Ombudsman sends complaints on gardaí to DPP

THE Garda Ombudsman has begun referring a number of complaints against gardaí to the Director of Public Prosecutions as well as recommending others be resolved through mediation.

Following its first six months in receipt of complaints, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission has completed its first batch of investigations, which have been sent forward for possible criminal prosecution.

A number of others involving members of the public with grievances have been recommended for mediation, in which serving Garda members will meet complainants face-to-face.

The offices of the Garda Ombudsman could not confirm yesterday how many complaints were with the DPP.

Under its remit, the commission can also send complaint cases against gardaí forward to the Garda Commissioner to consider disciplinary procedure. A number of disciplinary recommendations by the Ombudsman are thought to be nearing completion.

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, since it began accepting complaints in May, has been handed 1,600 from the public and another 210 from gardaí.

The figure already overtakes the number of grievances logged by the public with the commission’s predecessor, the Garda Síochána Complaints Board, which logged an average of 1,300 complaints annually.

The commission’s policy is to reply to complaints by letter within 48 hours.

It expects to receive a total of 3,500 complaints by next May and is studying patterns of complaints, like their type and region of origin.

The offices of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission meanwhile has received over a dozen applications from former as well as serving gardaí keen to join as investigators.