The biggest staff body in An Garda Síochána has questioned the accuracy of claims made about the performance of roads policing gardaí.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) accused Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and the Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA) of “drip-feeding” damaging allegations to the media about gardaí which it doubted would ever be substantiated.
The GRA, which represents more than 11,000 rank and file members in the 14,300-strong force, attacked Mr Harris’s management style, claiming it has “dramatically impacted on the morale and motivation” of all gardaí.
It accused Mr Harris, who is due to retire in less than a month, of being “disrespectful” to gardaí, abdicating his responsibilities as commissioner, valuing the input of consultants more than Garda supervisors and lacking confidence in his own managers.
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The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), which represents Garda middle management, said it was “deeply concerned” at the conclusions reached about the standard of roads policing in the new report by Crowe consultants.
It said it remained “resolutely committed” to its “core mission of keeping people safe” and improving policing performance.
However, AGSI added that it was “disappointed” at the manner in which elements of the Crowe report emerged in the public domain at a public meeting of the PCSA.
It pointed out it had not yet been provided with the report, reflecting a “broader dysfunctionality” around consultation in the Garda force.
[ Garda roads policing numbers hit historic lowOpens in new window ]
AGSI, which has enjoyed better relations with Mr Harris than the GRA, addressed the core findings of the Crowe report, expressing its concern and saying it had confidence that improvements could be made to roads policing performance.
However, the GRA referenced the report’s damning findings about roads policing only in the context of doubting them.
GRA general secretary Ronan Slevin said by commissioning consultants to review roads policing, Mr Harris was guilty of “inaction” and using a management style that sabotaged morale.
He also questioned claims made by Mr Harris and Ms Byrne at Thursday’s PCSA meeting about the contents of the Crowe report.
“The initial feedback from our members who interacted with Crowe is at odds with the drip fed comments from the (PCSA) and the commissioner,” he said.
He added that gardaí “now anxiously await” the Crowe report’s publication “and question whether any findings will substantiate the damaging allegations made against our members”.
AGSI said the report appeared to be “highly critical” of how the Garda “under Commissioner Harris’ leadership, has overseen and supported” personnel in roads policing.
However, it recognised that such reports could become “valuable tools” and believed progress would be made once the report was published and fully understood.
Garda headquarters declined to comment on the GRA or AGSI statements. However, it said the PCSA had viewed the Crowe report and come to the same view as Mr Harris, which was that some gardaí “are not taking personal responsibility to do their jobs properly and some supervisors are not properly managing these gardaí”.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said while the “vast majority of gardaí are deeply committed” to their jobs, the report included “concerning” findings.
“Put simply, the poor productivity identified on the part of some gardaí in roads policing, along with weaknesses in the approach to supervision and management of these officers, is alarming,” he said in reply to queries.
The Minister said it was now “essential” the report’s recommendations were implemented to “address issues of performance, management and culture in roads policing”. He said he was satisfied Mr Harris and his colleagues were committed to doing this.
Crowe, a consultancy firm, was commissioned by Garda headquarters to carry an independent review of roads policing. That occurred after anonymous correspondence, apparently from a Garda member, was sent to Garda management expressing concern about roads policing.
PCSA chair Elaine Byrne said Mr Harris had “acted on” the whistleblower claims by commissioning the Crowe report.
She said that action “very much reflects a cultural change” in the Garda where “uncomfortable truths” had been “confronted” rather than hidden. She hoped that approach would continue after Mr Harris retired next month.
Ms Byrne said the Crowe report was “shocking” because “there are members in roads policing who seem very much disinterested in their job”.
Some gardaí displayed a “blatant disregard” for their jobs and were “openly hostile” about doing their work, she said. The report, she added, also showed some Garda managers were too fearful to intervene when they identified poor performance, which was very concerning.
Mr Harris also said he was “shocked” by the report, describing it as “sobering to say the least”. He said some gardaí were “brazen” about their disinterest in their jobs, even while their work was being reviewed by examiners who travelled with them in Garda cars.
The report would be published once it was checked to ensure nobody referenced could be identified, the commissioner added.
