Force ready to put Morris report behind it

THE new head of the Garda Inspectorate has said the force is ready to move on in the wake of the highly critical Morris Tribunal report.

Kathleen O’Toole, former Boston Police Commissioner, said she was not shocked by the findings of the Morris report.

“My first impression, and it’s an early impression, is the general consensus within the force is to move on and get beyond the difficult times. The force is open to change, and open to suggestions,” she said.

Ms O’Toole is expected to deliver her recommendations for reform of the force, including increased use of civilians and improved technology, by the new year.

“It was obvious to me very early on that civilian support had to be looked at. Only about 10% of the organisation at the moment is civilian. In Boston, it was 30% and in some forces in Britain, it’s as much as 40%,” Ms O’Toole said.

She believes that civilians can be utilised in a number of different positions, including finance, HR and as analysts. However, she said vigorous screening would have to be deployed to ensure no civilians posed a security risk to the force.

Ms O’Toole revealed she wasn’t just talking to senior officers, because she was anxious to get a view from the ground up.

“I am committed to getting it right. I have been pleasantly surprised people have been so forthcoming and I really appreciate that,” she said.

“I am also keeping very strong lines of communication open with officials in the Department of Justice.”

Ms O’Toole, who was appointed to her role on May 9, said it was important to promote efficiency and effectiveness and to benchmark the gardaí against other forces.

She added that the PULSE computer system was a good foundation for holding information, but felt there may be room to upgrade it. “There is a lot of fantastic technology out there which could be utilised,” Ms O’Toole said.

She supports the introduction of new digital radio equipment nationwide.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) has frequently criticised the failure of analogue communication systems which can be listened into by criminals and tend to break down.

Ms O’Toole, a former member of the Patten Commission, which reformed policing in the North, said she plans a thorough examination of the force. Already she has visited divisional headquarters, in Limerick, Galway, Roscommon, Mullingar, Tralee and parts of Dublin.