Garda analysts ‘belittled’ over statistics
TWO civilians at An Garda Síochána who said they were ‘belittled and poorly treated’ when they flagged concerns over homicide figures were ‘failed’ by the organisation, Garda management has said.
Lois West and Laura Galligan from the Garda’s Analysis Service were tasked with conducting a review of the reporting of homicide figures, and raised serious concerns about the accuracy of the numbers.
However, they said they were undermined after raising concerns about inaccurate homicide statistics.
Appearing before the Oireachtas Justice committee yesterday, Chief Administration Officer Joe Nugent said the force had failed the women and that he ‘didn’t know’ why their concerns were not taken seriously.
‘As an organisation we failed the individuals concerned. We should have done more for them,’ said Mr Nugent, who appeared at the committee in the absence of Acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin.
Pressed by Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan on why the women’s concerns were dismissed by gardaí, Mr Nugent said there were ‘differences in perspective’ on the issue.
Mr Nugent agreed that the evidence provided by the civilian members was ‘accurate and reliable’.
As as a result of their investigations, 12 deaths on the force’s PULSE computer system were re-classified as homicides.
Assistant Commissioner Orla McPartlin said the findings made by the Analysis Service did not mean that there have been cases of homicide that were not thoroughly investigated by gardaí.
She said it concerned incidents where ‘something started off as a serious assault and the victim died subsequently’ but was not updated on the PULSE system.
Ms McPartlin said the methodology recommended by the two civilian officers is now being used by a review group which is currently examining 41 cases of homocide. She also confirmed the two women were part of the team reviewing the figures.