of a friend's work van was robbed. He was tipped off about the culprit, drove past their yard and saw one of his own pieces of equipment in the yard. He rang the gardai and told them, and he was told to go and take the gear back himself. I can only guess nobody wanted to go over there as the thief is a rough character.

Nekarsulm · 25-05-2016 10:06AM

Local Gardai are sound. Had a bike stolen in Dublin and the guy who arrived was polite and processional, but he had to admit it was not going to be recovered. His name was Lawless, but I didn't think it wise to make a joke about it

Seth Brundle · 25-05-2016 10:07AM

Widdershins wrote: »

The contents of a friend's work van was robbed. He was tipped off about the culprit, drove past their yard and saw one of his own pieces of equipment in the yard. He rang the gardai and told them, and he was told to go and take the gear back himself. I can only guess nobody wanted to go over there as the thief is a rough character.

In fairness, what can the gardai do?
Was the stolen equipment identifiable in any way?
I doubt that the garda who was advising them was scared. More likely that there was either a manpower issue or that the gardai would not be able do anything legally.

Widdershins · 25-05-2016 10:13AM

kbannon wrote: »

In fairness, what can the gardai do?
Was the stolen equipment identifiable in any way?
I doubt that the garda who was advising them was scared. More likely that there was either a manpower issue or that the gardai would not be able do anything legally.

No idea about their powers but I'm assuming garda could've knocked on the door and said he's acting on a complaint, a report or something? There was a report made about the theft when it happened too. Yeah the equipment would've been marked.

AudreyHepburn · 25-05-2016 10:53AM

genericguy wrote: »

Have experienced them picking on myself and my friends as a child, for no reason other than the area we grew up in was rough. Have experienced them refuse to come out to assaults and burglaries because they were "too busy". They arrive faster than bullets from guns when you offer to take care of things yourself though. I've noted their absence on occasions where known drug dealers have been murdered, whereas they would have been up those people's arses for weeks on end before suddenly disappearing. And now, on a day to day basis, I hear their cries of lack of support and resources to fight crime while 4 to 6 of them stand on college green to give out fines to people for driving through it at 5pm.

All in all, I wouldn't rate them. I know it's the crap pay that stops useful and hard working humans from joining; I certainly wouldn't work for their money, but the absolute dregs that put on that uniform every day leave a lot to be desired.

To be honest when some-one says that they have had nothing but trouble with police, my immediate reaction is to wonder if the issue is with the person themselves, not the Gardai.

I find it hard to believe that every Garda you have dealt with is a bad egg.

Perhaps you need to step back and have a look at how you interact with them; Are you smart with them? Uncooperative? Rude? Disrespectful?

genericguy · 25-05-2016 11:20AM

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

To be honest when some-one says that they have had nothing but trouble with police, my immediate reaction is to wonder if the issue is with the person themselves, not the Gardai.

I find it hard to believe that every Garda you have dealt with is a bad egg.

Perhaps you need to step back and have a look at how you interact with them; Are you smart with them? Uncooperative? Rude? Disrespectful?

And that assumption is fair enough.

But ive never been disrespectful to them at all, because I know you can't win when dealing with them. A housemate eof mine when I lived on the southside was sexually assaulted, and the police were fantastic. Similarly a friend of mine whose house I was in, had had a car stolen and the police were fantastic. Again this was on the southside.

Any occasion at all that I've dealt with them on the north side, they have universally been useless pieces of sh1t.

Perhaps anyone that rises above the grade of uniformed street patroller may be decent.

Your experiences with the Gards over the years.

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