Anti-gang armed unit cars have boot storage to secure weapons
THE Armed Support Unit (ASU) was launched in December 2016 as part of the Garda response to the vicious Kinahan-Hutch gangland feud.
The 55-strong highly trained and resourced unit is deployed in response to firearms-related and other critical incidents. It is also used to back up planned operations, such as searches and checkpoints, to disrupt the feuding organised crime gangs, under Operation Hybrid. It comes under the control, along with other specialist armed units, of Det Chief Supt Gerry Russell, who has responsibility for Stoc (Special Tactics and Operations Command).
At the launch, Chief Supt Russell said the ASU would give the force a capability to confront the gangs as well as terrorist, including lone wolf, attacks.
The unit has been allocated a fleet of highpowered Audi Q7 Quattro and BMW 530 estate vehicles while its armoury includes Heckler and Koch MP7 sub-machine guns and Sig pistols as well as less-thanlethal weapons such as Tasers and pepper spray.
Officers are also supplied with breaching equipment, ballistic shields and medical bags, including defibrillators, and are trained as emergency first responders.
The ASU provides highvisibility patrolling and response while the Emergency Response Unit concentrates on covert and high-risk firearms interventions against criminal and terrorist gangs.
Both units have trained together on scenarios relating to sieges and other critical incidents. However, the Garda authorities made it clear that the setting up of the ASU did not mean another move away from being an unarmed force.
Many of the vehicles used by ASU patrols contain special compartments fitted in the boot to facilitate holding their firearms, ammunition and other equipment.
It is not clear if the car involved in Tuesday’s incident had those compartments.
Stoc has responsibility for close protection units, who look after the safety of key figures like the President and the Taoiseach and visiting VIPs such as Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan.