Sir, – The amalgamation of Garda districts and the expansion of roles to supervisory and senior Garda management is another attempt by Garda HQ and the inspectorate to change the basic fundamentals of policing on this island.
New roles being given to senior officers, up to and including chief superintendents, will see a disengagement with the public, which goes against the fundamental principles of An Garda Síochána that has prided itself on active engagement with the public for over a century.
Amalgamating districts will see divisions like Donegal that had five districts being reduced to two.
This has already happened in other divisions around the country without proper public consultation.
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Frontline Garda members and some former and serving senior managers are concerned at the way this force is being led and the plans being adopted for change.
Only time will tell if a Garda force, once the envy of other police forces all over the world for its sense of community engagement and benign approach, will adopt a more sterile approach suited to that which we see in armed police forces.
Is this another budget-saving measure, like the closure of Garda stations or downgrading districts after the financial crash, or is there tangible and credible evidence that these changes will deliver what the public needs?
Or is this in order to satisfy the authors of the report Changing Policing in Ireland?
Only time will tell. – Yours, etc,
CHRISTY GALLIGAN,
(retired Garda sergeant),
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
