Sir, – At a time when it is generally agreed that the public perception of the Garda is perhaps not at its highest, it seems another minor blow has been dealt to its public image.
At the RDS Horse Show recently, I noticed a male member of the force walking around without a tie. Somehow he looked off duty, like a young man heading out for the evening, rather than being on duty. I thought it looked very odd.
I then saw another and another. I approached three gardaí, two male and one female, and asked them about the matter. They told me that the non-wearing of a tie was a mandatory requirement that was recently introduced.
It might be considered a small matter, but it seems like something that detracts from the authority and dignity of the force in public.
All three of the officers I spoke to were strongly against the measure, feeling it was a backward step and was inappropriate.
DERMOTT BARRETT,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.