Management at the Garda has initiated an inquiry into misconduct as a detective is accused of leaving behind their service firearm in a Ted Baker clothing store in Dublin. The officer, who is part of an entity responsible for maintaining the safety of government functionaries, is obligated to be armed while on duty.
The allegations state the officer was on duty on Monday and during a brief interlude, they chose to stop by the Ted Baker store located at Grafton Street. While trying out some apparel in the changing room, they reportedly left their firearm behind and exited the store.
A member of the store personnel found the forgotten weapon in the changing room and promptly informed the local Garda department.
Subsequent to their departure from the store, the detective recognised their error a few minutes later and returned to claim the firearm. It’s mentioned that the firearm was out of sight for a duration less than five minutes.
According to guidelines, gardaí in possession of firearms have the duty to ensure their weapons are securely kept both during and after their work schedules.
A statement from the Garda administration confirmed that the incident is being thoroughly investigated by a superior officer, although further comments regarding the issue were withheld. The officer under investigation has been provisionally assigned limited duties until the conclusion of the probe.
The oversight body, the Garda Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc), has not yet commented if there will be a separate review on their part.
A eerily similar incident occurred in 2018, when a garda sub machine gun with bullets was found unattended on a Dublin street, having fallen out from a Garda armed vehicle. The weapon was subsequently delivered to the Store Street Garda station by a civilian. Upon completing their investigation in the public’s interest, Gsoc decided not to penalise the officers involved, citing a faulty vehicle boot as the cause.
Meanwhile, this detective was expected to give close protection to a Cabinet member. Recent years have witnessed an increase in armed protection for top-level government functionaries amidst the heightened threat atmosphere.
Before the year 2022, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister of Justice, and the Attorney General were the only individuals to be given armed security. Certain members of the judiciary and other officials would also be granted some security, depending on the circumstances. In response to the escalation in potential threats against politicians, a review was conducted which led to the extension of this armed protection to encompass all members of the Cabinet. These protective services are usually provided by the Garda and also include driving duties though on occasion, more than a single officer may be allocated to a protectee.