Gardaí ‘not adequately trained’ for terror strike
GARDAÍ have accused their senior management of failing to train them adequately in how to deal with a terrorist incident.
Strong criticism of the “deficit” in training for incidents involving terrorism or tactics in confronting an armed suspect was levelled at the top ranks by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) at its annual conference in Co Wexford last night.
GRA vice-president Jim Mulligan said they were seriously concerned that rank and file colleagues, including those likely to be first on the scene of an incident, had not been adequately prepared to respond.
Major exercises last year had demonstrated the level of training given to the national units. But the rest of the force had been given little or no training.
Gardaí said their training on firearms consisted of being taught “how to shoot a gun, hold a gun and handle a gun, but not any of the tactics around it”.
Mr Mulligan said that in the UK, tactical training was given to all officers and not restricted to those who were armed.
The behaviour of unarmed officers in reacting to some of the recent incidents in the UK was a result of that, he added.
He said his association wanted tactical training.
Mr Mulligan said there had been two weeks of tactics including in training at the Garda College in Templemore, but that been dropped from the agenda.
Interim deputy general secretary Robbie Peelo said he had more than 20 years’ service in the force, but had attended only three courses in continued professional development.
Association president Ciarán O’Neill said many of the 12 injuries sustained by on-duty gardaí every week would be eliminated if Tasers were made available to all members of the force, rather than confining them to the Special Branch, Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Units.
The introduction of body cameras would also lead to a reduction in the number of assaults as well as providing good quality evidence in court.
The conference will today support an occupational health survey of members to determine the extent of measures necessary to support their mental well-being.
A report from Dr Finian Fallon, a clinical psychologist with City Colleges Dublin, will present fresh evidence of the mental issues confronting gardaí on the ground.
According to a 2016 survey for the Police Federation in England and Wales, 80pc of police who responded said they had experienced feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety and other mental health symptoms.
Mr O’Neill said anecdotal evidence would indicate that similar issues affected gardaí on the frontline.
He said there was no comparable occupation where employees were likely to suffer such a debilitating range of injuries and subsequent illnesses.