The Social Democrats have welcomed today’s report by the Commission on the Future of Policing which recommends new external accountability and oversight structures and a shift to community policing.
“We need to see buy-in from the highest level, both politically and among the senior ranks of the force, to get moving on these challenging reforms, and also a clear commitment to implement them by the target deadline of 2022.”
The Social Democrats have welcomed today’s report by the Commission on the Future of Policing which recommends new external accountability and oversight structures and a shift to community policing.
The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said the government must move swiftly to fund and implement the Commission’s far-reaching recommendations, which cannot be cherry-picked.
Deputy Shortall said:
“An Garda Síochána play a crucial role in our society and its members must have the full confidence of the communities they serve. Recent controversies – including irregularities at Templemore, the penalty points scandal, the denigration of whistle blowers, and revelations of falsified breath tests – have badly damaged that trust.
“Today’s report identifies cultural weaknesses in the force when it comes to transparency, speaking up and reporting wrongdoing, as well as leadership and management. The Commission’s 50 recommendations are aimed at tackling these internal deficits, and also are far reaching in terms of restructuring the force and strengthening both external oversight and accountability and internal governance.
“The Commission’s focus on a new district policing model is particularly welcome, as it has the potential to put communities front and centre and give them a stronger say in how their local areas are policed. However, this is largely dependent on a cultural shift on the part of senior Gardaí and an acceptance of the need for accountability to the communities which they serve.
“We need to see buy-in from the highest level, both politically and among the senior ranks of the force, to get moving on these challenging reforms, and also a clear commitment to implement them by the target deadline of 2022. The Commission’s recommendations come as a package and must not be cherry-picked or diluted.
“The new Garda Commissioner Drew Harris needs to be given the necessary resources and support from Government, in line with the Commission’s recommendations, to put in place a senior management team to work cohesively to lead the internal reforms that are so badly needed.”
ENDS
18th September 2018