THE ASSOCIATION representing rank and file gardaí has said a Department of Justice cost-cutting proposal to reduce the number of gardaí carrying firearms was “reckless” and would put lives at risk.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) expressed its shock that the proposal to scale down the Garda’s armed capability had been drawn up “without any feasibility study or risk assessment”.
Writing in the association's official magazine Garda Review,the latest edition of which is to be published today, GRA general secretary PJ Stone said armed crime could occur at any time and anywhere and the public wanted gardaí to be able to respond.
“The lowering of the number of gardaí and reduction of armed backup is recklessly endangering the people; it is an unacceptable gamble with public safety,” he writes. “In effect, the Garda Commissioner is being told to spend less on bullets.
“We don’t believe that the accountants reporting to the Minister for Justice understand the dangers faced by gardaí . . . It won’t be one of these accountants staring down the barrel of a criminal’s gun; it will usually be a member of the force – or an unfortunate member of the public.
“This can only improve the criminals’ opportunity to escape justice. The GRA has not called for all members to be routinely armed, but we will not accept armed backup be systematically withdrawn.”
In its section last December of the Government’s public expenditure review, the Department of Justice recommended the number of gardaí carrying firearms be reduced by almost three-quarters to save money.
There are currently 3,616 gardaí licensed to carry firearms.
