Barr Tribunal: Local armed gardaí were more a liability than an asset at the Abbeylara siege once the Emergency Response Unit members arrived, the Barr tribunal was told yesterday.
Mr Alan Bailey, a consultant in UK police use of firearms, was giving evidence on his report on the siege in Co Longford in which Mr John Carthy was fatally shot by ERU members in April 2000.
Mr Bailey gave observations on the scene where members of the ERU formed the inner cordon near Mr Carthy's house and other local armed gardaí were at the command post vehicle a little way down the road.
"Two groups of armed officers moving towards each other is a high-risk tactic," he said.
In order to reduce the risk, all personnel should be under the same command, on the same radio channel and briefed in detail about exactly how they should move in the event of an exit from the house.
Mr Bailey said there was little evidence of a plan to ensure the safety of these groups of gardaí and avoid a "blue on blue" shooting, which meant police shooting each other.
"In my view the local armed personnel were more a liability than an asset, positioned as they were near the command post vehicle and the houses nearby," he said.
"It is now known that part of the reason that armed officers fired at John Carthy was because they feared for the safety of some of the members of this group of local armed officers who were at or near the command post," Mr Bailey said.
However, he said in his view it could not be assumed that the outcome of the incident would have been different if these gardaí had not been present, as there would still have been gardaí present when Mr Carthy left the house who would have been at risk.
There should have been one tactical commander to control all armed personnel at the inner cordon. Det Sgt Gerry Russell had command only of the ERU and other individuals had command of the local armed officers.
He said the surplus armed local officers could have been deployed, for instance the detectives could have reverted to an inquiry role.
The command post vehicle should not have been located so near to the house and should not have been in view of the house. It should have been placed out of the line of fire.
Mr Bailey said the negotiating post at the wall of the house was also too near.
A commander should not have allowed the negotiator to get so close. It provided Mr Carthy with more control.
By pointing the shotgun, he could stop the negotiations at any time. The negotiator should not have been at a point where he could be shot at.
Three civilians were also brought to the negotiating point separately during the siege. Although gardaí did everything to ensure their safety, it should not have been permitted, he said.