Councillors call for every garda in the country to be armed with a taser

REPEATING his call for an armed garda support unit to be based in Sligo and not in Ballyshannon which he said is too far away to deal with an emergency incident in Sligo, Cllr Thomas Walsh expressed his amazement this week that all gardaí, at the very least are not equipped with tasers, pepper sprays and any digital equipment they require in line with all other police forces in Europe. He set out to highlight the need for an armed garda support unit in Sligo when he spoke at the December meeting of Sligo County Council but added to that, when he agreed with a suggestion from fellow councillor Dónal Gilroy to include a new line in his motion to include a request that every garda in the country should be armed with a taser.

Cllr Walsh said it is “about time” they created an armed support base in Sligo, a county, he pointed out where four crime gangs are operating from on a weekly basis. If there was an incident or emergency in Sligo, Ballyshannon where the nearest unit is based, is too far away, he said.

“Local garda management have sought this for some time. It is critical we have an armed support unit here. We continue to put the public at risk and our frontline members of An Garda Síochána where we don’t have the backup of an armed garda support unit,” he told members of Sligo County Council.

He asked that the Council write to the four Oireachtas members representing Sligo-Leitrim, to the Chief Superintendent and to the Minister for Justice to ascertain why there still is no armed response base in Sligo.

“We welcome last week’s announcement that 200 tasers will be distributed to the Garda Public Order unit but I cannot understand why we are not rolling out certified tasers to every member of frontline policing in the country. Our national police force continues to lack investment in equipment, items like sprays and tasers. Every frontline member of An Garda Síochána should be armed with a taser like in every other modern police force across Europe,” he said.

Cllr Walsh said part of the reason there was less respect shown today for gardaí as opposed to when he was younger was linked to the fact that the Irish police force, unlike other forces across the world, has not modernised.

Cllr Gino O’Boyle, supporting, said gardaí here are working with “sub-standard” equipment. Commenting on the recent riots in Dublin he added: “The guards in Dublin who had to deal with that riot had to come from outside the county. Money is being invested in overtime, but not in staff.”

Cllr Dara Mulvey said he didn’t believe gardaí should be armed but added: “There would be huge peace of mind for the majority of people when they go out and see a guard with a taser or whatever on them. Gardaí have a tough enough job to do as it is. When we were growing up people looked up to the guards, they respected them. Now there is an element out there who constantly wants to confront them and take them on, that’s a sad fact of life.” Cllr Arthur Gibbons said an armed unit should be stationed locally which would send out a message to criminals that if they pull out a gun the gardaí will do the same that is the deterrent that is needed now, he said.

Cllr Dónal Gilroy asked Cllr Walsh to amend his motion to include an additional sentence calling on the Minister to provide every garda with a taser. Cllr Walsh said he would do so, agreeing with the call.