Some gardaí 'unproductive' and 'disinterested' in roads policing
While the independent review of Roads Policing found that a majority of gardaí involved in the work were productive and professional, it highlighted issues with poor productivity and behaviour among a 'noticeable' minority.
The Crowe Report said members who were 'disinterested' in the job were able to 'get away with such behaviour' to the 'frustration' of their colleagues, supervisors and managers.
The review by consultancy firm Crowe was commissioned by the gardaí amid an increased focus on road safety in Ireland in recent years.
The Government recently introduced new speed laws and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has mandated that frontline gardaí dedicate 30 minutes of road policing duties per shift.
The review assessed the effectiveness of An Garda Síochána's Roads Policing Units (RPUs). Its findings are based on visits to RPUs within six Garda divisions in Ireland.
It concluded there is currently a lack of 'effective sanctions' for poor performance, with supervisors and managers 'typically apprehensive' that any attempt to sanction a garda would create industrial relations problems with the Garda Representative Association (GRA).
The report said the heart of problem appeared to lie in the interpretation of the Performance, Accountability and Learning Framework (Palf) — with the policy thought to be inhibiting Garda supervisors and managers from 'proactively managing' and evaluating the performance of individual RPU members.
An immediate review of the Palf is one of several recommendations made by the reviewers.
They said a more effective reporting and governance structure for RPU may also need to be considered by gardaí.
The report found no evidence of a systematic, organised culture of work avoidance or deliberately poor performance within Roads Policing and also found no evidence of bullying or dominance of RPU members by their colleagues.
However, it said the absence of 'effective supervision and management' — caused in 'large measure' by the interpretation of the Palf policy — had resulted in a culture of concerning work practices taking root.
The report also highlighted issues with significant numbers of vacancies within RPUs, with numbers down by 40% on 2009.
The review said there also appeared to have been a lack of investment in vehicles and equipment in recent years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Urgent action cry after ‘terrified' horse crashes into car on busy road during funeral procession as gardai launch probe
A number of carts and sulkies were travelling alongside the horse-drawn sulky 'URBAN COWBOYS' Urgent action cry after 'terrified' horse crashes into car on busy road during funeral procession as gardai launch probe GARDAI are investigating an incident where a 'terrified' horse crashed into a moving car during a funeral procession in Dublin 22. The horror crash, involving the horse-drawn sulky and car, occurred on Coldcut Road in Clondalkin at around 1.45pm on Monday. 3 A horse was injured after colliding with an oncoming car in Dublin Credit: Social Media Collect @MyLovelyHorseRescue 3 The horse-drawn sulky hit the car during a funeral Credit: Social Media Collect @MyLovelyHorseRescue Advertisement Footage circulated online of a horse galloping at speed down the Coldcut Road. A number of carts and sulkies were travelling alongside the horse-drawn sulky, some displaying funeral flowers. The horse-drawn sulky overtakes the hearse and the driver approaches lights at a crossroad. The person on the cart is heard shouting 'no' at traffic and the cart goes through a red light. Advertisement The horse then collided straight into the side of a back passenger door of a silver car that was coming from the Liffey Valley direction. A loud thud is heard, along with some shouting and the clip ends with the horse lying on the road. A vet rushed to the scene and treated the horse which survived the collision. But My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue charity blasted the 'urban cowboys' for putting 'blood on our streets' and demanded new animal protection laws and a garda-led animal welfare unit. Advertisement A spokesperson said: 'A funeral procession of a road traffic victim became chaos. 'Horses galloping along footpaths. Sulkies and traps weaving through traffic. Then the crash. 'A terrified horse ran into a turning car. Left bleeding, with a deep cut across its head, lying on the road as Gardai arrived.' The charity warned the 'reality' of the incident results in Road Traffic Act breaches and causes major animal welfare issues. They stressed there was 'no regulation, no insurance, no roadworthiness' and said pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers were put at 'serious risk' during the incident. Advertisement The animal rescuers said the horse was 'exhausted' and 'terrified' during the ordeal. The charity blasted: 'This is not tradition. This is lawlessness and cruelty.' CALLS FOR NEW UNIT My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue is calling for a Garda-led Animal Welfare Crime Unit. They believe a dedicated garda unit would be 'empowered to investigate and act" on animal welfare issues. The Edenderry based charity told how they're left "picking up the pieces" after similar events. Advertisement They suggested that "increased" and "sustained funding" for rescues is urgently needed. The group is calling for "modern" and "enforceable laws" to protect animals and the public. INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED Gardai confirmed that they have launched an investigation into the horror incident. A garda spokesperson said: 'Gardai received a report of a road traffic collision involving a car and a sulky that occurred on Coldcut Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 at approximately 1.45pm on Monday, 10th August 2025. 'No injuries to persons were reported. Advertisement "A vet attended the scene and treated a horse which survived the collision. 'Gardai in Ronanstown are investigating this incident and are liaising with the relevant animal welfare organisations.' The charity has launched a petition to demand urgent action and appreciate any donations of support.
Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Irish Times
Sophie Toscan du Plantier: Gardaí awaiting results of tests using advanced DNA collection method
A Garda cold case team reviewing the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder investigation is awaiting a report from Irish forensic scientists on whether an advanced method of DNA collection has helped them to identify her killer. The Garda Serious Crime Review team has been working closely with Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) after it recruited a US DNA collection expert, M Vac Systems, to examine a number of exhibits from the near 30-year-old inquiry. Jared Bradley, M Vac Systems president and chief executive, travelled to Ireland last month and spent a week examining various exhibits gathered by gardaí as part of the original investigation into the French film producer's murder. Posting on Instagram in advance of his trip, Mr Bradley said: 'Praying for a fantastic outcome. If what I believe will happen actually does, it will be MASSIVE for us in a whole host of ways. Please pray for us.' READ MORE Ms Toscan du Plantier's badly beaten body was found on the laneway leading to her isolated holiday home in Toormore near Schull, Co Cork , on the morning of December 23rd, 1996. A postmortem revealed she had been bludgeoned to death with a rock and a concrete block. Gardaí from the cold case review team based in Bantry brought several exhibits to the FSI laboratory for examination by M Vac including the flat rock and large cavity block found at the scene and Ms Toscan du Plantier's dressing gown, leggings, vest and boots. Investigators are hoping that any DNA evidence obtained will enable FSI to make comparisons with DNA samples obtained from some 10 people identified as suspects during the original Garda investigation. These include samples from Ian Bailey , an English journalist who later became the chief suspect in the case. He was twice arrested in connection with the murder, but was never charged, and repeatedly protested his innocence before his death last year at the age of 66 . Ian Bailey was twice arrested in connection with Sophie Toscan du Plantier's murder, but was never charged. Photograph: Haydn West/PA Wire In a 2001 review of the original garda file, a solicitor at the Director of Public Prosecution's office, Robert Sheehan, said that given the attack 'was carried out in a frenzied manner, one might expect that the assailant would have left traces of blood, skin, clothing fibres or hair at the scene'. However, he said no such material was discovered and there was no forensic evidence linking Mr Bailey to the scene. Gardaí are remaining tight-lipped about the latest developments in the case and say it would be premature to speculate on whether the M Vac technology was able to gather enough DNA from the exhibits to generate a full DNA profile to identify Ms Toscan du Plantier's killer. The former holiday home in Schull, Co Cork of Sophie Toscan du Plantier and the cross that marks the spot where she was found murdered. Photograph: Eric Luke But Garda sources confirmed they have retained possession of the exhibits throughout the cold case review, contrary to some media reports that suggested the items had been sent to the FBI in the US for analysis at its headquarters in Quantico, Virginia. What is the M Vac system? The M Vac system was developed in the early 1990s by scientist Dr Bruce Bradley to detect e-coli following an outbreak of the bacteria at a US restaurant chain which led to the deaths of four children and left hundreds of others needing hospital treatment. Dr Bradley died in 2009 but his son, Jared Bradley, now M Vac chief executive, began exploring other uses for the technology and realised it might have an important part to play in criminal investigations. The view was endorsed by researchers at Boston University in 2012. According to M Vac Systems, its approach is particularly useful in collecting DNA samples from rough and porous surfaces which are often difficult to sample with traditional methods such as swabbing. The system involves spraying a sterile solution on to a surface and simultaneously vacuuming it up, creating a turbulent environment that helps the break free DNA containing cells, which are suspended in a solution, which is then collected with the vacuum. The first successful use of M Vac's technology to secure a criminal conviction came when it was used to extract DNA from a pillowcase, which led to the identification of paediatrician Dr John Wall and his conviction for the 2011 murder of his ex-wife Uta von Schwedler in Utah. Since then, it has been used by US police forces in hundreds of cases including many of a historic nature such as the unsolved rape and murder of Leisa Mitchell Jackson (12) in Texas in 1979. It was also used in solving the 1995 murder of Krystal Beslanowitch (17) in Salt Lake City, Utah, who was found surrounded by bloody rocks after being bludgeoned to death. Swab samples taken in 2008 only yielded a partial DNA profile but in 2013, forensic scientists used the M Vac technology and obtained a full DNA profile from the rocks which led to the identification of Michael Simpson as the killer and his subsequent conviction.
Irish Independent
10 hours ago
- Irish Independent
‘They've let down their colleagues' – bereaved families of traffic victims ‘furious' at Crowe Report findings
Some roads policing officers 'hiding' from duty and content to be unproductive Today at 00:30 For hundreds of families mourning loved ones killed on our roads, the Crowe Report effectively poured salt into already gaping wounds. Grieving families were shocked to hear that any garda attached to a Roads Policing Unit (RPU) could be 'unproductive' and content with just doing the bare minimum in their job.
