The head of the Garda Inspectorate, Kathleen O'Toole, has said there is no need for a fully-armed police force in Ireland.
Speaking at the 10th annual Céifin Conference in Ennis today, Ms O'Toole accepted there were concerns about officer safety but said alternatives to an armed response would have to be explored.
Ms O'Toole said while ongoing reform will be modelled on police forces worldwide it would also be "culture proofed" for the "unique Irish environment."
"For instance, we have great respect for the fact that the members of the Garda Siochana, police their communities while routinely unarmed," she said. "While we worry about the safety of police here, especially at a time when guns are more prevalent, we hope that they will always remain routinely unarmed."
The former Boston Police Commissioner said confidence in the Garda had been rightfully shaken recently by the revelations of corruption streaming from the Morris tribunal. However, she stressed that most of the force - with a few exceptions - accepted the need for change and that the majority of the public still supported it.
"Yes, with recent tribunal reports, confidence has been shaken in the Garda Siochana and rightfully so," she said.
"There must be an acknowledgement of the mistakes of the past and a plan to ensure that the problems do not and cannot resurface.
"Yes, the Irish people are looking for reassurance, they are demanding more visible and effective service, but they still stand firmly behind their police." The chief inspector insisted there was "no need to reinvent the wheel" when it came to transforming the Garda into a professional, modern police service.
"Strategies that have worked elsewhere can be fine tuned for the unique Irish environment and I am confident of that," she said.