Policing Expert Says GSOC Has Made A Difference To An Garda Siochana, But Requires Reform.

Thursday, 8 July 2021 10:25

File image: GSOC headquarters/RollingNews

GSOC has long acknowledged it requires more resources.

An expert in policing says the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission has made a difference to policing standards and transparency, but requires reform.

GSOC was established in 2007 and succeeded the Garda Complaints Board.

Last year, it handles around 2,000 complaints a year - in 2020, 107 of them arose in Kildare.

Allegations relate, predominantly, to abuse of authority, assault, neglect of duty and discourtesy.

GSOC has been open about having insufficient staff.

It has also commented in its submission to the Commission on the Future of Policing that its processes are unwieldy and overly complex.

The Commission also pointed to the fact that the system is fixated on the wrongdoing of individual officers

Dr. Vicky Conway is an Associate Professor of Law at DCU and a former member of both the Policing Authority and the Commission on the Future of Policing.

Her opinion piece in TheJournal.ie is available here, and she joined Clem Ryan on Thursday's edition of Kildare Today.

From me --Opinion: GSOC has made a difference - but it needs reform (via @thejournal_ie) https://t.co/jsKBE522Ua
— vicky conway (@drvconway) July 7, 2021

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