Gardaí drinking seized alcohol 'common practice'

blue note

They should give whatever they confiscate to the homeless.

_feedback_

In this particular case the stolen stuff should have been returned. But generally don't see a problem with them using confiscated stuff. Bit of a perk.

When I was young, we used to go to the neighbouring housing estate at Haloween because they used to have shít loads of fireworks. They all cam from the guard who lived there. It was common knowledge. Him and other parents were there to supervise, unlike the people he would have been taking them from.

Ray Palmer

For the higher up guard to claim is not normal is the big thing here. He is simply lying as enough people know it is common. To claim it doesn't happen indicates his willingness to lie in court.
The guy made a mistake of doing it with stolen beer. Fine to say it is a perk and no problem with it. Now we have a senior guardi lying about it which is a really big deal. Highly plausible he did suggest going looking for some extra for a planned party.
If you know any guardi you know they do this. They also take drugs and keep them. I'm sure some don't but it would be common practice.

enfant terrible

El Horseboxo wrote: »

I've recently start working for law enforcement in the US. I'd be out on my ear if I messed with evidence or confiscated goods. Maybe it's cause I'm on probation but I haven't heard of any perks like that over here.

Is it more like the shield or the wire?

Paddy De Plasterer

baldbear wrote: »

Iv seen the free entry into nightclubs myself. Quick badge flash and in he went. My local pub used to give crates of beer to the local station at xmas to stay in their good books. Never heard of the free grub though

Yes, most fast food joints give free grub to garda. Also most hotels etc.

El Horseboxo

talla10 wrote: »

A mate of mine used to work with a fella who lived next door to a girl who was friends with a niece of copper and he always let her play with the seized guns when they were younger...:rolleyes:

I know his brother. I've been in the house a few times when he has brought in drink. My mate wouldn't be making stuff up about his brother like that. So i've no reason not to believe him.

enfant terrible wrote: »

Is it more like the shield or the wire?

Neither for me anyways. I'm with the crimes against children unit so since coming out of my 20 weeks training i've mostly been office based or sitting in on court cases.

stephendevlin

be a total waste to throw it down the sink... think of all them sober children in ethiopia

bluecode

Taking stolen goods well that's not good. But seized alcohol is routinely taken home or handed out to friends. Availed of some myself at times.

I love the story of the motorcycle cop randomly stopping some guy and handing him seized beer.

As for people who deny this happens, well next they'll be telling us Gardai never ever drink and drive.:p

LH Pathe

Pottler wrote: »

LH Pathe wrote: »

Last time I was arrested, on suspicion of armed robbery in Carlow when about to board the train, they were listening to my seized cassettes! Fairly surreal coming out of the cell to find the sargeant with his feet up n his shades on listnin to a doors tape. Commending my 'taste'?!

prick was beatin the legs out from under me on the way up the stairs, now it's all buddy cop. what gives

As you do. Try a car - they are way less predictable than a train when it comes to getting away. The whole, "no fixed stops/route" thing improves chances by a country mile.

Sorry, comma! once.. n sure enough i didn't do it!! was more obviously the case in the flesh with me looking more like a student with an Aria Pro rosewood semi acoustic across his back n a rucksack full of musicalia. They really did have that few leads.. needed a scapegoat. Why always me?

getzls

I worked for a year in Co. Louth, won't give town in case it narrows the Guard down. If you wanted any DVD's he was the man to see. And they weren't copies he had made either. A fair few other things were to be got from him also.

spank_inferno

Back in my youth I only really noticed this with fireworks.

If you wanted some bangers and the like, there was a guy next road over (in wicklow) who would sell them.

By a remarkable coincidence his father was a cop.

stovelid

What about the coke and pills, gard?

nbar12

my mates dad is a garda and his fridge would be full of confiscated cans! It's very rare to see cans of Heineken though! It's mostly full of royal dutch gold or karpackie, absolute piss but it was free!

viclemronny

MagicSean wrote: »

interesting phrasing. They don't take them for personal use. They take them from underage drinkers. If you could explain why it is more ethical to pour the booze down a drain rather than drink it I would be very interested to hear your reasoning.

The way I would see it is a 'thin end of the wedge' problem. Honestly, if they drink the booze they confiscate, it's no real harm. But the thing is there is a point where stealing evidence or confiscated property is a problem.

Now, we can either have a hard and fast set rule of 'Don't steal anything from evidence or confiscated stuff for your own use' or we can have a separate rule for every possible object the Gardaí could seize.

Should they be allowed use illegal substances? (not saying they do, just should they) what about counterfeit goods? stolen clothing? smuggled cigarettes?

It's too much hassle to rule for every conceivable object and it's more fair if we have a set rule for all members of the force rather than a 'use your judgment' rule.

That's why they shouldn't take the confiscated booze for themselves, it's the thin end of the wedge.

Dionysius2

There will always be a percentage of people who like to portray the Gardai in a poor light and always also, a percentage of Gardai who provide the opportunity for doing just that. Both types are in a miniority and not representative of main-stream thinking. Such attitudes say as much (if not more) about the individuals themselves as they say about those in the target areas.

walnut grove

NOT GUILTY, and righty so .........................

scarymoon1

I knew of Guards coming home from work with bags of stolen stuff and going through it saying 'ooh il wear this Saturday night etc'. Asking did I want perfume etc that thwy could get me some from the station.. and I also knew another Guard that bought weed and was addicted to the stuff! Corrupt!! And then they hand out parking fines to innocents like me... today!

SocSocPol

MagicSean wrote: »

You are referring only to the case of the fella in court. In the vast majority of cases it is not stolen, it is purchased illegally by or for under 18's and that is who it is seized from.

In which case it becomes the property of the state not the the copper who confiscated it, coppers taking things including alcohol which has been confiscated are just thieves in a uniform.
Of course some coppers in this country think they are the law, as opposed to officers of the law.

MagicSean

SocSocPol wrote: »

In which case it becomes the property of the state not the the copper who confiscated it, coppers taking things including alcohol which has been confiscated are just thieves in a uniform.
Of course some coppers in this country think they are the law, as opposed to officers of the law.

But once it is disposed of it is no longer anyones property is it? So you would be ok with people digging it out of the bins? Or do you think it should be incinerated?

Shryke

MagicSean wrote: »

SocSocPol wrote: »

In which case it becomes the property of the state not the the copper who confiscated it, coppers taking things including alcohol which has been confiscated are just thieves in a uniform.
Of course some coppers in this country think they are the law, as opposed to officers of the law.

But once it is disposed of it is no longer anyones property is it? So you would be ok with people digging it out of the bins? Or do you think it should be incinerated?

It might be a tiny bit handier to pour it down the sink instead of trying to incinerate it...

SocSocPol

MagicSean wrote: »

But once it is disposed of it is no longer anyones property is it? So you would be ok with people digging it out of the bins? Or do you think it should be incinerated?

why are you so eager to defend criminality by gardai?

danoriordan1402

Cops have been doing this since Jesus was a boy - my buds sis is a detective in Cork, she used to confiscate cans on a friday night, then go back up 30 mins, same guys usually get more cans - then take it off them again. She didnt drink bud though, but she was throwing a bbq that weekend for her mates....

MagicSean

SocSocPol wrote: »

why are you so eager to defend criminality by gardai?

I've never defended criminality by anyone. I simply asked if you would rather see something destroyed than used.

SocSocPol

MagicSean wrote: »

I've never defended criminality by anyone. I simply asked if you would rather see something destroyed than used.

Yes destroyed rather than stolen.
Confiscated goods used for personal theft is larceny.
I think you will find that a judge would not accept your defence in a court.

barryprp

my father is a guard and i asked him about this..he said he has never done it or heard of anybody doing it! im not saying it doesnt go on though!

Victor

“Not guilty” http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0712/1224319860909.html

SocSocPol

Victor wrote: »

“Not guilty” http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0712/1224319860909.html

The jury has spoken.

suicide_circus

Eru wrote: »

and that means the garda is a coke sniffing addict instead of that he simple didnt bother summoning for a petty offence and flushed the stuff or sent it for destruction?i

I have never summonsed for petty possession, never put it up my nose either.

never said anything about coke, garda. But having been at parties with some of your colleagues present, i can certainly say that a few of them are not above getting high.

AudreyHepburn

Judging by the reactions of his two Inspectors and the very fact that he is under investigation I would imagine this Garda is the exception not the norm.

But hey, let's not let common sense get in the way of good old fashioned Garda bashing :rolleyes:

fluboy

SocSocPol wrote: »

The jury has spoken.

In your earlier posts you seem to be giving out about the Gardai, calling them "thieves in a uniform". But then when they attempt to clean up their act and charge one of their own, you seem delighted when he is found not guilty. Make up your mind and stick to it please.

SocSocPol

fluboy wrote: »

In your earlier posts you seem to be giving out about the Gardai, calling them "thieves in a uniform". But then when they attempt to clean up their act and charge one of their own, you seem delighted when he is found not guilty. Make up your mind and stick to it please.

As I said the jury has spoken, I didnt say I agreed with their verdict, but under our system of justice I must repect and accept it.
I never said all guards were thieves in uniform, I said those who stole confiscated goods were thieves in uniform, perhaps you should re-read my posts before selectivley misrepresenting them.
I would love to see your evidence of my alleged delight at the verdict by the way.
Now go away and troll someone else.

paddyandy

O.P How do we know that Gardai are drinking seized Alcohol ? Are they drinking publicly on the streets as well ? Things are getting worse .

SocSocPol

paddyandy wrote: »

O.P How do we know that Gardai are drinking seized Alcohol ? Are they drinking publicly on the streets as well ? Things are getting worse .

If you bothered to read the opening Post you would see that it was stated in evidence in court by a former member of the Guards that it is common practice for gardai to drink alcohol that has been seized.

paddyandy

Thanks Sock .That's one more reason i must join up .Free Booze .

Iwannahurl

They're ever so quiet about this one in the Emergency Services forum.

I wonder why?

Iwannahurl wrote: »

"Mr Murphy said he had the cider in his locker for eight months before disposing of it. The cider was taken to a house party and consumed. That was a common practice."


Accepted as fact in a court of law, therefore?

Harry Bosch.

The site is down.

Paddy De Plasterer

Iwannahurl wrote: »

They're ever so quiet about this one in the Emergency Services forum.

I wonder why?

How did this end up before a jury, it should have been dealt with in the district court. Superiors are to blame too, garda have to log seized property in records, and superiors have to certify it is disposed of in accordance with regulastions, which does not include gardai drinking it.

MagicSean

Paddy De Plasterer wrote: »

How did this end up before a jury, it should have been dealt with in the district court. Superiors are to blame too, garda have to log seized property in records, and superiors have to certify it is disposed of in accordance with regulastions, which does not include gardai drinking it.

In a theft case the accused can elect to go before a jury.

Potential-Monke

Would everyone here be delighted if they came across a centra bag full of dutch gold hidden behind a bush and take it home and drink it? If there are members who take home confiscated cans of muck they must have stomachs of steel and care not for their health and hygeine! No way would i drink manky cans that belonged to a scummer, even if they were sealed!

Paddy De Plasterer

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Would everyone here be delighted if they came across a centra bag full of dutch gold hidden behind a bush and take it home and drink it? If there are members who take home confiscated cans of muck they must have stomachs of steel and care not for their health and hygeine! No way would i drink manky cans that belonged to a scummer, even if they were sealed!

You are right, and god knows what sort of temperature it was kept at. Same is often said about buying sh1t drugs- would you buy a takeaway food off an unknown scummy person and not knowing what was in it. How some guards let themselves down. But it is in their nature - free grub, drink and flash cards going into night clubs. And they the best paid police in Europe,often with two or three houses.

Jay D

Yeah that's unbelievable, I would have never thought. Same way a company I used to work for collected many a bag full of empty cigarette cartons among other things to be destroyed.

I thought they were taking away from the revenue of the state smuggling such terrible things in? Surely when the Guards rob them all it's happening anyway and just costing money to process a lengthy trial and the revenue is lost twice or three times over now. Strange really.

Iwannahurl

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Would everyone here be delighted if they came across a centra bag full of dutch gold hidden behind a bush and take it home and drink it? If there are members who take home confiscated cans of muck they must have stomachs of steel and care not for their health and hygeine! No way would i drink manky cans that belonged to a scummer, even if they were sealed!

Perhaps not every profession in this country shares your high standards.

paddyandy

The Guards are not that badly paid that they'd resort to drinking that stale pee thats' chilled to mask that it is nonsense .It's a product and it's vile at room temperature .That's why they fizz and chill it .Real Beer needs neither .