Fears over response squads in uniforms

THE main Garda associations yesterday expressed concern at the establishment of new armed Garda response units, set up to combat rising gun crime across the country.

While both the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) and the Garda Representative Association (GRA) welcomed the new squads they are concerned that they are being drawn from uniformed gardaí, who traditionally don’t carry firearms.

They are also concerned that the units will respond to incidents in marked patrol cars and claim this places all gardaí travelling in patrol cars at risk from armed individuals and criminals.