Q&A: Should I expect gun-toting gardaí on every street corner of Dublin?

Q. What do you mean, it's all over the news and social media?

A. That may be, but it isn’t true.

Q. I read it online and there were politicians and groups getting all hot and bothered over it?

A. People jumped the gun and misread it.

Q. But how can that happen?

A. The gardaí sent out a press release announcing measures responding to the spate of serious assaults on people, including tourists in the city centre, in many cases carried out by juveniles.

Q. Okay, but did that statement not say something about armed guards roaming around the inner city just waiting for young thugs to look at someone sideways and pull their guns on them?

A. No, it did not. Nothing like it.

Q. Ok, can you just tell me what it did say — about the armed guards?

A. It said that the Regional Armed Response Units would be deployed — along with a range of other specialist units — to "enhance" police visibility in the city.

Q. Well, isn't that it — armed units on the street?

A. The Armed Response Units are regularly seen in Dublin, not just the city, patrolling in their jeeps. But they do not do patrols on foot, with their guns on display. As the title of the units states, they are “response” units. They are not the frontline.

Q. I think I’m getting it. So, there will be armed gardaí — but they are going to be inside vehicles, not standing on corners and strolling down streets looking scary?

A. Bingo.

Q. And that’s all they’ll do — cruise around?

A. They drive around areas in case there is a shooting, armed incident, hostage taking, knife attack and the like. They only respond to serious incidents, but they do give local people, and indeed gardai on the beat, a sense of security seeing them driving around. And, it might deter criminals.

Q. And are these armed units a new thing?

A. Not only are they not new they have been a common sight in the city centre and many parts of Dublin for years. In fact, they were a regular presence up until recently in the north and south inner cities during the Kinahan-Hutch feud and most people welcomed them.

Q. Is that all there is in the Garda plan?

A. No. What we in the Irish Examiner led on was an actual new development: the deployment of members of the Garda Public Order Unit on the beat, doing regular foot patrols. They rarely do normal foot patrols and do look more formidable. They are dressed in what is called ‘soft cap’ mode – the police attire that is between the common garda uniform and the full-on riot gear the public order unit wears in dealing with serious disorder.

Q. Is that it? 

A. These public order guards on the beat are backed up by mobile units carrying gardaí that can scramble into riot gear.

Q. Surely, more is needed?

A. Yes, and it should never have got to this stage; community groups and research reports have highlighted the plight of certain communities for well over a decade.

Q. What else then?

A. There are many good things happening involving the State and communities, but real partnership needs to be restored. 

We need more gardaí, more youth projects, more social workers, better mental health services, more drug projects. 

In short, more safety, more supports, more hope.