The Garda is dramatically reducing the number of members carrying guns as it moves towards a model of having specialist units act as the force’s primary firearms response. Raised concernsThe Policing Authority had already raised concerns about the numbers of gardaí carrying firearms, as had the Garda Inspectorate, which in 2018 noted that the time devoted to firearms training in the Garda was “exceptionally high for an unarmed police service”. There are now 2,776 gardaí authorised to carry firearms – just under 19 per cent of the force. The gradual increase in armed gardaí came about as a result of the expansion in recent years of specialist firearms units, such as the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and the Armed Response Units (ASUs). “We are reducing numbers carrying firearms and giving the people who need to carry them extra training,” Chief Supt Sutton said.

Source: The Irish Times September 28, 2020 00:45 UTC