Drew Harris, Garda Commissioner, has stated that the details available to the public regarding the investigation of a garda who supplied an elderly man with a bike during the Covid-19 outbreak are incomplete. Mr Harris indicated his agreement with the decision to inspect the garda’s dwelling in June 2020, implying that he comprehends the reasoning and judgement associated with this move.
Addressing the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on a recent Thursday, the Garda Commissioner disagreed with the viewpoint of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) which argued that the investigation lacked sensibleness and proportionality. Following his receipt of a report from the disciplinary board, Mr Harris mentioned that it would undergo a thorough examination, and he purports to later present the report to the Policing Authority and the Minister for Justice.
During the pandemic, a Midlands’ garda who distributed an unneeded bike from a Garda station to an old man needing it due to a knee injury, but lost track of the essential documentation, was suspended for over three years. The incident became known to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI), which then took up the matter, and resulted in the inspection and subsequent recovery of the bike from the senior man’s possession in June 2020.
It was determined from the ensuing criminal investigation that the garda involved was blameless, and earlier this month, all charges against him were dropped by a disciplinary board. Despite being reinstated last August after a three-year suspension, the garda has since been on restricted duties.
Catherine Murphy, Social Democrats TD, remarked that although she comprehends the need for complaints within a hierarchical organisation to be actioned, the approach to this specific case seemed excessive, like using “a sledgehammer to crack a nut”. Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon questioned Mr Harris regarding the proportionality and normalcy of the NBCI’s assignment of a six-man team to inspect an officer’s home. Mr Harris’ response was to suggest the full facts originally known in the case had not been made public.
He disclosed his role in managing the system for property and evidence, which encompasses thousands upon thousands of items and exhibits, including cash in large amounts, narcotics, and guns. Mr Harris emphasised the critical importance of maintaining the system’s integrity and safeguarding the continuity of evidence and the property that ends up in Garda custody. He revealed the existence of an explicit policy pertaining to bicycles.
Discussing the search conducted at the policeman’s residence, Mr Harris commented: “I comprehended the reason behind the action and its necessity. I accepted the discretion of two seasoned chief superintendents – one who initiated the request and the other who agreed to undertake the investigation.”