Drew Harris armoured jeep flung into the air at Garda HQ

_Brian

Can’t believe Garda HQ will keep the cctv under wraps O’R has it been leaked already ?

mfceiling

MrFresh wrote: »

Most likely they can't confirm the details of the story. There's a lot of versions going around.

Much like the sh*te being posted on this thread.

"I'd say"
"I reckon"
"What if"

Give me a fcuking break. I'm sure we'll get the full story of this sooner or later. If not then it's out with the old, in with the old.

zapitastas

Remind me wrote: »

Fully legal if permission is given. No different to secret service carrying firearms if an American President is over.

If the minister of Justice gives permission. He didn't indicate that he did on this occasion. He skirted the issue

MrFresh

zapitastas wrote: »

If the minister of Justice gives permission. He didn't indicate that he did on this occasion. He skirted the issue

It's unlikely there will be any official comment on the facts because it would compromise the security of future escorts.

TomasMacR

MrFresh wrote: »

It's unlikely there will be any official comment on the facts because it would compromise the security of future escorts.

you need to ring them up with that one, unless of course you already are their press officer. the deafening silence means they haven't already thought of this bullsh*t response.

MrFresh

TomasMacR wrote: »

you need to ring them up with that one, unless of course you already are their press officer. the deafening silence means they haven't already thought of this bullsh*t response.

He's still traveling to and from NI. It would be very irresponsible to confirm details of his escort while it's still being done regularly. Rather than just call it bull**** can you say why you think otherwise?

Tomas81

MrFresh wrote: »

He's still traveling to and from NI. It would be very irresponsible to confirm details of his escort while it's still being done regularly. Rather than just call it bull**** can you say why you think otherwise?

He should be residing within his own state of responsibility. Sitting in a nice big house In Holywood isn't good enough not even In the jurisdiction.

MrFresh

Tomas81 wrote: »

He should be residing within his own state of responsibility. Sitting in a nice big house In Holywood isn't good enough not even In the jurisdiction.

Maybe he should, but he isn't. So my point remains the same.

TomasMacR

MrFresh wrote: »

He's still traveling to and from NI. It would be very irresponsible to confirm details of his escort while it's still being done regularly. Rather than just call it bull**** can you say why you think otherwise?

I think you picked me up wrong, you are totally correct. I think your explanation is perfect for any of Harris's spokesperson to give this response and not to divulge on details when the press ask for details on anything.

Remind me

Yurt! wrote: »

I should think that the general public would like to have some light shed on the frequency to which foreign police forces are running around the country armed with weapons.


I do know it happens with high-profile political visitors, but as you mentioned yourself, there is a procedure and a paper-trail involving multiple arms of the state. The Garda Commissioner isn't Caeser; he can't just wave a wand and allow whatever agency he wants to carry weapons at a whim: "fire away there lads, just don't shoot anyone in the head - I'll get in fierce trouble."

I’m not saying he did just wave it and if it was a case that it was not known that they were armed there will be serious repercussions.

Is their confirmation they were armed?

I also don’t think the public need to know who is armed or not in high level visits. But a different issue.

Tomas81

MrFresh wrote: »

Maybe he should, but he isn't. So my point remains the same.

No maybe about it. He's OC or CO or GC or whatever mantal he is given, he should be within their operational area, he should also be using his own security detail not a British security detail armed within another jurisdiction. This is a diplomatic issue at a time when both governments are at each others throats regarding Brexit.

Sinus pain

Why does he travel regularly north of the border? Is this a regular thing or sporadic visit? Why do tax payers pay for his residence? Is he that important?

Remind me

Sinus pain wrote: »

Why does he travel regularly north of the border? Is this a regular thing or sporadic visit? Why do tax payers pay for his residence? Is he that important?

His family still live up north.

Tomas81

Sinus pain wrote: »

Why does he travel regularly north of the border? Is this a regular thing or sporadic visit? Why do tax payers pay for his residence? Is he that important?

Travel? He lives in Co Down. He drives down daily.

Tomas81

Remind me wrote: »

His family still live up north.

As does he.

omega man

We are really so far from a united ireland judging by the reaction to this event.
Whether we like it or not though this isn’t something to be played out in public for the benefit of political parties. It’s a state security matter.

Remind me

Tomas81 wrote: »

As does he.

Really? Commuting everyday?

I was under the impression he stays down a lot of the time.

McMurphy

Tomas81 wrote: »

Travel? He lives in Co Down. He drives down daily.

I thought I read that he lives down here on site in the park/Garda HQ?

Did I not just read something about a garda being given the job of walking his dogs due to security concerns?

If he is indeed travelling up and down daily (or when on duty) you naturally would have to wonder if this is the first time that armed psni men accompanied him to the capital.

Or is the first time it was leaked highlighted?

Sinus pain

Tomas81 wrote: »

Sinus pain wrote: »

Why does he travel regularly north of the border? Is this a regular thing or sporadic visit? Why do tax payers pay for his residence? Is he that important?

Travel? He lives in Co Down. He drives down daily.

Why is the tax payer and indeed the U.K. tax payer paying for him to travel to work? I thought it was mentioned here he lives in the park?

janfebmar

_Brian wrote: »

Can’t believe Garda HQ will keep the cctv under wraps

A bit embarrassing for them to extensively damage the jeep their own boss in in after letting a garda car through.

McMurphy

janfebmar wrote: »

A bit embarrassing for them to extensively damage the jeep their own boss in in after letting a garda car through.

It was embarrassing for the Garda on duty to follow the correct protocol to a "Tee", really?

I'm all ears here.....


Why

janfebmar

Correct protocol is to know when vip cars are incoming. Then if necessary to stop them, it should be done without damaging the vehicle or risking injury to the occupants. Barriers or rising bollards should be erected before vehicle come to them, not deployed as vehicles pass over or under them.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

It really is a strange one. It'd be like Michael O Leary only flying with Aer Lingus, or Bill Gates only using Apple products, or Ronald McDonald eating at Burger King, or Ryan Tubridy being good at interviewing people. It simply doesn't add up.

McMurphy

janfebmar wrote: »

Correct protocol is to know when vip cars are incoming. Then if necessary to stop them, it should be done without damaging the vehicle or risking injury to the occupants. Barriers or rising bollards should be erected before vehicle come to them, not deployed as vehicles pass over or under them.

No, you have this arse about face, correct protocol is to know how to act when unidentified vehicles are approaching the Garda HQ at speed.

You are assuming that the Garda on duty knew about the commissioner travelling with a psni unit to the HQ when what has been disclosed so far is that this isn't usually what happens, and seems to be entirely improper procedure, possibly even illegal (having armed psni officers in the Republic)


There can be no question surrounding the actions of the Garda on duty, and I think deep down you know this.

FrancieBrady

janfebmar wrote: »

Correct protocol is to know when vip cars are incoming. Then if necessary to stop them, it should be done without damaging the vehicle or risking injury to the occupants. Barriers or rising bollards should be erected before vehicle come to them, not deployed as vehicles pass over or under them.

Would the onus not be on the person who changed the plan/routine to let security know?

Rather arrogant to expect changed plans to be transmitted by telepathy. The secrecy and cover-up here is indicative of somebody being a tad embarrassed.

Remind me

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

No, you have this arse about face, correct protocol is to know how to act when unidentified vehicles are approaching the Garda HQ at speed.

You are assuming that the Garda on duty knew about the commissioner travelling with a psni unit to the HQ when what has been disclosed so far is that this isn't usually what happens, and seems to be entirely improper procedure, possibly even illegal (having armed psni officers in the Republic)


There can be no question surrounding the actions of the Garda on duty, and I think deep down you know this.

Agreed, no issue with the Garda on the gate but IF correct protocol was adhered to the escort vehicles would have been In touch with the gate in plenty of time to notify them of the arrival.

Tomas81

Remind me wrote: »

Really? Commuting everyday?

I was under the impression he stays down a lot of the time.

He commutes daily. He lives in Holywood. Quite close to Rory Mcilroy parents

the_syco

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/bomb-proof-jeep-carrying-garda-16091069

Ireland’s top cop would normally be picked up at the border by a Garda Emergency Response Unit but on this occasion armed PSNI officers brought him all the way to Dublin.

I'm guessing it was one of two things;
1) ERU wasn't available, so the PSNI were asked to drop him back
2) He wanted to show the PSNI something in Dublin

And I'm guessing someone thought it'd be fun to "accidentally" hit the button as the jeep came in. Not before, nope, but right under it.

Remind me

Tomas81 wrote: »

He commutes daily. He lives in Holywood. Quite close to Rory Mcilroy parents

Not a hope this is happening what in all probability is 7 days a week....

I have no doubt there is a residence of some description in Dublin for him and is used regularly.

Hurrache

Tomas81 wrote: »

He commutes daily. He lives in Holywood. Quite close to Rory Mcilroy parents

It has been suggested otherwise on numerous occasions.

TomasMacR

as someone pointed out earlier, whatever happened to a mobile phone.

his main reason (which appears to be a load of bollocks) for driving with the PSNI was that his Garda pick up didn't show up at the border....so you are the garda commissioner, what do you do? keep going or ring someone and say

"where are you, you stupid pr*cks, you'll be on traffic duty for the next 10 years if you aren't here ASAP because i cannot drive down in a PSNI car as this would be highly contentious"

or f*ck it, just drive down anyway and forget about everything else. seems he had no other urgent duty to attend to as, that of course would be traceable from his diary...so he f*cked up royally, pun intended, as that's clearly where his heart lies. This man has no business being Garda Commissioner most definitely not while resides in the north of ireland and is still clearly very much a part of the PSNI/RUC.

janfebmar

the_syco wrote: »

And I'm guessing someone thought it'd be fun to "accidentally" hit the button as the jeep came in. Not before, nope, but right under it.

It was initially thought to have "malfunctioned".

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

No, you have this arse about face, correct protocol is to know how to act when unidentified vehicles are approaching the Garda HQ at speed.

The vehicle the Garda commissioner was in was not being driven at speed when it passed through the checkpoint. If the Garda wanted to stop the vehicle all she had to do was put out her hand or walk out.

Hurrache

TomasMacR wrote: »

as someone pointed out earlier, whatever happened to a mobile phone.

his main reason (which appears to be a load of bollocks) for driving with the PSNI was that his Garda pick up didn't show up at the border....so you are the garda commissioner, what do you do? keep going or ring someone and say

"where are you, you stupid pr*cks, you'll be on traffic duty for the next 10 years if you aren't here ASAP because i cannot drive down in a PSNI car as this would be highly contentious"

or f*ck it, just drive down anyway and forget about everything else. seems he had no other urgent duty to attend to as, that of course would be traceable from his diary...so he f*cked up royally, pun intended, as that's clearly where his heart lies. This man has no business being Garda Commissioner most definitely not while resides in the north of ireland and is still clearly very much a part of the PSNI/RUC.

Nobody knows the full details yet. But you'd be happy with him threatening people like that?

Tomas81

Remind me wrote: »

Not a hope this is happening what in all probability is 7 days a week....

I have no doubt there is a residence of some description in Dublin for him and is used regularly.

I know it's happening.

McMurphy

Some folk keep missing this part.

The senior source said: “For some reason Harris decided he would not change over vehicle at the border and got the PSNI to drive him to the garda depot with the ERU escort.

So he purposely decided not to go with the Garda sent to escort him, but must have instructed his old colleagues in the psni to drive him on into Dublin, presumably knowing they were armed, and presumably knowing this not to be legal (according to people more versed in these things than I)

Tomas81

Hurrache wrote: »

It has been suggested otherwise on numerous occasions.

Read the articles above about his usual routine collected on the border. He travels home daily and usually collected in Newry PSNI station and moved from there.

TomasMacR

Hurrache wrote: »

Nobody knows the full details yet. But you'd be happy with him threatening people like that?

was waiting for something like that it's tongue in cheek head of police stuff tv stuff. I would expect him to have some stern words with a garda escort that didnt show up for him if that was the case...something along those lines would be perfectly fine, and I don't want to upset you, but these things are said in real life. it's tough going out there.

janfebmar

If the PSNI drove him to the garda depot with the ERU escort, why did the Garda destroy the PSNI vehicle?
Surely the ERU vehicle would have notified headquarters they were accompanying a vip vehicle?

McMurphy

janfebmar wrote: »

If the PSNI drove him to the garda depot with the ERU escort, why did the Garda destroy the PSNI vehicle?
Surely the ERU vehicle would have notified headquarters they were accompanying a vip vehicle?

Not if they were instructed by someone not to because people may have been knowingly breaking protocol, and possibly the law...... Has the penny dropped at last?

FrancieBrady

janfebmar wrote: »

If the PSNI drove him to the garda depot with the ERU escort, why did the Garda destroy the PSNI vehicle?
Surely the ERU vehicle would have notified headquarters they were accompanying a vip vehicle?

Are you insinuating they did it deliberately? Seems like you are.

The onus is on the person who decided to change the plans.

Remind me

Tomas81 wrote: »

I know it's happening.

He lives in Garda HQ

Remind me

Tomas81 wrote: »

I know it's happening.

He lives in Garda HQ

janfebmar

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Are you insinuating they did it deliberately?

Who knows- but more than likely an accident or malfunction? If the Garda wanted to stop the vehicle all she had to do was put out her hand or walk out. Why destroy an expensive vehicle and risk harming the occupants? Someone ****** up.

Remind me

Heading down the Gemma O’Doherty route here

MrFresh

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Not if they were instructed by someone not to because people may have been knowingly breaking protocol, and possibly the law...... Has the penny dropped at last?

You think there was a conspiracy to embarrass the Commissioner?

TomasMacR

Remind me wrote: »

He lives in Garda HQ

It says he is staying in Garda HQ while his private residence is making some security upgrades. Where is his private residence? He's using an address, and it looks like he's using it for a while to give a good impression that he is dedicated to his position. If he is commuting regularly which appears to be the case then that is totally disingenuous and wrong.

FrancieBrady

janfebmar wrote: »

Who knows- but more than likely an accident or malfunction? If the Garda wanted to stop the vehicle all she had to do was put out her hand or walk out. Why destroy an expensive vehicle and risk harming the occupants? Someone ****** up.

Because she followed protocol for an unauthorized vehicle coming through forcefully.

Whoever changed the plan/routine and didn't inform security ****ed up here.

McMurphy

janfebmar wrote: »

Who knows- but more than likely an accident or malfunction? If the Garda wanted to stop the vehicle all she had to do was put out her hand or walk out. Why destroy an expensive vehicle and risk harming the occupants? Someone ****** up.

A Garda, tasked with manning security for the HQ of the States National Police force should, when spotting an armour plated Jeep, with a registration from the north, stop it by either a waving of his or her hand, or else walking out in front of it?

No doubt a PSNI officer, when spotting an unidentified vehichle with a southern reg approaching their sentinel at Knock road, Belfast should also stop it by a waving of a hand or placing their body between it and the building?

I see you're a pacifist now when it comes to police and potential terror threats........

Muahahaha

BettePorter wrote: »

I'd say the cctv footage from the scene was epic. When hitting the barrier switch I'm sure the guard activated the 'big red button ' and coppers probably came running from every where. Imagine the poor guards face when her boss emerged from the back seat. 'Faaaaaaack'!!!!

I say it was pretty comical especially as the jeep was stuck up in the air with the bollard underneath it. Would have been some laugh when the boss and his PSNI mates emerged.

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Is it down to the fact, that at the end of the Day, when all is said and done, he just downright doesn't fully trust the Gardai to fully look after him, or that he just prefers his "own type" company?

There might be something in this- around about the time Harris was appointed as the new Garda Commissioner it was reported that some senior members of the Crime and Security branch in Garda HQ were less than impressed with him getting the job. This was because of Harris' appearance at the Smithwick Tribunal years earlier where he gave evidence in relation to the Dundalk Gardai colluding with the IRA on the border which resulted in two RUC officers being set up and murdered. Some senior Gardai within the Crime & Security branch were pissed off at Harris at the Smithwick Tribunal as he appeared to point the finger at them during his evidence, either in a 'they should of known about the murder plot and stopped it' or 'they knew about the murder plot and let it go ahead anyway' kind of way. Either way Harris and some very senior members of our secret service bear a long held grudge against each other over the murder of two of his RUC colleagues and the fallout at the Tribunal.

So the idea that Harris does not trust the Crime & Security branch fully to protect him could hold weight. It wouldn't surprise me if it comes out that Harris was using PSNI protection for all his trips from up north back down to Dublin. Lets not also forget that Harris' father Alwyn, a RUC superintendent, was killed by the IRA in a car bomb back in 1989 so that is obviously on his mind and he's going to be naturally paranoid that dissidents are out to get him. Now if he feels there are a few members of the Crime and Security branch in HQ who have it in for him then the paranoia ratchets up even further.

McMurphy

MrFresh wrote: »

You think there was a conspiracy to embarrass the Commissioner?

Not at all.

I think the commissioner might have been caught with his trousers down and he was embarrassed accidentally, not through any conspiracy.