Garda issue warning over online racism

THE GARDA have warned people who set up pages inciting racism on online social networks that they are open to prosecution, and even people who join these sites could face charges.

Sgt David McInerney of the Garda Racial and Intercultural Office said site hosts like Facebook were also “open to prosecution” if there was a valid complaint about racist online material.

“It is only a matter of time before a prosecution is brought,” he said.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0816/1224276886822.html

Bill lets public use lethal force on intruders

THE new home defence bill has shifted the balance of rights back to the house owner "where it should always have been", say gardaí.

The Association of Garda Sergeants (AGSI) and Inspectors also said it was ridiculous to suggest the bill provided a "have-a-go charter" to homeowners and said the current situation, which legally demands a house owner retreat from an intruder, was "intolerable".

http://irishexaminer.com/ireland/bill-lets-public-use-lethal-force-on-intruders-125602.html#ixzz0uFkvFN7j

Gardaí deny racial abuse

GARDAÍ HAVE denied claims they racially abused and assaulted a Nigerian-born Irish citizen who alleged he was singled out at a checkpoint because he was black.

Sunny Akpabot (42), formerly of St Ronan’s Green, Clondalkin, Dublin, now living in Coventry, UK, has brought a High Court action for damages against the Minister for Justice.

He claims he was assaulted, falsely arrested and unlawfully detained on January 9th, 2002 at Belgard Square North, Tallaght, Dublin. He also claims he was subject to racist and intimidating taunts at the checkpoint and in a squad car on his way to Tallaght Garda station after the incident.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0710/1224274418840.html

Gardaí accused of racial discrimination

GARDAÍ have been accused of racial discrimination following the release of EU research which found Sub-Saharan Africans are twice as likely to be subjected to police stops than other members of the public.

The European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey found in a 12-month period 59% of Africans surveyed had been stopped at least once by gardaí. One in three eastern Europeans were stopped at least once in the same period. More than 1,000 Sub-Saharan Africans and eastern Europeans were surveyed.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/gardai-accused-of-racial-discrimination-109427.html#ixzz0cKCwZRST

Interpreters for gardaí are not vetted abroad

Garda Tom O’Sullivan yesterday told delegates at the closing session of the GRA’s annual conference in Killarney, Co Kerry, that the whole interpreter system needs to be overhauled.

Mr O’Sullivan said that in many cases agencies had hired interpreters after a short interview over the phone and without asking for a CV from them. Interpreters do not have to have any academic qualifications or accreditation. While those working for the Garda are vetted for a criminal record in Ireland, their backgrounds in their home countries are not checked.

The GRA said it has no idea if the people it is using are criminals and in many cases they have very poor English. It could not rule out the possibility that foreign gangs operating here had “planted” its own members to work as interpreters.

“The system does not have the safeguards to ensure that doesn’t happen,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0430/1224245683458.html

Figures for non-Irish gardaí

Just 18 gardaí from ethnic minorities have been recruited under a much-publicised drive since 2006 to attract foreign nationals into the force, it has emerged.

Charlie Flanagan, Fine Gael justice spokesman, said the number of foreign gardaí recruited to date was "extremely disappointing".

The 18 foreign gardaí are from China, Poland, US, Greece, South Africa and Denmark.

There has been a marginally better return in attracting ethnic minorities into the unpaid ranks of the garda reserve.

According to figures released in August, there were 15 non-Irish nationals in the standby force, comprising nine Chinese, a Dutch, a Romanian, a Greek, a Lithuanian, a Pole and a South African.

http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2009/mar/22/only-18-non-irish-sign-up-to-gardai/

Illegal immigrant hired by garda

Lack of vetting for garda interpreters has resulted in an illegal Chinese immigrant being hired by the force and has prompted calls for an immediate overhaul of the current ad-hoc system.

At present, if a foreign national presents at a garda station and translation is necessary, officers either choose an interpretation agency from the Golden Pages or check the notice board for flyers offering interpretation services, often from unverified sources.

http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2008/nov/30/illegal-immigrant-hired-by-garda/

Gardai seek Arabic recruits

The Gardai have launched a campaign to attract its first Arab recruits.

Posters advertising a new round of recruitment were today on the force’s website, with appeals in Arabic to join up.

The gardai already have several Chinese officers and now want to extend its cultural mix by recruiting Arabic speakers.

The campaign does not expressly state it but some of those who sign up may join the gardai’s fight against extremism.

However, it is thought that the vast majority of recruits would be assigned to the frontline in day to day uniform police work.

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/gardai-seek-arabic-recruits-1490989.html