Crowe report highlights 'stretched and stressed workforce'
The AGSI's comments follow the publication of the report into roads policing which has found that a number of gardaí are "unproductive" and appear to be demotivated and unconcerned with doing an effective, professional job.
The Crowe Report, an independent review of the Roads Policing Unit to assess its effectiveness and integrity, was published this morning.
In a statement, the AGSI said it is calling on garda management to deliver on the report's recommendations to strengthen supervision, reform performance policy, and properly resource the force.
The association described the report as "a hard-hitting wake-up call for An Garda Síochána", and said it signals a strategic failure at senior management level.
AGSI says the report reaffirms what it has been raising for years - that chronic manpower shortages, inadequate training, flawed strategic decisions, and an overemphasis on governance structures have left frontline gardaí undervalued and unsupported.
AGSI President Declan Higgins said: "The Crowe report shows that the Garda Roads Policing Units have a solid, effective core which is deserving of support and praise.
"However, it also highlights that there is a small minority that are demotivated and clearly demoralised.
"This demoralisation within An Garda Síochána has been ignored by garda management and overseeing agencies for far too long.
The AGSI also said the report's findings on morale, resourcing, and performance supervision are not isolated to Roads Policing, "but are indicative of larger, organisation-wide issues".
The President of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has said the Crowe Report states that it "found no evidence of systemic organised culture or work avoidance or deliberately poor performance in roads policing, so that in itself is counter to what we're hearing on the news today".
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One Mark O'Meara said today's published report "is different to the initial report" findings that were circulating two weeks ago.
Mr O'Meara said the report had been "drip fed" by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
"That's what caused us great concern," he said.
He said "commentary that came from the garda commissioner at the time ... caused such damage, and our members find that unforgivable," he said.
Mr O'Meara said "six divisions were visited and engaged productively with the core report".
"There was 100 to 120 members who were spoken to - the vast majority of those, as the report does quite clearly outline that they were productive, professional and focused on road safety - and that is hugely important.
"But it also quite clearly points out to lack of training, lack of resourcing, [an] ageing fleet. These are all issues that we have raised repeatedly with the garda commissioner, this is what caused the vote of no confidence [in the Garda Commissioner] in the first place.
"The report speaks of [a] small number of members who, as we have always highlighted are suffering from very, very low morale because of all of the issues that we have raised over the years.
"As I said, to bureaucracy, poor morale, terms and conditions of employment, and these are all clearly highlighted in the report as well, and these would go on to affect the morale of those people concerned and those people who will exodus An Garda Síochána when the 30 years are up and they will have no incentive to stay behind.
"And that causes morale issues for members in the Road Policing Unit. But this is the first time the garda commissioner has apportioned unjust blame on all ranks below him of incompetence, inability and disinterest."
Call for extra resources and updated equipment for roads policing
The Irish Road Victims Association has called for extra resources and updated equipment for roads policing.
Leo Leighio, spokesperson for the victims group said families who have lost loved ones were "very disappointed that some gardaí were not pulling their weight".
Speaking to RTÉ's News At One, Mr Leighio said: "They need to realise that every single life lost on the roads is major.
"It's what we have always been saying, roads policing numbers needs to be increased."
Mr Leighio said after reading today's Crowe report he believed the majority of gardaí were committed to saving lives on Ireland's roads. However he said a small number "don't think peoples lives are worth doing their jobs for".
"It's what we have always been saying, roads policing numbers needs to be increased."
He said he is concerned about the effect of today's report on road users.
He said road users already think they can get away with anything they want and that "confidence in the garda roads policing unit has to be re-earned".
Mr Leighio said families were depending on the new garda commissioner and the superintendents to bring about change.
"I have full confidence that the new commissioner will do his job," he said.
It has been 20 years since Leo Leighio's 16-year-old daughter Marsia was killed in a hit and run incident.
Reflecting on this today he said: "It's a life long sentence, we go though it every day. when we hear things like this it sets us back and upsets us."
Crowe report 'very serious' - minister
Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary has said the Crowe Report is "very serious".
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, he said: "Minister [for Justice] Jim O'Callaghan has engaged with the garda commissioner on the report.
"It's important to emphasise that the report says that this is a minority [of unproductive members], but it's a minority that has to be dealt with.
"I think in relation to the disciplinary issues, there are new regulations, Minister Jim O'Callaghan introduced in April of this year under the Policing Security Community Safety Act that will strengthen the whole area of discipline.
"But again, it's important to emphasise that the vast majority of gardaí in Roads Policing are committed to their job, the minority have to be dealt with, they have to be engaged [with]. The importance of this work cannot be overstated.
"And the difference that work makes to communities, makes to families is absolutely extraordinary.
"The new garda commissioner is very aware of the minister's concerns of the report. Officials from the Department of Justice are engaging with garda management around the report to ensure that the findings are implemented. And to ensure that there is a change arising out of it.
"But I want to absolutely reassure people, roads policing is taken very seriously and the vast majority of members of An Garda Síochána who are involved in roads policing are professional and exceptionally committed to their jobs," Mr O'Calleary added.
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