Gardaí criticised for 'no apologies policy'
The Garda Complaints Boards today launched a stinging attack on the force’s attitude to wrongdoing within its ranks.
In one of its last public outings, the body vented its frustration with Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy accusing him of failing to act against minor indiscipline.
It also lashed out at an alleged culture within the institution that refuses to apologise when clearly in the wrong as latest figures showed a 15% hike in complaints against the force.
Launching its last full annual report the board, which is being superseded by the Garda Ombudsman, revealed its sense of being undermined by an apparent indifference to complaints.
“When [gardaí] act outside the bounds they don’t seem to be capable of apologising or going to the individual and saying the organisation is wrong here, we made a mistake,” said the board’s chief executive, Anthony Duggan.
The Garda Press Office said Commissioner Conroy would not be responding to the criticisms.
Mr Duggan said there was a culture and attitude within the gardai seemingly oblivious to legitimate criticism that had to be rooted out.
“We’re not saying everyone in gardaí is wrong,” he stressed.
“Mistakes are made in any organisation. If you take any civil service organisation, they are open to be complained about but they don’t seem to take the same attitude gardaí take.”
And he revealed the board’s sense of being ignored by Commissioner Conroy on cases where they had expressly recommended action be taken against officers.
“The board would be firmly of the view in cases where there may be a breach of discipline that some action should be taken,” he said.
“Whether it’s only a warning or a caution, some action should be taken. And where there is no action taken effectively [Commissioner Conroy] is saying that the board is wrong.”
He said that the attitude had the capacity to undermine confidence in the board both among the public and the Garda rank and file.
But he insisted the newly-established Garda Ombudsman, which has the power to investigate complaints itself without referring them to the force, would usher in sweeping reforms of the force.
“There are massive changes coming for the gardaí,” he said.
The latest annual report of the Garda Complaints Board showed 1,350 new complaints were made last year representing a 15% jump on 2005.
A third (34%) of the complaints related to an alleged abuse of authority while 32% were about discourtesy of Garda officers.
Allegations of neglect of duty against the force rose from 19% in 2005 to 25% last year.
