Latest news with #GardaCollege
RTÉ News
14 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Plans to increase new garda recruits to 1,000 per year
The Garda Commissioner says An Garda Síochána is planning to increase the number of new garda recruits to 1,000 every year. Drew Harris will tell the Oireachtas Justice Committee this afternoon they are working with the Office of Public Works to to increase the capacity of the Garda College to accommodate 250 new recruits. He says they want to run two recruitment competitions, with four intakes of two hundred and fifty each, to the Garda College in Templemore every year. He also says the gardaí are currently in discussions with other third level institutions regarding recruit garda training and is committed to meeting the Government's target of 5,000 new gardaí over the next five years. The figure of 1,000 new gardaí is unlikely to be met this year at current recruitment rates. The Commissioner has also rejected claims that the level of resignations from An Garda Síochána is high, pointing to the fact that 140 of 14,000 resigned, a ratio of 1% and 29 fewer than the year before. The figure is lower than the UK and some police forces, he says, have a resignation rate of 10% He also said the recent loss of the roads policing Garda Kevin Flatley who died in the line of duty serves "as a stark reminder of the risks gardaí face" and puts "into sharp focus the dangers that exist on our roads today." Last year, one driver was arrested every hour of every day for driving under the influence of drink or drugs and there was a 14% increase in the number of Fixed Charge Notices and penalty points for mobile phones. Seventy people have died on the roads so far this year, five less than last year, a reduction which the Commissioner points out "is no consolation for the bereaved families."
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- RTÉ News
Watch: Former soldiers and a baker among new garda recruits
Today, 120 new gardaí graduated from the Garda College in Templemore, bringing the strength of the force to over 14,300 sworn members. Of the 89 men and 31 women, 22 were born outside the State and come from Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, England, Italy, Moldova, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Scotland, South Africa and Spain. Most of them, 74 in all, will be sent to Dublin. We spoke to three of the new gardaí, an Irish and an Italian soldier, and a baker who returned from Australia, and asked them where they come from, why they joined and what they hope to achieve in An Garda Siochána.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Irish police ditched these exercises from the fitness entry test — here's why
Just like the fitness entry test for the FBI, police forces around the world have their own physical entry tests and requirements for new recruits. Recently, Garda, otherwise known as the Irish police force, made big changes to their physical entry assessment, including dropping the exercises and challenges many of us remember doing in school. Garda chiefs stated that those wishing to join the force would no longer have to power through any sit-ups or push-ups to gain admission to the Garda College. The policy recently came into effect after growing concerns over the low number of people passing the initial fitness test and officials having difficulty bringing in new recruits. While all candidates will have to pass a fitness test, the fitness test will be standardized rather than having different versions for older and younger hopefuls and men and women. 162 out of 520 candidates didn't pass last year, heightening these concerns. The widely talked about and often dreaded bleep test was also relaxed as part of these new recruitment requirements. Previously, for a set time limit, candidates would have to run repeatedly back and forth between two points set about 20 meters apart. Now, the bleep test, otherwise known as the shuttle run, has also been changed. Sit-ups require a degree of mobility and strength in your core and abdominal muscles, as well as your hip flexors. It also involves the right technique and posture. Push-ups are also more challenging for some people because you lift your body weight and maintain your balance and stability. Heavier individuals might need to be even stronger to physically move their body weight up into the push-up position and carefully back down to the ground. Some are praising the new entry test requirements as a positive step that opens the doors for more recruits, while others claim the standards are dropping too low and that a higher level of fitness is imperative for those in the force given the physical demands of the job. The post Irish police ditched these exercises from the fitness entry test — here's why appeared first on The Manual.
