Garda ID Badge

Random · 01-01-2009 9:04pm #1

Two questions if I can ...

1. What does a Garda ID look like? I've glanced at them in the past but never really had much of a look. If someone comes up to me on the street and says they're a Garda ... I'll challenge them to see their ID but then where will I be? I won't know what I'm looking at. Where can I see a sample short of going down my local Garda station and getting strange looks.

2. Garda can't let their ID out of their sight? Is this true? I worked in retail before where if someone wanted finance they we needed copy of ID etc. A Garda wanted finance and wanted to use their ID. They handed it to me, I looked at it for a while and noticed there was no date of birth on it. So I had to check with my manager. I says to the Garda (who was off duty etc etc as I say, justa normal customer) that I had to check with my manager and moved to walk into the back (tiny shop all things considered). He went mental! Grabbed the ID back from me and I sorta just looked at him funny. He said he's not allowed it out of his hands let alone out of sight.

miceal · 01-01-2009 10:28pm

Random wrote: »

Two questions if I can ...

1. What does a Garda ID look like? I've glanced at them in the past but never really had much of a look. If someone comes up to me on the street and says they're a Garda ... I'll challenge them to see their ID but then where will I be? I won't know what I'm looking at. Where can I see a sample short of going down my local Garda station and getting strange looks.

See the image for one part of the ID.

Part 2. a picture and some basic information about the Garda. Basically like a ID.

For your second question i have no clue since i am not a Garda!

Holsten · 01-01-2009 10:31pm

I think they like a black leather wallet, with the Garda crest in gold on one side and with the info of the Garda on the other side.

brayblue24 · 01-01-2009 10:34pm

Holsten wrote: »

I think they like a black leather wallet, with the Garda crest in gold on one side and with the info of the Garda on the other side.

That's it in a nutshell and no it shouldn't be taken from your person.

deadwood · 02-01-2009 1:59pm

Random wrote: »

I looked at it for a while and noticed there was no date of birth on it.

We're all 29.

donvito99 · 02-01-2009 3:30pm

My mums been 29 for a while...

deadwood · 03-01-2009 12:01am

donvito99 wrote: »

My mums been 29 for a while...

Every fibre of my being is fighting my instincts to reply on this one . . . .

Eru · 03-01-2009 11:40am

Leather wallet made in essex I think. One side has the crest and the other has a coloured card (depending on when you got it) with your photo, name and a few other details. No DOB as theres no reason for it.

Its not allowed leave your hand nevermind your sight.

Sully · 04-01-2009 4:06pm

Have they changed much? I remember the one which was in a hard case which you flicked open and it had the garda crest on the top and your id (picture, name, etc) in the bottom. The retired member card is similar tho slightly neater.

Eru · 04-01-2009 6:50pm

Sully wrote: »

The retired member card is similar tho slightly neater.

Come again? There is no such id issued.

sunnyjim · 04-01-2009 8:06pm

I've had people hand them to me as ID before.

pa990 · 04-01-2009 8:14pm

There is no such thing as a 'Retired members card'

Marcus.Aurelius · 04-01-2009 9:37pm

Karlitosway1978 wrote: »

Come again? There is no such id issued.

That's not strictly true, retired members are part of the GSRMA and usually have subscriptions to the Síochán magazine and get a GSRMA ID wallet that looks very similar to the current active member's ID, but with different badging, obviously.

It's certainly not an official ID and shouldn't be represented to be such. My father, a retired sergeant in Kerry has the ID wallet still, I'll get a piccy of the badge if I can.

EDIT: Their site is here http://www.gsrma.com/

Eru · 05-01-2009 6:35pm

House wrote: »

That's not strictly true, retired members are part of the GSRMA and usually have subscriptions to the Síochán magazine and get a GSRMA ID wallet that looks very similar to the current active member's ID, but with different badging, obviously.

It's certainly not an official ID and shouldn't be represented to be such. My father, a retired sergeant in Kerry has the ID wallet still, I'll get a piccy of the badge if I can.

EDIT: Their site is here http://www.gsrma.com/

Hardly a 'retired members' ID though. On that basis my membership card for Westmanstown is a Garda ID

gary the great · 05-01-2009 7:17pm

I found a Garda ID on the street about a year ago. Handed it into the Garda Station and he grabbed it of me, said "where'd you get that" and went off. Not even a thanks...I know a lot of people who would of kept that...a thanks would of been nice.

TheNog · 05-01-2009 8:12pm

gary the great wrote: »

I found a Garda ID on the street about a year ago. Handed it into the Garda Station and he grabbed it of me, said "where'd you get that" and went off. Not even a thanks...I know a lot of people who would of kept that...a thanks would of been nice.

Maybe he went off to get you a bunch of flowers or a box of chocolates :P

One day I was checking the equipment in the car and left the Alcoloyser on the roof of it. Got a call do dashed off. A few minutes a lady comes into the station to hand it in. The S.O. got a shock.

THank christ she did. Imagine the paper I would have to write on

Back on topic, would the ID not be an older version than the one we have? I remember my dads was something like what Sully describes.

brayblue24 · 05-01-2009 10:25pm

TheNog wrote: »

Back on topic, would the ID not be an older version than the one we have? I remember my dads was something like what Sully describes.

Sounds like the one we had in the mid 90s. It was like going around with a CD case in your back pocket.

jackregan · 06-01-2009 12:03am

gary the great wrote: »

I found a Garda ID on the street about a year ago. Handed it into the Garda Station and he grabbed it of me, said "where'd you get that" and went off. Not even a thanks...I know a lot of people who would of kept that...a thanks would of been nice.

Perhaps your post should be moved to the 'politer gardai' thread. It seems to fit the criteria of ignorance and general lack of manners :rolleyes:

Fair play to you for your prompt action and display of public spirit.

deadwood · 06-01-2009 4:02am

brayblue24 wrote: »

Sounds like the one we had in the mid 90s. It was like going around with a CD case in your back pocket.

It was like the meggle i'd get for the "at least he turns up for training" award each year at the "funkshun".

deadwood · 06-01-2009 4:03am

gary the great wrote: »

I found a Garda ID on the street about a year ago. Handed it into the Garda Station and he grabbed it of me, said "where'd you get that" and went off. Not even a thanks...I know a lot of people who would of kept that...a thanks would of been nice.

Thanks Gary.
You're Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!

delly · 06-01-2009 11:38am

TheNog wrote: »

One day I was checking the equipment in the car and left the Alcoloyser on the roof of it. Got a call do dashed off. A few minutes a lady comes into the station to hand it in. The S.O. got a shock.

THank christ she did. Imagine the paper I would have to write on

Totally off topic, but you reminded me of a friend who worked as a service engineer for an EPOS/cash register company. He drove from Rathmines to St. Stephens Green with a full register, cash drawer and all, on the roof of his car. Its only when he stopped he realised why he was getting strange looks while driving.

macguru · 22-07-2009 2:11pm

Not quite the current issue but recent enough, current issue is very similar, there seems to be two badge designs for the warrant cards, one with the light and dark blue enameled badge and one with just the dark blue enamelling (probably different issue dates one before the two colours became the Garda "corporate" identity colours).

Random wrote: »

Two questions if I can ...

1. What does a Garda ID look like? I've glanced at them in the past but never really had much of a look. If someone comes up to me on the street and says they're a Garda ... I'll challenge them to see their ID but then where will I be? I won't know what I'm looking at. Where can I see a sample short of going down my local Garda station and getting strange looks.

2. Garda can't let their ID out of their sight? Is this true? I worked in retail before where if someone wanted finance they we needed copy of ID etc. A Garda wanted finance and wanted to use their ID. They handed it to me, I looked at it for a while and noticed there was no date of birth on it. So I had to check with my manager. I says to the Garda (who was off duty etc etc as I say, justa normal customer) that I had to check with my manager and moved to walk into the back (tiny shop all things considered). He went mental! Grabbed the ID back from me and I sorta just looked at him funny. He said he's not allowed it out of his hands let alone out of sight.

bo-bo · 22-07-2009 5:56pm

macguru wrote: »

Not quite the current issue but recent enough, current issue is very similar, there seems to be two badge designs for the warrant cards, one with the light and dark blue enameled badge and one with just the dark blue enamelling (probably different issue dates one before the two colours became the Garda "corporate" identity colours).

is that an ebay pic :eek:

macguru · 22-07-2009 6:13pm

bo-bo wrote: »

is that an ebay pic :eek:

Now that would be scary - It's a pic from the classifieds of the Police Memorabilia Collectors Club in the UK.

Ebay are actually pretty good at removing any Garda, PSNI or UK police force current or recent issue items (they do allow some items as long as any flashes, logos, serial numbers and lettering are removed) - once they are advised of the status of the item.

bo-bo · 22-07-2009 6:53pm

macguru wrote: »

Now that would be scary - It's a pic from the classifieds of the Police Memorabilia Collectors Club in the UK.

Ebay are actually pretty good at removing any Garda, PSNI or UK police force current or recent issue items (they do allow some items as long as any flashes, logos, serial numbers and lettering are removed) - once they are advised of the status of the item.

lol. here was me thinking that some poor member was in such financial difficulty that he was auctioning off his equipment

macguru · 22-07-2009 7:20pm

bo-bo wrote: »

lol. here was me thinking that some poor member was in such financial difficulty that he was auctioning off his equipment

ROTFL

No amount of money would be worth the paperwork involved in a lost warrant card...

bob123456 · 23-07-2009 11:24pm

Do the Garda refer to their id card as a warrant card or ID badge?

Turner · 23-07-2009 11:39pm

Nobody refers to it as a warrant card.

Its your badge or official id.

djtechnics1210 · 24-07-2009 12:03am

Or your disco pass

:D:D

Shield · 24-07-2009 12:11am

Try that up here and it becomes your coffin nail.

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Or your disco pass :D:D

macguru · 24-07-2009 12:30am

Ok, Ok, no-one calls it a warrant card (reminder to self - stay off the UK force sites) however as far as I know the Garda Ombudsman's ID cards are officially called Warrant Cards as per the Garda Síochána Act 2005, Section 73, I have thankfully never seen one so don't even know if it's similar or if they have an official badge.

Chief--- wrote: »

Nobody refers to it as a warrant card.

Its your badge or official id.

Garda ID Badge

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