Policing model 'not doing the job we want it to do', says Garda Commissioner

Mr Kelly said there were many disagreements within the structure over who is dealing with the various crimes that take place, as well as issues in road traffic policing.

There are “inefficiencies” in the garda operational policing model structure across the country, which means it is “not working well”, Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has admitted.

At the Police and Community Safety Authority monthly meeting, Mr Kelly said there were many disagreements within the structure over who is dealing with the various crimes that take place, as well as issues in road traffic policing.

It is the first appearance by Mr Kelly before the authority, he also discussed the findings of the Crowe Report, the findings of which he said have been accepted.

The Crowe Independent Review of Roads Policing was published in August, and was described by the Sergeants and Inspectors in An Garda Síochána (AGSI) as “a hard-hitting wake-up call for gardaí”.

It found that several gardaí are " unproductive" and appear to be demotivated and unconcerned with doing an effective, professional job, including roads policing.

Investigators visited six garda divisions during the study, and it showed that some gardaí appear to "get away with such behaviour" to the "frustration of their colleagues, supervisors, and managers".

The report found there is a "lack of effective sanctions" for poor performance, and supervisors and managers were typically apprehensive that "any attempt to invoke sanctions would create industrial relations problems" with the Garda Representative Association.

Reviewing accountability

On Thursday, Mr Kelly said the findings of the report were "shocking and disappointing". He agreed the current system is “not doing the job we want it to do". 

A new working group under the assistant commissioner for roads policing and community engagement has been established to implement the findings of the Crowe Report. Mr Kelly said the group is reviewing numbers and individual accountability in the department.

Attacks on gardaí were also raised at the meeting, which Mr Kelly described as “absolutely horrific”.

He said swords and weapons were also being used during the violence, which saw incidents where gardaí have had to retreat. Mr Kelly also spoke about frontline visibility and a global peace index, which said Ireland is ranked second in the world behind Iceland for safety.

“For me, that is very, very reassuring, obviously. When we look at some of the recent statistics around crime trends, many of our crime trends are going in the absolute right direction,” said Mr Kelly.

He said the figures for this year-to-date show robberies are down 20%; burglary is down 11%; and homicide and homicide-related offences are down 42%.

“You will all be well aware of the statistics around gun crime and organised crime-related homicides. They are some of the lowest rates we have seen for many, many years.

“I was asked at a media event if I thought Dublin was safe, and I certainly think it is. Having said that, you can quote statistics all day long, but there is obviously an element of perception around safety.

“It is really important and it is one of my jobs as commissioner — people need to feel safe when they are coming in, whether that is to shop, socialise, or whatever it is.

“Many studies have shown uniformed presence improves the perception of safety and, in some of the recent public attitude surveys, there are elements of the community that don’t think there is enough policing in their area. It is really important that we work on that,” he said.