John O’Keeffe examines garda strength at the close of 2017 and advises that we continue to fall way short of the mark As of November 2017, there were 13,381 sworn members of An Garda Síochána, with some 11,000 members at garda rank. Depending on who in government or garda management you choose to believe, our numbers are at best, right […]
While autonomous cars are evolving, what are the future road traffic policing concerns asks Darren Martin The invention of the mechanically propelled vehicle could be argued to have greatly influenced modern societies in any number of ways. When the first motor vehicles came onto our roads they were the preserve of the rich and/or the military. When first established An […]
There is much debate as to what the core challenges facing policing today are. Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay considers the options Criminal justice faces ever more challenges from society. These challenges occur at a time of budget cuts in various police forces. Where official figures show a drop in police recorded crime, the distribution of crime shows a more complex pattern with […]
Few professions create burnout more than that of a police officer writes Finian Fallon – but the frontline too can find their inner Zen Burnout refers a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion, which can be caused by too much exposure to stress over a period of time. Burnout occurs in many people who work in different professions. For […]
With the drug drive testing roll out, Robert Block takes a look at the true effectiveness of drug driving enforcement The introduction of legislation to combat drug driving, namely the amendments found in the Road Traffic Act, 2016, is a significant conceptual evolution in how the gardaí tackle driving offences. Whereas the focus had primarily been on alcohol as […]
Gardaí have to consider the mental health of those they encounter every day – but what of their own mental well-being asks John O’Keeffe On a day-to-day basis, members of An Garda Síochána are tasked with the most onerous of jobs. We require them to be social workers, counsellors, psychologists and also police officers. They are routinely abused by a […]
Gardaí feel fear like everyone else; honing physiques and not considering the mental component is to miss the point, writes Aidan Carroll Many people take to the gym to practice techniques and lift weights in a bid to build a stronger physique. Whilst developing a faster punch and a chiseled six-pack, they often ignore the most important part of training; […]
The super recogniser could be the ultimate police weapon to fight crime writes John O’Keeffe. What’s your earliest memory? Sitting on your father’s knee at four years of age? Attending your second cousin’s confirmation as a kid? Perhaps it is something as mundane as being in a mobile home in Wexford with your parents as a five-year-old with rain pelting […]
It is well established that gardaí need to exercise exceptional mental resilience in their daily work writes Conor Nolan. Have no doubt about it, policing is a job for the mentally tough. It is widely acknowledged that members of An Garda Síochána are expected to deal with an increasing number of potentially traumatic incidents than at any time in recent […]
Understanding how criminal gangs come about and what motivates them is essential if they are to be eliminated writes John O’Keeffe. Dealing with gangs in Dublin and around the country is perhaps one of the biggest challenges facing gardaí in Ireland today. Their killings appear random and unplanned, their motivations scattered and incoherent. Yet men keep dying in hails of […]
