Garda Commissioner tells Policing Authority small number of gardaí guilty of ‘reprehensible’ behaviour

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris does not trust a number of members of the organisation to be around vulnerable witnesses, he said on Friday.

Mr Harris was referring to a handful of gardaí – “three or four”– who he recommended for dismissal but who were permitted to remain in the organisation following an appeal.

“We have a number of people frankly I have concern about being members of An Garda Síochána,” he said. “Past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour and past behaviour in these cases has been reprehensible.”

He said it is concerning these people are still serving despite his recommendation that they be dismissed. It is a danger that has to be managed, he said. This is done by assigning these members so they do not have contact with vulnerable people.

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These are gardaí accused of “gross misconduct” and primarily members who engaged in sexual relationships “which I would have viewed as being coercive but did not cross the criminal threshold”, he said.

Speaking at a meeting of the Policing Authority, the commissioner said the organisation must learn from mistakes and experiences in other jurisdictions and referred to the case of Wayne Couzens, the London Metropolitan police officer who kidnapped and murdered Sarah Everard. Couzens had previously been accused of indecent exposure while a police officer.

Policing Authority chairman Bob Collins said the current regulations relating to discipline are a matter of “very deep concern”.

“One of the concerns that we expressed at the meeting is that members of the public unknowingly will find themselves engaging with somebody in this in this category,” Mr Colins said.

[ Gardaí adjust protest policing following far-right demonstration at Dáil ]

[ Dáil authorities face dilemma over protests ]

Separately, Mr Harris told the meeting that gardaí have adapted their approach to policing protests following a intimidatory far-right protest outside Leinster House.

However, he advised against implementing a “sterile zone” around the Dáil for protests and urged caution in responding to disruptive protests.

This “adapted policing operation” will be rolled out on budget day, set for October 10th, when gardaí expect more protests.

Thirteen people were arrested during protests which saw politicians and staff being threatened, jostled and harassed. Most of these arrested were detained as they attempted to block staff from leaving the building.

Gardaí are currently examining CCTV and social media footage of the protest, which featured a mock gallows, to identify other offenders.

Mr Harris emphasised the need to facilitate peaceful protests but said demonstrations such as the one seen last week are becoming a growing phenomenon in Europe and in Ireland.

Gardaí did not anticipate the number of people who attended the protest or their attitude, he said, adding that there is “always a level of uncertainty” when policing demonstrations.

Assistant commissioner for the Dublin region Angela Willis said her team had listened to feedback and had adjusted the policing response. She said Wednesday’s protest was being investigated by a senior investigating officer and that a file would be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Gardaí have policed more than 400 protests in Dublin so far this year and have made 43 arrests, including 11 which took place after the protest ended, Ms Willis said.

Asked about the wider policing of anti-immigration protests, the commissioner said gardaí began taking a more “assertive” approach following an attack on a migrant camp in Dublin city centre earlier this year.

During the incident on Sandwith Street in May, tents belonging to asylum seekers who were sleeping rough were burned down by anti-immigration activists following a protest.

[ Dáil protests: Tánaiste labels conduct of demonstrators as ‘fascist-like behaviour’ ]

[ Garda Commissioner Drew Harris insists he is ‘willing to compromise’ in rosters dispute ]

This prompted gardaí to step up efforts to get asylum seekers into more stable accommodation for their own safety. Gardaí also became “a good deal more assertive” in protecting accommodation centres to make people living there feel safe.

He said these accommodation centres “have operated and operated successfully without all the huge fears stoked on social media”. People living in the centres have for the most part given no trouble whatsoever, he added.

Asked about the possibility, suggested by several politicians, of imposing a zone around Leinster House where protests would be banned, Mr Harris said this would be difficult to implement “in terms of the tightness of the environs”.

When asked if protest organisers should have to apply for prior clearance to hold demonstrations, Mr Harris said he was “not sure we are there yet as a society”.

He said it is important not to overreact to these protests either from a policing or a legislative point of view, adding that most protests pose no policing problems at all.

Asked about the perceived increase in assaults and antisocial behaviour, Ms Willis said crime patterns were broadly similar to recent years, with the exception of theft offences which have seen an increase.

There has been a reduction in assault-causing-harm offences but an increase in public order offences. Ms Willis put that increase down to increased detections as a result of more gardaí on the street.