Reform blueprint ignores the need for more gardaí
THE long-awaited report on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which was established by the Government in May 2017, has been published and without doubt provides a framework for reform. The commission’s mandate was to carry out a fundamental review of the role, structures, leadership, ethos and culture of the force and develop a blueprint for the future of policing in this State with the aim of reforming An Garda Síochána.
Looking at it in the round, the commission has produced a comprehensive, practical and well-researched document that has received wide acceptance by both gardaí and the public. But, as usual, it has attracted criticism from the keyboard warriors and usual suspects who know nothing about – and could not give a hoot about – security or policing. Their objective is to get headlines.
Overall, the report outlines 50 recommendations that, if implemented, will enhance policing in this State in terms of increasing the competence of the Garda as an organisation and setting out a professional framework for the future. In 1969, a commission chaired by Judge Charlie Conroy, later known as the Conroy Commission, recommended wide-ranging changes to the policing model in Ireland and when most of these were implemented it significantly improved the Garda service. Let’s hope we have a similar outcome now.
There are too many recommendations to comment on in detail here but a review of the more striking ones is appropriate.
I agree with the commission’s recommendation in relation to the establishment of a new district policing model by which all members of the police service engage as community police by patrolling, responding to calls for assistance and general police problem-solving. Serious crime such as murders, rapes, sexual crimes and fraud would be assigned to specialist sections. The central tenet of policing from the time of Robert Peel focused on community policing, but mobile policing was introduced mainly on economic grounds and in times of low recruitment.
This model poorly affected the nature of policing and has now been reversed in many jurisdictions, mainly in the UK. This report backs such an approach.
Closely allied to this is the recommendation that divisional officers be given the authority to produce and implement policing plans in respect of their particular areas of responsibilities, with Garda HQ providing support rather than directing operations. This is an excellent recommendation that should be implemented as a priority, for the policing issues that are commonplace in one area may be non-existent in another and usually vary from district to district.
The proposed new model gets to the heart of what policing is all about, but to be effective it has to be labour intensive and herein lies the problem. Later in the report the commission espouses the view that this can be achieved without increasing garda numbers. Not so, for this style of policing is a zero-sum game in that a garda cannot be dealing with a crime and attending court at the same time. Neither can he or she be investigating public order problems and at the same time investigating a traffic accident.
This policing model centres on meeting with members of the public and listening to their concerns rather than the ‘give me the story and give it to me fast’ model that has failed in every police jurisdiction where it has been employed.
The model recommended by the commission will require substantial increases in personnel, supervision training and equipment. But the commission did not examine these requirements or make an estimate in terms of optimum police numbers, which are low in comparison to similar police jurisdictions. I am of the view the commission should have examined this vital question. How many gardaí do we need to provide a professional police service to the citizens of this State?
I am in full agreement with the recommendation that the commissioner must, similar to any chief executive, have full responsibility for the financial, human resources and all the other resources of the force, including Garda buildings.
Moreover, in the context of the proposed significantly increased responsibilities of the Garda Commissioner, the establishment of an internal board of directors to strengthen the governance and management of the organisation is vital and necessary. Personnel with expertise in finance, human resources, IT and business will certainly be of immense assistance to the Garda Commissioner in managing such a complex organisation.
It therefore follows that he should have the power to appoint the members of his own management team and all other senior management on a three- to fiveyear contract. While this will not receive full approval among the force in general, I would be in full agreement with this selection process.
While the greater majority of the recommendations are sensible and practical, there are some I do not agree with – top of the list being the recommendations in relation to national security. This issue concerns most citizens of this State.
I would advise we proceed with extreme caution in this area before making any profound changes to the current system, which has seen the State relatively safe through three decades of terrorist activity. This, in my view, makes it clear this area of policing does not at the present time require reform.