Gardaí was spit on more than 200 times this year during the Covid crisis

AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA detected more than 400 alleged violations of the powers that were granted to them during the Covid crisis, such as possible breaches of national travel restrictions, face coverage restrictions and other restrictions, such as the organization of events.

Most of them, 358, occurred during the initial lockdown period between April 8 and June 28, according to data from the Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB).

Of these, 245 have initiated proceedings against the persons involved.

And, between June 29 and December 5, 74 more alleged infractions were registered and the process began in five of these cases.

Each time a breach of health legislation is detected, Gardaí must refer the matter to the Director of the Public Ministry so that the process can begin.

When they were first introduced, the powers were made available to the gardaí to use as a “last resort” if people refused to comply with Covid-19 guidelines.

An Garda Síochána has said that she prefers to ensure compliance through consent rather than enforcement in these matters. Compliance with the guidelines was also frequently reported to be very high.

The extended powers granted to gardaí allowed a fine of up to € 2,500 or six months in jail if people violated guidelines such as the requirement to stay in their county, organized an illegal gathering or, later, did not show a face in public. transport.

Specifically in the regulations on face covering, gardaí has ​​reported nine alleged infractions of this legislation. So far, none of them have initiated proceedings.

The use of controversial hoods for spitting has been recorded 118 times during the pandemic. Anti-spit hoods are full mesh hoods that are forcibly placed over the entire head of a person in Garda custody.

Gardaí has ​​revised the practice, which the Irish Civil Liberties Council has described as “humiliating”.

A further 231 incidents have been reported in which members of the garda have been spat upon during the pandemic. In 136 of these cases, proceedings have been initiated.

Under Operation Navigation, where gardaí inspects pubs and restaurants to ensure they adhere to the guidelines, alleged infractions were detected 326 times from July 3 to December 5. Of these, 47 have had proceedings instituted against the alleged offender.

Gardaí restarted large-scale operation earlier this month, when food-serving venues were allowed to reopen during the easing of restrictions.

During the Level 5 restriction period, which runs from October 22 to November 30, Gardaí detected 28 alleged infractions in authorized premises.

Operation Treoraim was established on October 25 to ensure that outlets that remained open during Level 5 sold only essential items. During this period, 87 alleged infractions were identified.

The Police Authority, which provides legal oversight to An Garda Síochána, has generally praised the Gardaí’s approach during the pandemic.

After a session of the authority last month, its president Bob Collins said: “Since the beginning of this public health crisis, the Garda Síochána has been called to assume a role that touches many aspects of the lives of all who live in this state. It has taken an extraordinary effort to organize and deploy the level of resources that have been allocated to this work.

All elements of this answer make their own contribution to the overall desired result, but some will be of more lasting importance than others. In terms of safety and social impact, the echoes of work on sexual crimes, domestic violence, and community engagement will resonate for a long time.