Say something nice about An Garda Siochana

pconn062

I was hopelessly lost a few years ago, driving around Kilkenny in the days before google maps. I picked up my phone and called my wife for directions (not clever I know) and got caught and pulled over by two Guards. I explained the situation to them and not only did they not give me a fine or points they gave me an garda car escort right to the door of the hotel I was looking for! Sound folks.

corner of hells

pconn062 wrote: »

I was hopelessly lost a few years ago, driving around Kilkenny in the days before google maps. I picked up my phone and called my wife for direc

I think you might be still lost , are you in the right thread ?

pconn062

corner of hells wrote: »

I think you might be still lost , are you in the right thread ?

Clicked post too early by mistake!

whisky_galore

raclle wrote: »

An off duty bean garda assisted me

ThewhiteJesus

Samsgirl wrote: »

I work with Guards every day of the week and 99.9 percent of them are sound. Nobody would believe what they put up with in their line of duty. Very few would do their job.

Would love to see some of the brave keyboard warriors come into a Garda Station and see they kind of people they have to deal with.

i doubt anyone will deny that, but they aren't forced to do the job it's their choice, and they get well paid no matter what they tell you.
I know many guards, and they all have multiple mortgages so i don't buy into your argument.
That said i have met alot of sound guards, but just as many who are useless.
Also, the overall fitness of the Guards is really embarrassing, i mean shockingly embarrassing.

Mad_maxx

corner of hells wrote: »

And probably video you too for posterity.

Now that is scummy behaviour which the vast majority would not do

arccosh

one let me off an easy speeding ticket with a warning...sound guard.

ThewhiteJesus

arccosh wrote: »

one let me off an easy speeding ticket with a warning...sound guard.

Was he really sound for letting you off a driving offence, or corrupt and incompetent. If it was a politician people would go mad.
Unprofessional is the word you are looking for.

arccosh

arccosh wrote: »

one let me off an easy speeding ticket with a warning...sound guard.

"Congratulations" on getting away with the ticket I suppose, but that wasn't a sound guard, it was a useless one.

I'm not going to give you or anyone else a finger wagging lecture, but there's a speed limit there for a reason and your man couldn't bother his bollix making the effort to ensure the safety of everyone else on the street at the same time as you.

elperello

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Any amount of regular citizens would do the same

But a member of AGS did.

Credit where credit is due.

Nigzcurran

I was a right little pox bottle growing up around the estate and all the local guards were actually sound, don’t know how they put up with us

They do a difficult job, most of us wouldn’t have the balls to, however they still receive abuse and hate en masse. Seems especially from people who don’t agree with certain laws, cannabis prohibition is definitely a big one.

However, they’re not the makers of those laws, they simply are employed to enforce them & keep the peace etc. And they do it, day in, day out, abuse or kindness. They have incredible restraint when they’re having abuse yelled from every direction & that’s more than I can say about myself, I imagine most people whether they’ll admit it or not are the same.

They’re given fairly basic equipment to deal with criminals and unsavoury characters some of which would think nothing of pulling a knife or gun on you & they do it while getting paid less than the eejits who sit around in the cosy Dail coming up with some of the ridiculous laws that require Gardai to put themselves in danger.

They have to interview victims of crime and listen to some horrendous stories while keeping an objective view and not showing excess emotion. (They wouldn’t exactly be allowed cry with a rape victim for instance, which might be very hard depending on the story itself)

Say just one thing about gardai that's nice?

Despite all of that and more - they still get up every morning and go do their job, as awful as it might be some days or as challenging as it must be. Receive far too little thanks for their service and most people ridicule and make fun of them. Their every move is criticised & often videoed and put online.

Honestly, there’s no way I could be a Garda. Fair fcuking play to any of them.

arccosh

ThewhiteJesus wrote: »

Was he really sound for letting you off a driving offence, or corrupt and incompetent. If it was a politician people would go mad.
Unprofessional is the word you are looking for.

Deleted User wrote: »

"Congratulations" on getting away with the ticket I suppose, but that wasn't a sound guard, it was a useless one.

I'm not going to give you or anyone else a finger wagging lecture, but there's a speed limit there for a reason and your man couldn't bother his bollix making the effort to ensure the safety of everyone else on the street at the same time as you.

probably should have expanded a bit on the situation, but not going to as it opens up some personal and employment sensitivities...

lets just say I agreed with him with the situation, explained mine, was all very cordial... he mentioned because what I was involved in was services to the state, he had the discretion to let me off with a warning... was 10km/h over the limit on an empty main road after midnight

so yeah... sound guard

arccosh

arccosh wrote: »

probably should have expanded a bit on the situation, but not going to as it opens up some personal and employment sensitivities...

lets just say I agreed with him with the situation, explained mine, was all very cordial... he mentioned because what I was involved in was services to the state, he had the discretion to let me off with a warning... was 10km/h over the limit on an empty main road after midnight

so yeah... sound guard

There’s some people who just can’t agree with anything the gardai do, those types of people you’re wasting your time trying.

arccosh

Deleted User wrote: »

There’s some people who just can’t agree with anything the gardai do, those types of people you’re wasting your time trying.

I've dealt with the Gardai a lot over the years... credit where it's due... better than the one who went through my phone when I was searched before or the various sneering smartarsed ones I've had to deal with over the years because of the crime of having to grow up in a bad area..

was nice to have a professional, pleasant experience for once.

bnt

I’ve only had to deal with them once in twenty years in Ireland, and it was an OK experience for me. (I had walked in to the immediate aftermath of an assault and had to call the Garda and help the injured person - all while the assaulter was hanging around, too steaming drunk to think about leaving the scene.)

It was all pen and paper at the time (about 2013). I know they have IT systems, since I was considered for a contract IT role at their headquarters, but I turned it down after I saw the pay (poor) and the conditions (shift work with horrible hours). I have experience working for a government department in the UK, and some of those memories came creeping back when I read the Garda job spec.

Still, if you read the Garda Recruitment Forum, it seems to quite a popular choice of career. Guaranteed pension and all that. I wouldn’t qualify myself (not Irish and now too old and unhealthy), and I don’t think I’m enough of a “people person” to handle dealing with scumbags and bureaucracy, while maintaining my mental health. If you can achieve that much, respect is due.

Potatoeman

Most Garda I’ve dealt with were sound. People that have a problem with them have unrealistic expectations or are dodgy themselves.

Had a neighbour that was told about break-ins in the area then left a ground floor window open when they were out and was robbed. Complained the guards did nothing other than dusting for prints. This sums up most people’s attitudes to the Gardai. Expecting people to wipe their arses for them. The real issue is the judiciary that see repeat offenders let off with light sentences. I can imagine that must be very demotivating.

whisky_galore

arccosh wrote: »

one let me off an easy speeding ticket with a warning...sound guard.

Are you a GAA local "hero?"

arccosh

whisky_galore wrote: »

Are you a GAA local "hero?"

:-D far from it

banie01

banie01 wrote: »

Restraint, de-escalation and actual policing are great.

Do ye reckon one of the ERU lads read this thread and decided to go wild?

Rezident

One of the most important and dangerous jobs in our society and not even well paid.

Those foolishly calling to defund the police should live in a society with no police for a while, let's see how long they last. A year or two of that might foster some of the gratitude due to those who maintain peace in civilisation, against the odds.

Mad_maxx

Rezident wrote: »

One of the most important and dangerous jobs in our society and not even well paid.

Those foolishly calling to defund the police should live in a society with no police for a while, let's see how long they last. A year or two of that might foster some of the gratitude due to those who maintain peace in civilisation, against the odds.

its a well paid job

Edgware

Mad_maxx wrote: »

its a well paid job

It is a well paid job and depending on where a Garda based there will be opportunities for extra income through working overtime i.e. time away from family, time away from engaging in enjoyable social and recreational activities,usually times like weekends,Christmas etc
I think that they are well paid and deserve to be

Fann Linn

They did a great job today.

Mad_maxx

Edgware wrote: »

It is a well paid job and depending on where a Garda based there will be opportunities for extra income through working overtime i.e. time away from family, time away from engaging in enjoyable social and recreational activities,usually times like weekends,Christmas etc
I think that they are well paid and deserve to be

Many job's involve being away from family, there not soldiers in the Lebanon, on six month overseas tours

elperello

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Many job's involve being away from family, there not soldiers in the Lebanon, on six month overseas tours

It's true that many jobs involve being away from family.

Members of the Defence Forces volunteer for overseas duty.

Gardai also volunteer for placements abroad.

2lazytogetup

Gardai are polite and when they are nice I cop myself on. No pun intended.

Society isn't in anarchy so they are doing something right

Be right back

Ten of Swords wrote: »

Frontline AGS do a dangerous job often in very difficult circumstances with resources stretched to the limit and receive very little thanks for it.

As they did today in Clonee.

Edgware

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Many job's involve being away from family, there not soldiers in the Lebanon, on six month overseas tours

I presume you mean "There are"

I have the highest respect for our Defence Forces and would support an improvement in their salaries. Defence forces, Gardai, Fire and Ambulance service deserve to be well paid and not undermined by those afraid or unwilling to put on the uniform and do their job.

99nsr125

Mad_maxx wrote: »

its a well paid job

A VERY VERY well paid job

SineadSpears

ThewhiteJesus wrote: »

Was he really sound for letting you off a driving offence, or corrupt and incompetent. Unprofessional is the word you are looking for.

If a guard pulled you in for speeding and let you off with a warning, would you say "No thank you guard that is a driving offence, you need to give me a ticket" ?


I'll assume you drive safe so let's just say it was midnight with not a soul around other than yourself & a garda car coming round the corner. The speed limit had recently been reduced in that particular area & you hadnt noticed. What would you say to that guard?

Be right back

A number of years ago, while driving I was hit by a drunk driver who was speeding and being followed by the guards for a while before he crashed into me. He had no tax etc. He went to jail for that.

All the guards that day were nothing but helpful.

46 Long

Only ever had positive encounters with them over the years and have the highest respect for An Garda Síochána.

The men who pulled the trigger on that thug yesterday only did so after every other option had been exhausted and they were left with no other choice but to use lethal force. They'll still be carrying that on their conscience and dealing with PTSD and other conditions long after the ingrates on Twitter have moved on to their next cause célèbre.

Graces7

46 Long wrote: »

Only ever had positive encounters with them over the years and have the highest respect for An Garda Síochána.

The men who pulled the trigger on that thug yesterday only did so after every other option had been exhausted and they were left with no other choice but to use lethal force. They'll still be carrying that on their conscience and dealing with PTSD and other conditions long after the ingrates on Twitter have moved on to their next cause célèbre.

Many believe there were alternatives and all should deeply regret and mourn that death

requiescat in pace, child of God and may angels guide thee to thy rest.

Going offline.

Plumbthedepths

Graces7 wrote: »

Many believe there were alternatives and all should deeply regret and mourn that death

requiescat in pace, child of God and may angels guide thee to thy rest.

Going offline.

20/20 hindsight by fence sitters. He was given every opportunity to comply, any sympathy for the store worker who was injured?

Edgware

Graces7 wrote: »

Many believe there were alternatives and all should deeply regret and mourn that death

requiescat in pace, child of God and may angels guide thee to thy rest.

Going offline.

Obviously the alternatives didnt work or maybe the Garda woke up that morning and said " I think I will kill someone to finish off the year"

Be right back

Graces7 wrote: »

Many believe there were alternatives and all should deeply regret and mourn that death

requiescat in pace, child of God and may angels guide thee to thy rest.

Going offline.

I don't think there are many alternatives left when he comes swinging a knife at a garda. They certainly tried others.