A substantial number of gardaí assigned to Roads Policing are “openly hostile” to doing their jobs, according to a damning internal report.
The unpublished Crowe Report, which made headlines today, includes the findings of an independent review of roads policing – and details that have come to light show some Gardaí are not doing their jobs, have no interest in doing them, and are “brazen” in expressing it.
The findings have been described as “sobering” by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris who called the actions of some members of the force “brazen and contemptuous.” The Policing and Community Safety Authority is calling for the report to be published in its totality, describing it as “a wakeup call” for the force.
The review of roads policing, which saw inspectors sit in cars with officers, was launched after a garda whistleblower informed garda headquarters that a substantial number of the force tasked with policing the roads were not doing their jobs.
Minister of State with special responsibility for rural transport, Jerry Buttimer, said that if it is the case that Garda management are afraid to deal with gardaí who are not performing their duties, the culture within the force needs to change.
Speaking on Radio Kerry on Friday, he described the report as “disturbing.” He said that while he did not want to put members of the force “into the one bracket,” it was an issue if “managers are afraid to manage,” adding: “That doesn’t inspire confidence.”
In the report, it notes that aside from not conducting speed checks or tests for drink and drug driving, some gardaí did not care that they were being monitored and that their failure to do their job had been noted by the independent investigators.
“They were in the cars with people, and they were openly hostile to doing their job,” Policing and Community Safety Authority chairperson Elaine Byrne said.
Road safety group PARC has called for the report to be published in full as soon as possible, with spokesperson Susan Gray saying that it was “very upsetting to hear that there are certain gardaí assigned to roads policing but not dedicated to doing their job”.