Armed garda units get go-ahead despite concerns of rank-and-file
While associations representing both tiers of the force welcome the establishment of Regional Support Units, they have some concerns about the way they are being set up.
The units, announced earlier this week in the Policing Plan for 2008, form a “second tier” firearms response to armed situations, including barricade incidents.
The units were recommended by Garda Inspector Kathleen O’Toole in her review of the Barr Tribunal, which examined the shooting dead of John Carty in Abbeylara, Co Longford, in 2000.
The units are drawn from uniformed gardaí on normal policing duties in marked patrol cars. When they are alerted to an armed incident, they will change clothes and arm themselves with weapons kept in the patrol car boot.
A number of signs will be placed on the patrol car to distinguish the vehicle from other marked patrol cars.
The selected gardaí have been given specific training for the job.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) and the Garda Representative Association (GRA) raised concerns after the plan was published.
These include “blurring” the distinction between unarmed uniformed members and non-uniformed armed officers.
They are also concerned uniformed officers in patrol cars may be mistaken for Regional Support Units
“We are concerned the proposals would blur the distinction between the regular uniformed personnel and the special armed units,” said AGSI general secretary, Joe Dirwan.
“A survey of our members showed well over two-thirds were of the opinion that the proposals would place uniformed members at risk.”
In addition, he said there was the danger of “friendly fire” between different gardaí. “We are deeply concerned at the mix of uniformed and plain clothes personnel which would inevitably result from the proposals.
“As divisional resources, armed plain-clothes personnel inevitably are called to incidents involving firearms at an early stage and are likely to be on the scene when the second tier response unit arrives. The danger of so-called ‘friendly fire’ incidents would be extremely high.”
A final meeting between the associations and Garda management about the teams was held on Thursday.
Garda bosses are understood to have given assurances to the associations. However, the associations remained concerned and the units are proceeding against their advice.
The Regional Support Units are being piloted in the Garda Southern Region. Garda bosses stress the units’ members will not be uniformed when armed and could not be confused with uniformed officers.
They also committed to “rolling reviews” of the scheme.
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