Mounties to back garda reserve plans
Canadian Mounted Police and officers from the UK’s Norfolk Constabulary will back Michael McDowell’s plans for a garda reserve force later today.
The Minister for Justice, Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy and representatives of the garda associations are to discuss the reserve force draft regulations with the Oireachtas Committee on Justice.
Regulations for reserve members, which will include fitness and educational requirements, are expected to be included in the talks.
Justice Committee chairman Sean Ardagh (Fianna Fáil) said murder investigations will continue to be a matter for trained gardaí, but added that the reserve force will benefit community policing, allowing a greater relationship between the community and gardaí.
Rank and file gardaí, sergeants and inspectors who oppose the reserve will also be at the committee.
Meanwhile, Mr McDowell is expected to brief the Taoiseach and the Cabinet today on the garda strategy to tackle organised crime.
The moves comes after the fatal shooting of 22-year-old father of one James Purdue near his North Dublin home. His killing was the 13th murder this year involving firearms and brings the city’s intentional death toll to 29.
Department of Justice figures show that just 17% of gun murders since 1998 have been successfully prosecuted. However, the minister said garda figures show that of the 29 murders so far this year, 13 of which involved firearms, 20 have been solved, with files either with or on the way to the DPP.
It is believed Mr McDowell, who yesterday announced that he has secured Government approval to increase the strength of An Garda Síochana at management and supervisory ranks, will also give details of talks held with Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy.
The increase in sergeants and inspectors has been approved to boost the frontline supervisory capacity within the force and to keep pace with the expansion to 14,000 of Garda and members in training which is on course to be achieved by the end of this year.
