Garda HQ investigating allegation that detective left firearm in clothes shop changing room

A generic stock photo of a Garda in Dublin.

Garda headquarters has launched an internal disciplinary process into allegations that a detective left their official firearm in the changing room of a clothes shop in Dublin.

The detective involved has been stood down from their previous role and placed on restricted duties pending the outcome of the process, which could take several months.

The incident, which is alleged to have occurred earlier this week, would, if proven, be a major breach of the Garda code which contains strict policies and procedures governing how members who are authorised to carry a personal firearm are required to carry and store their official weapon, both while on and off duty.

Garda headquarters confirmed that “a senior garda officer is conducting a disciplinary investigation” into the alleged incident but it said it would not be commenting further.

The matter is being taken very seriously and based on precedent, the detective in this case, if found to have breached the garda firearms regulations, will most likely face a fine and have the matter recorded in their personnel file.

Most detectives are authorised to carry a personal firearm and they are issued with one of two types of a 9mm handgun. They are instructed to carry the firearm loaded.

It has been reported that in this case, the detective was on duty at the time but was using break time to run a private errand.

The garda visited a clothes shop, used the changing room and then left the shop, but left their official handgun behind in the changing room.

The gun was found a short time later by a shop staff member who notified gardaí.

However, the detective involved is understood to have realised that their official weapon was missing and they returned quickly to the shop to retrieve it.

Sources said the reason it’s being treated so seriously is because of the concern that a potentially loaded weapon could have fallen into the wrong hands.

In 2018, the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) launched an inquiry after a garda submachine gun was found in a bag on a street in the capital after the bag fell out the back of a garda armed support jeep.

The bag and weapon were found by a member of the public on Harcourt Street who later handed them in to a garda station.

The GSOC probe found that the weapon had been properly placed in the boot of the vehicle, but that a strap prevented the boot from closing properly, and the bag fell out as the vehicle exited the garda station, with sirens blaring, onto a ramp, with the sirens preventing the two gardaí from hearing the vehicle's 'open boot' alarm.

In its report the following year, GSOC it said the two gardaí involved should not face sanctions.