Garda Headquarters has moved to distance Garda Commissioner Drew Harris from the controversial handling of a case in which a garda in the midlands was suspended for more than three years after taking a bicycle from a station to give to an elderly man.
Retired judge Gillian Hussey and the Labour Party have both strongly criticised Mr Harris and called into question his position as commissioner, and whether it was a negative influence on the Garda force.
The retired judge said in a reply to a post on social media about the case that “the commissioner is the person who should have been sacked long ago”. Labour’s justice spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin questioned if Mr Harris’s “tenure is undermining morale” in the Garda.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA), which represents rank-and-file gardaí, had already said “a sledgehammer of discipline was used to crack a nut”. Its general secretary, Rory Slevin, said “good, decent community policing” was “blown apart and relationships destroyed” by the case. This was evidence of a “disconnect” between Garda management and frontline members.
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The criticism centres on the handling by the Garda, specifically Mr Harris, of a case in which a member in the midlands took a bicycle from a Garda station to give to an elderly farmer. While suspended from duty for more than three years and placed under criminal, and then disciplinary, investigation he was fully exonerated last week.
In reply to queries from The Irish Times about the controversy, Garda Headquarters said the commissioner did not handle disciplinary investigations personally. While it could not comment on an individual case, the “suspension of a member of An Garda Síochána” was “a delegated function to chief superintendents and above” under disciplinary regulations.
“These statutory disciplinary regulations must be followed accordingly and should be well understood by every Garda member, but in particular by their representative bodies,” the Garda reply added.
“The commissioner has stated that suspension of a garda is a last resort. The number of gardaí suspended has fallen in the last 12 months and is currently at 98. To date in 2024, there have been no suspensions.”
Currently, gardaí have been suspended for a range of alleged offences “including coercive control, domestic abuse and drink driving” and “some of these alleged offences have been against fellow gardaí”.
[ The garda, the bicycle and the damage done: what exactly happened?Opens in new window ]
Mr Ó Ríordáin questioned if Mr Harris’s “tenure is undermining morale” in the Garda and contributing to the rate of resignations from the force.
“The length of time it has taken to exonerate the garda for what was clearly an act of kindness has been intolerable and must cause some reflection on the part of the Garda Commissioner.”
He added “gardaí continue to resign from the force in enormous figures”. He noted past “culture issues” in the Garda had “led to considerable public disquiet”. However, a “question now needs to be asked about the balance being shifted to such a degree that the Garda Commissioner’s tenure is undermining morale”.
The garda, based in the midlands, took a bike from a Garda station and gave it to an elderly local man who wanted to cycle to aid circulation problems in his legs at the start of the pandemic. The bike was officially registered on the Garda’s evidence and exhibits system, meaning it was the property of the State.
It was taken by the garda, without official permission or advance notice, in May 2020. The bicycle was delivered to the elderly man, on agreement he would return it when Covid-19 restrictions were relaxed and he could source his own bike.
However, the missing bicycle was noticed and it was reported by a local Garda member, with an investigation ensuing by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. After less than a year, the garda was found to have committed no criminal offence.
However, he was then placed under disciplinary investigation, though he was cleared of any breaches last week. He had been suspended for more than three years, and though reinstated last August he has been assigned to restricted duties since then.
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