Gardaí investigating 'malicious' WhatsApp messages about female members

WhatsApp is prohibited to gardaí in relation to work matters. File photo

The widespread circulation of "false, inappropriate, unacceptable, and malicious" WhatsApp messages about two serving female gardaí from fellow members is being investigated, senior management has confirmed.

Deputy Commissioner for Policing and Security, Anne Marie McMahon, told the Policing Authority that An Garda Síochána was "taking very seriously" the "abhorrent" text messages circulating on garda-issued phones, despite WhatsApp being prohibited in relation to work matters.

The matter has been referred to the Anti-Corruption Unit, she said, but could not confirm how many gardaí are being investigated in relation to it.

"It's a very offensive and very hurtful thing for anybody to be the subject of false and insensitive, inaccurate messages, and to think that anybody within An Garda Síochána would feel that it's okay to circulate those messages is completely unacceptable—completely unacceptable," she told October's meeting of the Policing Authority.

When asked by the Policing Authority if the sexual harassment of gardaí is more widespread than the eight complaints made in a decade would suggest, the deputy commissioner said that it is not.

The Policing Authority's Dr Elaine Byrne said the Irish figure is "remarkably low" compared to other jurisdictions such as the London Metropolitan Police, which was found in a review to be misogynistic.

Dr Byrne cited the recent case of a garda being found guilty of harassing two female colleagues. "Do you consider that figure of just eight female members making a formal complaint in the last 10 years as a realistic figure?" she asked Ms McMahon.

The deputy commissioner replied: "No, I don't. I would say we are now more acutely aware because of events that you referenced and other internal investigations of the prevalence of sexual harassment and harassment in general.

That's why the likes of the Anti-Corruption Unit and other mechanisms that are in place, to encourage reporting, and to provide that opportunity for people to feel confident in reporting, that they will be listened to, they will be believed, and the matters will be investigated. 

"That's a very strong message from the organisation to every individual, whether it's sexual harassment or otherwise... any kind of harassment has no place in An Garda Síochána."

Policing Authority chair, Bob Collins, called the revelations "disturbing" and said that they had the potential to shake confidence in An Garda Síochána in the eyes of the public.

"Policing is built on evidence and respect and trust, and none of those seem to have been present in these cases. One has to wonder, where is the code of ethics?

"We will be looking for clear evidence and reassurance, and reassurance for the public, that action has been taken and that this kind of utterly inappropriate behavior can be stopped.

"People would be forgiven for thinking 'if this is what they do to their own, how can we expect that they behave towards others?' We want to be able to promote public confidence in policing. It's part of our statutory responsibility, and we do. But this makes it more difficult," he said.

The deputy commissioner agreed with Dr Byrne's assessment of the situation as "bullying" but could not say definitively what action would be taken, pending the outcome of the investigation.