The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD, has today welcomed the Annual Report of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) for 2019. The report was submitted to the Minister by GSOC and brought to the Government yesterday by Minister Flanagan.
Welcoming the annual report, Minister Flanagan said:
The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission along with the other policing oversight organisations, the Policing Authority and the Garda Síochána Inspectorate, carry out a very important oversight role in relation to An Garda Síochána. This is critical to public confidence in the service at all times, but none more so than at present, when on An Garda Síochána plays such a central role in the national effort to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
GSOC is an independent statutory body, and its primary responsibility is to deal with complaints made by members of the public concerning the conduct of members of An Garda Síochána. The annual report sets out detail on the activities of GSOC during 2019, including information on the type and volume of complaints made to it.
The report sets out that 1,756 complaints were made to GSOC by the public in 2019, in relation to 2,885 allegations of wrongdoing. It is notable that the volume of complaints in 2019 (1,756) was almost 9% less than in 2018. The Report suggests that this reduction may in part be accounted for by commencement of a new procedure allowing for resolution at a local level of complaints from the public in relation to service they have received from the Garda Síochána.
Commenting on the reduction in complaints identified in 2019 by GSOC, as well as its suggestion on the reason for this reduction, Minister Flanagan continued:
I am pleased to see that the local intervention process, whereby complaints in relation to less serious matters can be resolved locally, appears to be having a positive impact. It is particularly positive to hear that 50% of complaints were resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant following that local process - this is in keeping with the interest we all share for speedy and satisfactory resolution of complaints.
The report further details that the Garda Commissioner imposed 96 sanctions on individual Gardaí in 2019, following complaints to GSOC. In addition, following criminal investigations by GSOC investigators, 23 files were sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions in 2019, resulting in 5 directions for prosecution, 14 directions for no prosecution and 4 decisions pending.
The Minister concluded,
The Garda Síochána have a strong tradition of policing by consent. The oversight function carried out by GSOC plays an important part in maintaining public trust, confidence and in An Garda Síochána. I am grateful to Commissioners Justice Mary Ellen Ring, Kieran Fitzgerald and Patrick O’Sullivan and the staff of GSOC for the work carried out last year and its ongoing role even during this difficult period of the Covid-19 pandemic.