Garda sargeants and inspectors have expressed concern at the ability of the detectives to respond to armed incidents involving criminal gangs using high powered weapons.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (Agsi) said that since the recent withdrawal of the Uzi sub machine gun on safety grounds, plain clothes detectives now only have access to handguns.
Delegates at the association’s annual conference in Ballymoney, Co Wexford, expressed concern that the limited range of such weapons would put gardai at a disadvantage when coming up against criminal armed with machine guns.
Sgt Denis Reilly from Roundwood Garda station in Co Wicklow said in recent years there appeared to be fewer Garda members that were licenced to carry firearms and he believed it was crucial that this would not become a long term trend and the force’s armed capability reduced.
He also believed the withdrawal of the Uzi was mistake because it had been “a valuable tool in the armory” against the crime gangs. The absence of any replacement high powered weapon was putting gardaí in danger.
“Member’s carrying firearms have only the use of a handgun which gives a standoff capability against long barreled weapons which are on the increase by the armed criminal,” he said.
He said in currently climate “cash is king”, leading to an increase in the risk of armed robberies by gangs.
Agsi general secretary Joe Dirwan said he shared the concerns and called for a replacement high calibre weapon to be introduced in the absence of the Uzi. He said criminals would now be more confident when challenged by gardai during armed incidents if they know those gardai are only carrying handguns rather than machine guns.
”It allows the criminal to get closer to the gardaí and maybe inflict fatal consequences,” he said. ”Our specialist units have access to higher calibre weapons but unfortunately these units are not available 24-7.
"Criminals are equipped these days with all kinds of weapon. They are bringing them in from Eastern Europe and they are two a penny. They are attacking ordinary law abiding citizens, they’re attacking gardai. The handgun is no good in a situation like that.”
