More women gardaí can only make force better and stronger
Commissioner wants more diversity, welcomes rigorous scrutiny and vows to win back public trust
THE first woman Garda Commissioner believes that the force could do with having more women, according to senior sources.
Women make up more than 25% of the force, but new commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan believes more work can be done to improve on this figure, say sources.
Ms O’Sullivan was promoted after a 33-year career with An Garda Síochána.
She was also the first female deputy commissioner when promoted in 2011 and second female assistant commissioner following on from Catherine Clancy who has since retired.
A source told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘Attitudes and procedures have changed immeasurably since the commissioner joined in the early 1980s. But, at the same time, they have not changed enough.
‘There is a figure of just over 25% women in the gardaí and that is a big change, but the commissioner believes there is still room to change that a little bit more.
‘Whether it be gender or ethnicity, it brings a different perspective and it can only make the gardaí stronger and better.’
Senior officers are also welcoming a more diverse police force.
The source said: ‘There were over 1,100 Reserves graduating from 23 different countries and that is great to see.
‘Society is changing so much and the gardaí are a little microcosm of society, so they have all the strengths and weaknesses of society. The gardaí
‘Gardaí need courage to say sorry when we get it wrong’
have people from every corner of the country and beyond and they touch off nearly every home in Ireland.’
Senior gardaí are also intent on rebuilding any trust the public may have lost in the force following recent controversies.
‘Expectations have changed,’ said the source. ‘What was acceptable is not any more. People are more questioning and more enquiring of things and the Commissioner believes that is quite right and proper.
‘It’s much better to have someone who is questioning for all of the right reasons. Sometimes you have to have the moral courage to stand up and say, “Well actually, why are we doing it that way?” or, “I think there may be a different way to go.”
‘She has told gardaí that they cannot be afraid of change. The easiest thing in the world is to ignore it or avoid it, but actually having the courage to say we have to change is what we need. And, even if we get it wrong, having the courage to say sorry.’
The Commissioner also believes technology is a big issue that is in need of reform within An Garda Síochána, the MoS understands.
‘The force has to move with the times. The way crime and terrorism was tackled has to change and that absolutely requires resources,’ said the source.
‘If the gardaí get the investment in technology that has been promised, and a steady trickle of recruitment, the Commissioner has no doubt we will have a standout 21st century police service.’
The source told the MoS that senior management are determined to seize this opportunity for change.
‘Rather than the gardaí repeating the same mistakes of other police services, they have a great opportunity to learn from others,’ said the source. ‘People sometimes see the gardaí as a big, rigid organisation. It has to be hierarchical and structured and it has to be disciplined.
‘But, at the same time, it has to be agile enough to cope with everything that is thrown at it.
‘You have young gardaí going out there 365 days a year, 24/7 and they just deal with whatever is thrown at them.
‘And I think that shows the agility and flexibility in the organisation,’ the source said.
The Commissioner has already set about conducting public attitude surveys and also talking to
‘Biggest challenge is to pull force together’
men and women at every rank within An Garda Síochána.
‘And now the gardaí have to bring all of that information together going forward.
‘One of the Commissioner’s biggest challenges is pulling together an organisation that is somewhat splintered and pointing it together,’ said the source.
The source also revealed that Commissioner O’Sullivan is asking that An Garda Síochána’s detractors place their trust in the force again albeit one day at a time and one action at a time.
She is vowing to win back any trust the beleaguered force has lost. There are currently 100 new Garda students already in training and there will be a further 100 garda students entering the Templemore training college in Co. Tipperary in early December.
‘The Commissioner believes a steady trickle of recruitment is key,’ said a senior source.
‘Because in policing you need young blood and fresh blood and new thinking.’