Gardaí told not to seize dangerous cars: AGSI member

GARDAÍ are being discouraged from seizing dangerous and uninsured cars because they have nowhere to store them, a garda conference was told yesterday.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) also heard that members were using obsolete firearms against criminals armed with high calibre weapons and that many districts did not have any armed officers.

Iggy Larkin of the Donegal branch told delegates that his area had a major problem with “boy racers”, who paid €100 for a clapped out car from unscrupulous sellers.

He said that in 2004, 30 people were killed in Donegal on the roads and that 20 of them were under 25 years of age.

He said these youths died in the first six months of 2004 and that a special operation was then set up, resulting in the seizure of 140 cars.

These cars were seized under Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act for being uninsured, untaxed or driven by an underage person.

“But we have nowhere to put those cars. As a result we had a station packed full of cars,” said Mr Larkin.

“Gardaí are actively discouraged from seizing such vehicles as there is simply no place to store them.”

Mr Larkin also pointed out that foreign registered cars could not be seized under the law.

The conference passed a motion calling for proper, secure facilities to store these cars.

Padraig Tully of Longford/Westmeath told the conference that the number of members authorised to carry weapons had fallen by 30% nationwide last year and as much as 50% in some divisions.

“There are a lot of districts in the country that don’t have armed personnel,” he told delegates.

He said there had been an increase in the number of armed and dangerous criminals and called for more Gardaí to be trained in the use of firearms.

AGSI general secretary Joe Dirwan said there needed to be better training for existing armed Gardaí, rather than arming more officers.

He said armed Gardaí driving in a saloon car were expected to deal with criminals high on drugs, armed with high calibre weapons and driving high-powered vehicles.

“Members obliged to carry firearms are armed with obsolete weapons issued for defensive purposes,” he said.

Mr Dirwan said there were no guidelines for supervisors on how to deploy armed members to deal with a firearms incident.

He said no armed officers outside the emergency response unit were trained either in the use of firearms in darkness, in the interception of vehicles or when approaching occupied buildings.

The motion was referred to the national executive of the AGSI for further debate.