Group patrolling the town

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122398872#Comment_122398872

I'd suggest getting a red head band and some fingerless leather gloves. Really complete the look.

magicbastarder

from the 'controversies' section on the guardian angels, this seems a little apt.

"In February 2024, several members of the Guardian Angels shoved a man to the sidewalk and put him in a headlock during a live interview with Sliwa at Times Square.
During the interview, which came a week after a widely-publicized brawl between several migrants and NYPD officers, Sliwa stated that the man was a migrant. He also stated that the man had been caught shoplifting.
In a later segment, he added "[...] Let's just say we gave him a little pain compliance, his mother back in Venezuela felt the vibrations. He's sucking concrete, the cops scraped him off the asphalt[...]" The NYPD later said the man was actually a man from the Bronx, and they did not provide evidence of the man shoplifting. Sliwa told The Associated Press he believed the man was a migrant because he spoke Spanish and had been encountered with other Spanish speakers on patrols. The man was issued a summons for disorderly conduct.[29]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardian_Angels

Beechwoodspark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122399011#Comment_122399011

Concerned locals patrol is a difference concept to garda reserve. Due to other commitments I couldn’t sign up to the full garda reserve but yes I could take part in a few weekly patrols in the evenings.

As for @suvigirl laughing at me saying it would be good to have a squad car with us, surely that is a good thing for ppl who are concerned the locals on patrol might go “rogue”???

If we have the guards driving along with us flashing the lights it would increase our effectiveness.

magicbastarder

maybe the gardai have better things to spend their time on?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122399176#Comment_122399176

indeed- out guarding a “concerned citizens” patrol - the irony of course is that it’s the “concerned citizens” that will most likely break the law- not the imaginary people they are “hunting”

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122399160#Comment_122399160

The Gardaí will roll their eyes at such a request so hard it might actually cause the rest of them to spin.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122399200#Comment_122399200

oh no- not another Garda class action suit for damaged eyeballs whilst in the course of their duty 🤪

Conall Cernach

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122399160#Comment_122399160

But if the Gardai are available to drive around accompanying this group on their patrol what is the need for the patrol seeing as the Gardai are obviously able to cover the patrol route?

nachouser

This Dad's Army stuff has to be a wind up.

Hungry Burger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122398911#Comment_122398911

Depends on your opinion of what vigilantism is.

Would you consider a neighbourhood watch a vigilante group?

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122398854#Comment_122398854

Grouping these vigilantes under the neighbourhood watch banner was the Gardai's best and only move here as that's a predefined structure for engaging with regular Joe's. It assigns them a community Guard - who will probably only work the day-shift - and all other serious matters will need to be called in under the emergency system (999). That brings them into the fold of "Garda engagement", but keeps them suitably isolated at the same time.

Then if there's an incident of intimidation or racism reported to the Gardai during one of these 'patrols', they can obtain the list of who was active on patrol at the time and scribble furious notes as they investigate with the benefit of knowledge. 👍️

Quitelife

In most towns and villages there is no garda presence so communities are at breaking point from Traveller gangs/drug dealers etc so local groups forming to protect the community seems the only option , local TDs dont seem to be of any help.

Iseedeadpixels

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122398872#Comment_122398872

This is a comment from you on the extending hours thread

Sigh… we have already been through this but once again…

AGS don’t have the resources to police the streets 24/7.

So you now want the same under resourced Garda to help you lot be racist "concerned citizens"?

Deregos.

They're stalking them because they don't like other people coming in and having access to (or sharing) all the same free housing and social welfare benefits which they've been hogging all their lazy lives . .

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122399160#Comment_122399160

Ah sorry, are you trying to make me actually wet myself laughing?? Patrol cars with blues lights flashing for your vigilante mob? ,😂😂

The Garda reserve is literally a few hours a week, you think you could join a vigilante group, but not the Garda reserve? Yeah I think we can see exactly what you want to do.

suvigirl

Already posted the answer to this

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122399272#Comment_122399272

hynesie08

https://youtu.be/khxv_U4qLzg?si=6Z3xnWdWq0tNC3VD

Beechwood in his minivan battering anyone who didn't help him get Taylor Swift tickets.

Red Silurian

Are the group claiming that migrants are following others with intent to harm? If people, migrants or otherwise, are following other people with the intent to cause harm or distress then nothing wrong with keeping a vigilant eye out.

They would need to be very careful and have documented evidence, preferably video, of any wrongdoing before intervening in anything as they could very easily get labelled a racist group otherwise

magicbastarder

'nothing wrong'? how about you're a newcomer to the town, or just from outside ireland. would you feel comfortable going about your business in that town, knowing there's a group of people out and about who have taken it upon themselves to protect the town from immigrants?

endofrainbow

I can just see it now - 'Judge, but they were foreign looking in a white HiAce van'.

This is it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122399160#Comment_122399160

It's not just suvigirl laughing at you.

kabakuyu

Will they provide uniforms and boots?

I was in the FCA back in the day(free clothes association),great crack altogether,a bit of marching and shooting.

Don't known if I have time for the auld vigilantism.

Beechwoodspark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122399948#Comment_122399948

So the suggestion that the guards join us is not PC or something?

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122401016#Comment_122401016

It's ridiculous

magicbastarder

nothing to do PCness or otherwise. it's idiotic.

Oscar_Madison

All joking aside, I wonder does the community alert scheme in place throughout small towns and villages in Ireland, have any impact and how is it monitored and what’s the participation rate from citizens?
From being in a community WhatsApp group, my experience is that people in general are reluctant to report suspicious activity for fear of them being seeing as busy bodies or “getting it wrong”

My experience of reporting suspicious activity is a genuine polite thank you from the Gardai - I leave it up to them then to make their own mind up but I’ve done my duty- I definitely rumbled a few burglars casing a neighbours house in the last 18 months - but from experience a lot of my neighbours wouldn’t report and only after they’d say, ah yeah I should have reported that.
Theres no need for “citizens patrols”- if EVERYBODY who saw something suspicious reported it, each and every time, that would give Gardai plenty of information - sometimes it’s as simple as phoning in a car reg number of someone acting suspiciously- let the Gardai do what they’re paid to do

magicbastarder

If you rang the gardai and said 'i saw someone acting suspicious' I suspect it'd be put to the bottom of the pile. The signal to noise ratio if everyone started reporting things they were suspicious about (as you suggest) would be properly atrocious.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122401046#Comment_122401046

Ah to be fair, in rural areas people tend to know each other, they know a strange vehicle if it's hanging around acting suspiciously, they know if their neighbors are vulnerable or maybe away from home.

Depends on the suspicious actions I presume, someone walking through a housing estate, trying all doors or someone driving up driveways into vacant houses in the country are all fairly suspiciously and should warrant investigation, I'm sure.

hynesie08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122401016#Comment_122401016

So the gardai would follow a set route at a set time? If only there was a name for something like that?