Armed units to combat gun crime

THE armed response units are being set up in the wake of barricade incidents, such as Abbeylara, and a rise in the availability of guns across the country.

In her review of the Abbeylara tribunal last March, Garda Inspector Kathleen O’Toole recommended the establishment of second-tier Garda response units to deal with barricade incidents pending the arrival of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU).

The 2008 Policing Plan, published on Monday, announced the creation of such units to support front-line gardaí when confronted with an armed incident.

“They will have both firearm and less lethal capabilities and are trained to a very high standard, with 11 weeks of solid training,” said assistant commissioner Nacie Rice, who is in charge of setting up the units.

Each of the five Garda regions outside Dublin will have two support units, each comprising two sergeants and eight gardaí. Dublin is served by the ERU.

Mr Rice said the units are made up of uniformed gardaí who will conduct normal patrols. They will switch to being an armed response team when they are alerted to an armed incident.

The regional units will be placed in two locations in each region.

It is understood the units are being first piloted in the southern region, with one unit in the Limerick division and the second in the Cork city division.