Editorial: Gardaí must be given the tools to deal with those who spread fear
Gardaí were outnumbered and ill-equipped to deal with rioters in Dublin last week, until their presence was significantly beefed up. Photo: Collins
Strange times, indeed, when a garda commissioner finds himself making a “business case” for two water cannons. However, the business of restoring law and order and keeping gardaí and the public safe from those who feel free to unleash mayhem could hardly be more serious.
Senator Seán Kyne may have raised eyebrows with his unique take on what people want, but his words probably captured the post-riot zeitgeist.
“The majority of people that I have spoken to from around the country... fully support the gardaí and feel that the only response to people involved in this sort of criminality is a good, honest, decent beating, and I will be blunt about it,” he said.
Senator Kyne acknowledged the strength of his remarks by adding: “You probably cannot say that.”
What a difference a week can make.
Seven days ago, the notion of giving gardaí body-cams was still causing some to clutch their pearls in horror, but things have changed quickly.
Tasers, bodycams and water cannons are all to be deployed in the face of extreme public-order threats. This is an illustration of the levels of disgust and sadness that greeted the lawless scenes last week.
The sight of a lone garda trying to hold off a vicious mob coming at him from all sides sickened all right-minded people.
If gardaí feel they need the aforementioned tools, they should be given them.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said “gardaí were left high and dry last Thursday”. There was more than a grain of truth in that.
Labour leader Ivan Bacik said it was clear there were not enough gardaí on the capital’s streets for the past several years. She added that the Government had adopted a “hands-off approach” when it came to policing the far-right.
Ms Bacik’s remarks are likely to resonate with many.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told an Oireachtas Committee that gardaí are now facing a different form of disorder, adding that they must evolve their tactics to address it.
It is unfortunate that such appalling scenes had to play out before that eureka moment was arrived at.
New measures will be welcomed if they mean people again feel safe enough to walk the streets without fear. If businesses again feel safe to open their doors without fear of being ransacked by gangs, the new measures will be welcomed.
Policing in Ireland has now reached a crossroads moment. Gardaí need to be better equipped, while the person on the street deserves to feel safe. This starts with increasing the presence of gardaí on the beat.
It is an issue that requires sharp focus from the Government and the garda commissioner.
The long arm of the law is there to defend us. When rank-and-file gardaí continually claim that arm is being tied behind their backs, the Government must take heed.
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