Gardaí have a very tough job and they deserve the public’s support

THE last few months, indeed years, have been a torrid period for gardaí who have been rocked by scandal after scandal and who have seen the public’s trust in the force and their vital work seriously eroded.

The breath testing and fixed charge notice conviction scandals are an appalling stain on the reputation of the gardaí and the public rightly and deservedly wants answers about how these debacles were allowed occur.

We are also warned by the Garda Commissioner that we can probably expect to see more such scandals emerging in the coming years as the force attempts to modernise.

Given what has happened it is hardly surprising that public trust in the force has been “seriously undermined” as former Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan said earlier this month.

Considering Ms O’Loan’s involvement in the effort to create a police force everyone in sectarian Northern Ireland could have faith in, her opinion is one that should be taken very seriously.

When it comes to public trust in a police force Nuala O’Loan knows what she’s talking about and she needs to be listened to.

For all the loss of faith in the force the Irish people still recognise that the gardaí – especially rank and file members – have a very difficult job and regularly put their own safety on the line to keep the public safe.

The risks that gardaí face were highlighted in the starkest terms this weekend when four gardaí were viciously attacked in two separate incidents in Mayo and Dublin.

Three of the gardaí - who were responding to relatively minor incidents – ended up in hospital, one with a shattered jaw.

Aside from the shocking fact that four gardaí – two men and two women – were hospitalised by thugs as they went about their duty there is another aspect to the incidents that should be considered.

Many might be of the opinion that gardaí in cities and large urban areas face more day-to-day dangers than their colleagues in rural counties.

Certainly gardaí in cities must deal with more serious crime but the assault in Claremorris – a town of just 4,500 people with a very low level of serious crime – shows that rural gardaí face their own very real risks every day.

Amidst all the condemnation – and mocking – of gardaí since the breath test and fixed charge notice scandals let’s take a moment to remember that the vast majority of gardaí are hard working and dedicated men and women who respect the rules and who put their lives on the line to protect us.

Few have any idea of the difficulties gardaí on the beat come up against every day and the hardship, suffering and human misery that they often come face-to-face with.

Unfortunately for many gardaí the good work they do every day often goes unreported while their failures and scandals like the breath testing fiasco dominate headlines. The public needs answers about garda scandals but in the meantime let’s show the men and women who protect us some respect.