Garda Sergeants' body hits out at flawed procedure

The Association criticised high ranking officers, in particular disgraced former Superintendent Kevin Lennon who set up hoax IRA arms dumps in Donegal, for interfering in day-to-day policing.

The 2,200 strong officers’ union claimed top gardai were stepping on sergeants’ toes, bullying them into pursuing certain lines of inquiry and were ultimately undermining the public face of the force.

AGSI said the force had a history of poor management, compounded by the failure of managers to take on board the views of sergeants. And the Association warned there was nowhere to go to address the imbalance.

“In the absence of an independent, objective and transparent grievance procedure, the perception of members of sergeant and inspector rank is that they cannot expect a fair resolution of their grievances,” AGSI said.

The Association said an effective complaints process would keep allegations in proportion and help enhance morale in the force. Under the Garda Bill a three-person panel will act as ombudsman checking on the work of the gardai.

AGSI claimed Lennon, whose corrupt career was exposed by the Tribunal, used questionable policing methods in Raphoe by demanding checks on McBrearty’s nightclub every weekend.

It noted disquiet in the town over the inspections with newly promoted Sgt Sarah Hargadon, a former United Nations peacekeeper, under increasing pressure, but she had no room to question her superior’s tactics.

She recalled an unrelenting series of inspections to flush out the person who killed cattle dealer Richie Barron.

“Sgt Hargadon presents as an honest, diligent and fair-minded garda. She found herself, however, operating in an environment (for which Supt Lennon must be responsible) where she found police practices being adopted which she considered inappropriate if not reprehensible,” the AGSI stated.

It went on: “AGSI’s view is that Supt Lennon, in dictating how the liquor licensing laws should be enforced in Raphoe, was trespassing on the role of the sergeant in charge.

“In doing so, he placed Sergeant Hargadon, a recently promoted sergeant, in an invidious position.

“She was the public face of garda authority in Raphoe, but found herself implementing a policy which was bound to bring her into confrontation with members of the public, but in respect of which she had no effective input and with which she in fact did not agree.”

AGSI reiterated the findings of a 2003 report into An Garda Síochana by consultants Deloitte and Touche which found the force was command controlled, not managed.

“AGSI believes that it should be possible to foster a climate where members can discuss issues with their superiors in an open and frank way and, at the same time, maintain discipline,” the submission stated.

“There is, apart from the flawed grievance procedure, no machinery in An Garda Síochana through which operational issues can be discussed and considered.”

AGSI also called for the Garda code to be altered with the roles and responsibilities of sergeants and superintendents updated and clearly defined with superiors obliged to take account of officers’ opinions.

The Association hit out at the force’s human resource department which never logged grievances or recorded outcomes and demanded they be published in the annual garda report.