Gardaí need to be accountable

Attention on policing largely focuses on the PSNI, but An Garda Síochána, as the 26-County Minister for Justice himself has conceded, is also in dire need of change. The force has remained largely unreformed since its establishment. In the current climate of public lack of trust and confidence, Sinn Féin now wants to redefine the policing system in the hope of bringing about a service that will be accountable and have community confidence, support and co-operation.

The party wants to see this achieved through community policing partnerships at Garda district level, based on the Patten principles, recognised internationally as representing best practice. These include having human rights at the core of policing and the Minister's draft legislation should be revised to include this human rights ethos.

There should be a comprehensive reorganisation and review of all Garda structures, including the disbandment of the Special Branch, whose record of abuse against suspects is a matter of public record.

The Government's proposal to put an extra 2,000 Gardaí on the streets should be viewed in the context of existing resources and personnel. There is no point employing 2,000 more Gardaí when we don't, in the case of the Garda Special Branch, know what existing personnel are doing or what resources are being diverted from day-to-day policing. The spectacle of hundreds of Special Branch detectives sitting outside public meetings or Easter commemorations, spying on citizens while growing fat on overtime pay, is something with which republicans are very familiar. This petty political harassment costs taxpayers dearly and should be ended.

There should also be a fully independent Garda Ombudsman, to work with the Six-county Police Ombudsman to ensure all-Ireland accountability and provide an effective complaints mechanism, restoring public confidence. This should be the only acceptable structure to deal with complaints and public concerns about the Gardaí.

It is vital that these measures are put in place so that the Gardaí can work as a police service for and of the people.