Editorial: Fresh ideas may be needed to hire and retain more gardaí - Kilkenny Live

The current staffing crisis facing An Garda Siochana may require fresh thinking and openness to a new approach.

It is in society’s interest to have an adequately resourced police force, and most law abiding citizens welcome the sight of more gardaí on the beat.

The Government has set a target of 15,000 gardai, but that looks a considerable way off. For the first time in many years, the number fell below 14,000 earlier in the year.   Retirements are a factor, with around 200 gardai retiring so far in 2023.

However, as many as 96 garda members have resigned so far this year. If the trend continues, it will surpass the figure for last year, when there were 109 resignations in total.

The Garda Representative Association has conducted interviews with departing gardaí as to why they left. They say the top three reasons were bullying, work-related stress, and unfair treatment or discipline.

To join the gardaí is a big decision and those who choose this career path do so in the knowledge that it will not be an easy job. It comes with an expected level of stress at times that is simply unavoidable.

What can be done to make it a more attractive option?

At present, the age limit on joining their gardaí is 35. There are growing calls for that to be raised to allow people in their 40s to join. Surely there is no reason why someone able to pass all the various requirements should be excluded.

Meanwhile, it seems absurd that three trainee gardai who passed their training were then prevented from joining due to their having visible tattoos. For a modern police force, this is somewhat archaic.

The NYPD is trialling a new model which will allow officers to work a flexible schedule as the department attempts to increase morale and improve retention. It aims to improve officers’ home lives, allow more time with family.

It is worth having a look at what other forces are doing to see if new ideas might succeed here also.