Are Irish police doing a good job?

Jay D

just chatting about such stuff in the office today.

Basically the Gardai in my experience do a very bad job. They would sooner sit around chatting, doing easy jobs like taking a drive etc, but don't be fooled, they do not face up to crime the way they are employed to.

Some years ago my house was attacked by a pack of scum bags. Terriffied I called the guards explaing the situation and nothing, not even a car on the oppisite side to scare them off. I was left isolated.

Now will I get into the fact that 8 times out of ten that I have been to a police station for stamping or other things, they sit around, laughing and joking among one another with the occasional glance at me.

Oh and let's not forget their fondness of other awkwardness when the do eventually get up off their arse. For instance, I had to produce my license in Harcourt Terrace one time. I gave my license and the complete pig said ok this will take about ten minutes. Ten minutes for someone to state that I had indeed produced??

A bunch of bullies at best and I for one am sick of the government covering up.


Also this spate of murders happening, in particular the one of JD in Finglas Sunday. Bertie -IDIOT- Ahern saying that people have to give up this policy of putting up with low level crime...........
Let's rewind a bit here Berie and maybe you would be so good as to have a supervisory boady ensuring that they actually do do something!!!

They always like to say it's a duty they do - it's a job, done very badly by many.

I am not putting a fraction on the amount of good/bad there are etc but by anyone's standards there are far too may bad to be trusted like we should be able to and for a case against them to collapse in one way or another each and every time a corruption charge is brought is infuriating.

Oh and last night when my friend called to report a robbery, they said they'd call out but nothing.

Useless shower of shams.

curiousxxx1

I agree that sometimes they do take their time responding or not responding but they are not that bad... everyone dosses at work even you, they are human beings too!
Sorry about your friend, last year my friend parked her car between in town only 5 mins from the Mansion house and her car was broken into rang the Gards and they said to walk down to the Government building and there should be a guard on duty. We walked down there explained the story and your man is on the phone talking to his gf..Planning a weekend looks in the car and says to be honest you are better of paying for the damage yourself than claiming insurance
And he walked away, till date there has been no report or any contact
They have their moments... I guess, although I wouldn’t want a doctor to doss while treating patients.

BendiBus

They're as good as any other police force. I've met people from America and especially the UK who complain in much the same way about their local forces.

seamus

For the most part they do a good job, but they are unfunded, understaffed and underappreciated. Morale is very low.

Look at any of the UK police series on TV, and you'll see the equipment they have is top-notch, the best equipment a police force can have.

Then look at the ****e that our Gardai have to use. They were years fighting to get stab vests FFS. There seems to be no political will to get in there and sort it out. When we hear of murders and drug busts and shootings, the politicians give a bland, "Ah shure that's awful" soundbite to the media and vaguely talk about Garda failings. The Gardai constantly take the fall from political laziness.

Take Tallaght - similar in size to Limerick but with half the Gardai and only one official Garda station for the whole area. That's going to make the local Gardai feel just super about going into work every day, isn't it?

The issue is with our Government's attitude to, well, governing. They do just enough to get them elected again in five year's time. Our Health, Education and Emergency services are in a shambles which shows exactly this attitude. These are three areas where there should almost be an unlimited pot of money from which they draw their strength.
But this of course would require cutbacks in more public/affluent areas and/or increases in taxation, which would prevent the politician from getting re-elected in five years time, so they don't do it.

They're afraid of upsetting the natives, basically. Health - consultants giving hassle. **** them. Hire in foreign consultants and give them €200k a year. They'd be delighted. Education - churches sitting on school admission. **** them, buy out the schools and turn them private & secular.

As for the Gardai, I will always be of the opinion that someone who consistently finds themselves dealing negatively with the Gardai, aren't just unlucky. I've yet to be convinced otherwise.

Degsy

I must say that the cops in Finglas are very good,they genuinly seem to care and they're constantly cracking down on crime in the area.

the locust

Gardai in Mountjoy and Ballyfermot responded pretty quickly when i called them for my car being broke into.
When they arrived they were proffesional and courteous... They have to put up with a lot of ***** I think they do pretty well considering...

prendy

like a previous poster said theres dossers in every job. i think the guards do a decent job given the resources they have at there disposal

spank_inferno

I agree that there are dossers in every job.
But that does not excuse the behaviour of many gardai for 1 second.
If you want to doss at your desk all day work somewhere else

Responding to a callout isnt down to lack of resources, it isnt down to the will of a politician or the dept of justice. Its down to whether the individual wishes to respond or not.

Like all public servants the Gardai receive generous pay and conditions.
Certain aspects of their job is difficult, mundane and even soul destroying.
But so is the jobs for many people withougt the benefits the gardai enjoy.

seamus

spank_inferno wrote: »

Responding to a callout isnt down to lack of resources, it isnt down to the will of a politician or the dept of justice. Its down to whether the individual wishes to respond or not.

Of course it's down to resources. If there's one Garda car servicing an area of 10,000 people because two Gardai rang in sick one day, then they're not going to get to everybody and they have to prioritise. If your house got burgled but two people got stabbed, then it's likely you won't even get a phone call until the next day.

BendiBus

the locust wrote: »

Gardai in Mountjoy and Ballyfermot responded pretty quickly when i called them for my car being broke into.
When they arrived they were proffesional and courteous... They have to put up with a lot of ***** I think they do pretty well considering...

I have also to commend Ballyfermot gardai on their extremely rapid response to a 999 call made from my apartment block to an incident which occurred on the street outside.

Wishbone Ash

spank_inferno wrote: »

Responding to a callout isnt down to lack of resources, it isnt down to the will of a politician or the dept of justice. Its down to whether the individual wishes to respond or not

I don't think you understand how the Gardai operate. All calls go to central control and are then dispatched to the relevant area. Gardai operating in patrol cars will be informed of the relevant call. However , as seamus has said, the calls are prioritised. The relevant Gardai may have made several attempts to deal with a particular (non-emergency) matter but other calls of a more serious nature have cropped up in the meantime. The non-emergency matter goes to the end of the queue. Often, when the do respond, the initial caller has gone out/left the scene etc.

There is a ridiculous perception out there, among some people, that the Gardai sit around the station waiting for the telephone to ring! :rolleyes:

BendiBus

seamus wrote: »

Look at any of the UK police series on TV, and you'll see the equipment they have is top-notch, the best equipment a police force can have.

Another reason people think the Gardai aren't so good is beacuse Morse, Frost & Reg Hollis from The Bill are such amazing supercops. I think some people actually do get a little confused between TV & reality!

But I agree the Gardai could do with some better kit. Is their radio system still less secure than the Dublin Bus system? I believe the Garda Inspectorate has addressed the issue of Garda equipment so hopefully the new minister (who actually seems well regarded) and new commissioner will do something about it.

Wishbone Ash

BendiBus wrote: »

Is their radio system still less secure than the Dublin Bus system?

Yup! (although some have gone to the TETRA system)

Poxyshamrock

The Gardai are useless when it comes to small things.

seamus

BendiBus wrote: »

Another reason people think the Gardai aren't so good is beacuse Morse, Frost & Reg Hollis from The Bill are such amazing supercops. I think some people actually do get a little confused between TV & reality!

Well, I was referring to "reality" shows, but I think you assumed that. If you look at the kit in their vehicles, it's the stuff that our Gardai should have. It's not "nice to have" stuff, it's essential stuff for a modern force.

Wishbone Ash

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

The Gardai are useless when it comes to small things.

Many members of the public would think the opposite!

BendiBus

seamus wrote: »

Well, I was referring to "reality" shows, but I think you assumed that. If you look at the kit in their vehicles, it's the stuff that our Gardai should have. It's not "nice to have" stuff, it's essential stuff for a modern force.

I wasn't suggesting you believed The Bill Your post just propmted me to make a general comment.

Wishbone Ash

....and the Commissioner always states that the Government had provided him with everything he needs! :rolleyes:

dubtom

I get pissed of with the Gardai like everyone from time to time. Traffic cops on checkpoints to pay for overtime is one of my pet hates, but as was said if the force is underfunded I suppose it has to be done.On the whole though I think they do excellent work. I for one wouldn't like to deal with some of the scum in this town,specifically the scum that shoot each other and anyone else in their way, would you? I'm not 100% sure, put I don't think people who join the guards do so to sit on their arses all day, most probably don't want to be stuck in an office either, but some of them have to do it which would probably explain the laxydazy attitude of some.Truth is we would be fooked without them.
Off topic but I strongly believe that all Gardai should be issued guns, for their own defence and ours. It's stupid in this day and age when every scummer out there has one that the guards have to use sticks

Jay D

Degsy wrote: »

I must say that the cops in Finglas are very good,they genuinly seem to care and they're constantly cracking down on crime in the area.

Do you live on the North Road or something cause they are the very useless bastards who often left people I know well alone when their homes were being attacked, destroying the occupants confidence in themselves, their area and last and least the Gardai.

Gaspode

The gardai are doing they best they can with limited resources, crappy working conditions, and ealing with the scum of this country.
They are perfect by no means but I'd have to say yes, from my point of view, they are doing a good job.

carlmango11

There should be WELL more Gardai on the streets at night.

Also, we should have really tough sentences, no little scumbag is going to beat someone up randomly if it's going to get him 3 years. Well he probably will but after that he wont, or maybe he will, but at least he'll be off our streets. It worked in New York it can work here.

Another thing, they should stop god damn protecting criminals. My sisters friend got into a fight with another friend of hers. Nothing too serious but her absolute scum boyfriend whos been arrested like 7 times heard about it and smashed her windows. After that they got into a bigger arguement about her being with such a scumbag and he found out from her again. He kept doing things like scratching her car and whatnot, they reported it and they said they couldnt do anything. She eventualy had to move but they found her and continued tormenting her until one day they caught them doing it. Her mother ran out and they put a knife to her and after that her dad threw one of them to the ground and beat him up and got charged for it. Now that's seriously annoying. :mad:argh