Gardaí face prosecution in some of first criminal investigations by anti-corruption unit

A number of Garda members are to face prosecution for alleged corrupt practices following some of the first criminal investigations carried out by the Garda’s Anti Corruption Unit (ACU).

It has also emerged that people in Dublin West have made more calls to the Garda than all of the other Garda divisions in Dublin and the rest of the country combined.

Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Roberts has told the Policing Authority there were approximately 20 “live investigations” being carried out by the ACU into Garda members. While directions were awaited from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) arising from some of those investigations, there were directions in others that the gardaí who have been under investigation should be criminally charged.

Mr Roberts, the assistant commissioner for governance and accountability, added drug testing had already been commenced by the Garda, with people applying to join the force now being obliged to undergo drugs tests.

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However, new regulations were required before current Garda members could be tested for drugs. The Garda was waiting for the Department of Justice to draw up those regulations.

The Garda force was also considering conducing in-career vetting, under which Garda members would continue to be vetted for any risks throughout their careers, rather than only on entering the force. However, while the ACU would carry out that work, it was “does suffer from not having the full allocation of resources” to roll out system of in-career vetting at present.

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Garda Commissioner Drew Harris also moved to make clear that Garda members were not being suspended from duty arising from minor allegations. Instead, the “grave step” to suspend them often because very serious allegations had been made against them.

Many cases related to alleged conduct of gardaí while they were off duty including coercive control, sexual offences and driving under the influence. Mr Harris said some allegations were so serious the member had to be suspended. In other cases, involving less serious issues, gardaí could be placed into jobs where they did not deal with the public, pending the outcome of the investigations into them.

Mr Harris was replying to questions by Policing Authority member Anthony Harrison at a public meeting of the authority in Dublin on Thursday afternoon. The meeting was also told by Mr Roberts it appeared the need to suspend and discipline Garda members was abating.

At present, some 99 Garda members were suspended, which was the lowest for almost two years. There had been a 40 per cent reduction in new suspensions last year and a 70 per cent increase in suspensions coming to an end. Last year had also witnessed a 36 per cent decrease in disciplinary cases being commenced within the Garda.

Before Mr Harris was appointed Garda Commissioner in late 2018, there were generally fewer than 40 Garda members suspended at any one time. However, he was appointed to reform the force and took a firm line on discipline, with suspensions increasing immediately he took over, and rising between 120 and 130 before falling in the last 18 months.

Over three years ago, when announcing the ACU was being established, Mr Harris said it would seek out Garda corruption, rather than gardaí waiting for allegations to emerge only to react with investigations. At that time, he also set out a much broader definition of what he saw as policing corruption, which included low level abuse of position for any favour or gain.

He said gardaí availing of free admittance to nightclubs and events or who receive discounts in fast-food takeaways and restaurants are engaging in corruption.

A briefing document generated in 2020 and sent to Garda members at the time defined corruption as “the abuse of a position of trust in order to gain an undue advantage”. It added not all of the “gain” was financial or even material in nature as “abuse of authority” is regarded as corruption.

Gardaí were told that the “intentional omission or embellishment of evidence in a court case or investigation file” also amounts to corruption. Other acts of corruption, as defined by Garda headquarters, include accepting payment or other reward for “turning a blind eye” or claiming payment for “time not worked or expenses not accrued”.

On the issue of calls to the Garda, Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis, who is in charge of the Dublin Metropolitan Region, confirmed DMR West had placed more demand on the Garda force – via calls to the 999 service – than the rest of the country combined.

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