Commissioner defends bike probe
GARDA Commissioner Drew Harris yesterday stood over a decision to investigate an officer for lending a pensioner a bike.
Mr Harris said: “I understand entirely why that decision was made.”
He was referring to the use of the National Bureau Of Criminal Investigation to probe the Midlands based officer – who only returned to full duty on Thursday following a four year saga.
The officer was the focus of a long-running probe after he took a bicycle from Garda stores that was about to be disposed of and lent it to a pensioner during lockdown.
He took the bike without permission and was investigated for theft – but later cleared.
He was then subjected to a disciplinary process – and that exonerated him only two
weeks ago. The NBCI deals with major crimes including murder and espionage – but Mr Harris said he backed the decision to send detectives from that Dublin-based unit to the Midlands to investigate the officer.
Speaking at the Garda College in Co Tipperary, Mr Harris said: “Having seen the rationale of it and we are talking about very experienced, competent and indeed distinguished and illustrious members of An Garda Siochana who made these decisions, I do stand over them.” The officer was suspended and then restricted in duties for four years – during which time he was at the centre of first a criminal and then disciplinary probe. Mr Harris said: “I understand why the focus on it – it is a very human story. It is a human being within a process of firstly crime investigation and then discipline investigation.
“But in the end the process worked through and the individual was exonerated.
“We want to see what learning there is from that. I stand by that process. I understand entirely the public commentary and public concern that has been expressed, but when I stand back from that, this incident in itself, I also have a responsibility to the property and evidence that comes into the possession of An Garda Siochana and that is very important.”