Complaints against gardaí increase

The Garda Complaints Board has reported a 10% increase in complaints against gardaí in 2002.

The board’s annual report for last year said more than 1,400 complaints were received, 143 of which were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The DPP, in turn, ordered that prosecutions be initiated against nine gardaí in connection with seven separate complaints, six of which related to the Reclaim the Streets march in Dublin on May 6th, 2002.

The Garda Complaints Board said it ruled that almost half the 1,400 complaints received in 2002 were admissible, while 264 were rejected because no offence had been committed.

A further 350 complaints were withdrawn, many after they had been sent forward for investigation.