The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, has revealed that a working group focused on accelerating garda recruitment is set to release its findings in the upcoming weeks. With a goal of reaching over 15,000 members, McEntee emphasized the need for a “radical change” in the recruitment process to better align with current lifestyle patterns.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris is exploring various options to increase recruitment, including the possibility of establishing new satellite training colleges in addition to the existing Templemore College. Direct recruitment of specialists in areas like cyber and economic crime is also being considered.
Meanwhile, the introduction of a new Operating Policing Model has sparked criticism from senior Garda officers who claim it has strained their connections with local communities. At the annual conference of the Association of Garda Superintendents, concerns were raised about resource constraints and organisational restructuring.
In response to these challenges, the association is advocating for an increase in the number of superintendents to better serve the evolving demands of policing in Ireland.