AGSI shocked at garda conviction for scrambler pursuit

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has said its members are shocked at the conviction of a garda for dangerous driving after he pursued two masked men on scrambler and electric bikes.

The garda was convicted of dangerous driving in the Dublin District Court last week, banned from driving for two years and fined €500 following an investigation by Fiosrú, the Garda Ombudsman.

The Deputy General Secretary of the AGSI said today people were shocked by the court outcome which was going to create a problem for gardaí, sergeants and inspectors.

Kevin Bolger said the protections were not there for gardaí doing their job trying to protect people from the scourge of scramblers.

He said the case would have a chilling effect because garda patrol car drivers would now be thinking, "I don't really think I want to do this".

He also said that it would embolden those driving scramblers and ebikes "to go for it" because they know the chances of a garda pursuing them is lessened.

He also said they needed to hear a strong message of reassurance from Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly when he attends the AGSI conference later today that gardaí can go out and do their job.

Mr Bolger said they also needed more resources such as drone technology and CCTV systems which would enable them to track the drivers and find and seize the scooters.

He also said the Commissioner needs to tell gardaí that protections are going to be given to members to make that decision to pursue.

"We need clear guidance from the top of this organisation very quickly," he said.

Fianna Fáil TD Tom Brabazon meanwhile called for gardaí to be given "power and protection to pursue and apprehend those engaging in reckless behaviour".

He said: "Speaking to gardaí on the ground, there is complete frustration that they cannot carry out basic tasks of apprehending criminals without the risk that they will be prosecuted by Fiosrú.

"It is obvious that senior gardaí are reluctant to instruct their officers to pursue these for the very reason that they could be suspended and prosecuted and as such will lose much needed personnel".

Sergeants and inspectors are also calling for the establishment of local fraud and money laundering units in garda divisions around the country.

Inspector Brian Downey said they had established one in Balbriggan and the fraud convictions increased from three to over 200.

He said they also identified over €5m which was stolen from people in online scams by local and international criminals, some of which was also laundered through local drug dealers.

AGSI calling for safeguards to deal with social media abuse faced by gardaí
Meanwhile, AGSI is calling on Comm Kelly to put safeguards and protections in place to deal with social media abuse their members face.

The association also says it wants social media companies to immediately remove such material from their sites.

The AGSI conference will hear calls from delegates for recruit gardaí to be fully vetted before they are assigned to garda stations.

In relation to social media abuse, the association said gardaí have phones put in their faces when they are on duty and they and their families are being targeted with the names, addresses and images published online.

The AGSI said it is aware of ten such cases in the past six months with one garda's teenage children having been accosted in the chipper where they work.

Middle-ranking gardaí say the abuse is not only causing stress, it is also discouraging recruitment.

They are calling on Comm Kelly to introduce a policy and put structures in place for dealing with the problem.

They also want the social media companies to implement a policy of immediately taking this offensive material down.

The sergeants and inspectors also say that while civilianisation is increasing it has not put more gardaí on the street.

They say some sergeants are spending over six of their 12-hour shift on screens, behind desks in stations and are calling for a review of all garda administrative work to determine what more can be done by civilian staff.

Concerns have also been raised at the conference about unvetted recruit gardaí having access to data on PULSE or confidential information in stations or on garda operations.

They cite one case where gardaí searching for a man wanted on warrant did not know the recruit with them was his brother.

They are calling for all trainee gardaí to be fully vetted before they are assigned to garda stations.