PUPILS HAVE A RIOT AT GARDA TRAINING DAY
CHILDREN from Scoil Mhuire in Coolcotts got to see members of the Garda Mounted Support Unit in action during a special training event at Wexford Racecourse last Friday.
Having been employed to oversee the vist of President Donald Trump and other important visitors to the country, the Mounted Unit is one of the force’s most skilled divisions and one which will be further engaged during the European Football Championships at the Aviva Stadium later this year.
Accompanied by the Garda Riot Squad, there were Mounted Unit members from Wexford, Wicklow and Waterford in attendance, all of whom were happy to let those in attendance test the sturdiness of their equipment.
‘The children really enjoyed it, they got to throw debris at the riot police and pet the horses. Those horses are highly trained, they’re used to people,’ said Garda Dennis Costello who had invited the sixth class pupils to witness the training first-hand.
The event had been organised by the Wexford Garda’s Community Policing Unit and follows on from an initiative which saw Transition Year students from across the town spend a week at the Station last December.
‘There’s a big drive on engaging with the community at the moment,’ said Dennis. ‘Scoil Mhuire is in my area so I invited them to watch the training. I’ve developed a relationship with the school and wanted to get them involved.’
The Inspector in Charge of the Riot Squad was Detective Sgt Rory Sheriff while Sergeant Brendan Costello was the Instructor with the Wexford Mounted Support Unit.