Senior Garda officers have voiced strong criticism against the new Operating Policing Model implemented by the Garda Commissioner, citing a loss of connections with local communities and staff they oversee. The Garda Superintendents, advocating for an increase in their ranks, denounce the current economic restrictions as inadequate. This issue is under discussion at the annual conference of the Association of Garda Superintendents in Co Meath, with Commissioner and Minister for Justice set to address the gathering.
Superintendents, being the frontline leaders of An Garda Síochána, have navigated challenging situations such as city riots, emphasizing the strains of modern-day policing. The association articulates persistent challenges like resource shortages and impractical geographical setups.
The association deems the Operating Policing Model as hastily executed and detached from the realities faced by those implementing it. Highlighting the weakening links with communities, they reference the consolidation of divisions, like in Clare/Tipperary, where one superintendent now shoulders a vast area previously managed by four.
Advocating for an increase in superintendents to meet the escalating demands, the association proposes revisiting the restrictive Economic Control Framework to better support effective policing nationwide.