Garda chiefs probed over ‘errors’ by junior officers
Conference told 30 supts facing inquiries
THIRTY Garda superintendents are under investigation because of alleged mistakes by junior officers, it emerged yesterday.
Supt Noel Cunningham has urged top brass to support “district officers” facing longterm probes.
He also criticised the lack of resources for the Ombudsman Commission which forces the office to feed out inquiries to superintendents.
He claimed this is having a negative impact on workload.
Mr Cunningham, who heads the Association of Garda Superintendents, told its annual conference in Naas, Co Kildare: “It is very important superinten- dents are held to account for their stewardship, but it’s very important if we are held to account we are dealt with fairly and that’s why GSOC needs to be resourced.”
“Superintendents are investigated for essentially issues which arise in relation to their own stewardship.
“It is about something they have been perceived to have done wrong and an investigation is carried out by GSOC in relation to a complaint made against the superintendent.
“But the superintendent is now often included in relation to wrongdoings or perceived wrongdoings or inactivity by the members under their control and the superintendent is investigated to establish what he did or didn’t do to ensure the particular incident was properly investigated.”
Supt Cunningham said the investigations, most of which last three to five years, are often initiated after a specific complaint.
He added: “It can be both, it can be the local person making the complaint that is holding the local superintendent accountable or GSOC looking at the complaint and saying there is an issue here too in relation to management.” He also lashed out at the practice of superintendents investigating their own as GSOC is under resourced. He said: “We have our local communities to police. If we are carrying out investigations, it’s taking us away from that. GSOC Noel Cunningham should be properly resourced. They are a professional outfit, professionally managed and well run. They need the resources to carry out the investigations on their behalf and also the impact it is having on our own members.
“Many of our members are currently under investigation, with investigations running from three to five years, that’s very unfair and that’s because GSOC are not fully resourced.
“They should be properly resourced so inquiries can be carried out promptly and professionally.”
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan and Deputy Commissioner Sean Twomey are set to speak to delegates.