I was delighted to launch a weekly column in the Cork Evening Echo this week. It will be published on Mondays and hopefully it will be entertaining. Thanks to everyone for the positive comments.
http://www.eveningecho.ie/life/a-running-commentary-that-could-save-lives-on-our-roads/1696495/
I was listening to Pat Kenny today on Newstalk interviewing Alan Shatter, former Minister for Justice. Alan did well up to a point. He was talking about the reduction in garda numbers and how the Troika wanted the number reduced to twelve thousand. Alan said he was not prepared to go below thirteen thousand and that he and Brendan Howlin had “exchanges” in relation to the number. This would suggest that Brendan wanted a greater reduction than Alan. Maybe Brendan might disagree.
Listening to Alan, it was difficult not to agree with what he was saying. He was under pressure to make an impact on the finances by reducing the number of garda stations. Retirements and the embargo on recruitment had an effect on the strength of the force. There were many gardai tied up in clerical work who could be better employed providing the frontline service they were trained for. He was anxious to change the structure of An Garda Siochana and to implement the recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate.
This was all very reasonable and he was telling it like it was until he fell off the wagon. He went on to suggest that by closing the garda stations in rural areas, the service provided to the general public was not diluted. Speaking about Stepaside Garda Station in Dublin, which is one of the closed stations, he stated that the number of burglaries per capita there was the same as Dundrum which had a garda station. The implication being that the existence of a garda station in a particular area was not as important as having a patrol car available to attend to calls.
However Alan wants to spin it, closing a garda station in a rural area and moving those few members to a larger centre is simply not going to improve the service provided to those residents. Transferring gardai to an already understaffed busy centre will not impact positively on that rural area. Everybody knows that but still the authorities refuse to admit it.
Politicians and garda management lose credibility when they start using spin and statistics to defend what is really indefensible. There may have been a time when the ordinary Joe soap could be fobbed off with waffle but I suspect that those days are long gone. They would gain a lot more by telling it as it is and by not treating people as complete idiots.
Back in the early eighties I was living in Blackrock in Dublin. I lived in lodgings with an elderly couple who took in lodgers probably more for the company than the money. They were living in Dublin a long time but were originally from Kilkenny and were really country people at heart. They were Jack and Molly Trait.
Once every couple of weeks and old friend of theirs from Kilkenny would come to Dublin on the train and get the bus out to visit Jack and Molly. Pat was his name and he was as old as they were, I would imagine they were somewhere close to eighty at the time.
They would sit in the dining room which was down in the basement next to the kitchen. There they would sit beside the open fire and chat for the afternoon.
During one of these visits I was having my lunch while the two lads chatted away beside me. What I heard caused me to choke on some food and brought tears to my eyes.
Pat: “Did you hear that (so and so) died recently”?
Jack: “Oh dear God, I didn’t hear. What did he die of”?
At this point, Pat was deep in thought for a moment and then looked up at Jack;
“He died of a Thursday”.
It still makes me smile thirty five years later.
They say a picture paints a thousand words, well in this case that’s so true. Particularly, when you know the background. It was one of those occasions when a guy with a camera was in the right place at the right time and clicked at the perfect moment.
This guy is a Serbian military officer, his name is Milos Kolundzic and he was a military liaison officer stationed at Camp General Stefanic in Famagusta, Cyprus. His English was excellent and he was very proud of it. He was always looking to extend his vocabulary and every day he would come to me with a new word he was after learning. The longer the word and the more complicated it was, the more he liked it.
He would regularly come up to me and ask me if it was ok to say this or if his pronunciation was right or if he was using the word in the right context. He always wanted to improve.
The day this photo was taken we were on an operation in the Buffer Zone. This is an area separating the southern side of Cyprus and the mostly Turkish populated area of northern Cyprus. It is a neutral area that runs from the east of the island to the west and is controlled by military and police components under the auspices of the United Nations.
At some point during the day Milos approached a group of us and he made a statement in English and asked me if it was ok. It was total gibberish so I corrected him and advised how to say it properly. He decided that I was wrong because he had read it in a book and he was convinced that he was right. Some of the other guys were telling him to listen to the native speaker and take the advice offered. It was all good humoured slagging.
Milos was so certain of himself that he sent his driver to get his text book and to bring it to him. When the driver returned he called me with a triumphant air while he thumbed through the pages to find the particular phrase he was looking for. He started to read out loud and then he went quiet. All I heard was “Shit”.
The photograph was taken by the driver at the exact moment he realised that he was wrong. There were others standing around that are not in the photograph and everyone was in hysterics. For me this photograph just makes me laugh every time I see it. I’m not sure if this will mean anything to anyone else and maybe it’s one of those things that you just had to be there to appreciate. But I love it.
I wrote a piece for journal.ie recently.
www.thejournal.ie/readme/gardai-community-policing-2534277-jan2016/
I have been surprised on two levels really with the outcome of the article. Firstly it has received in excess of 50,000 hits and has been shared over two thousand times on Facebook. It has also led to an appearance on local radio during the week and an invitation to appear on the Marian Finucane Show at the weekend.
The other surprise has been the overwhelming number of messages of support that I have received from across the country from serving gardai and members of the public.
I have been advised that some senior garda officers are less than pleased with the piece which is something I find difficult to understand. Most of what I said has already been highlighted by the Garda Inspectorate and I would have thought that senior officers would welcome a change in the system that would allow them to be free to speak their mind.
Thanks to all of you for your messages, shares and comments.
You can understand that having spent thirty five years as a policeman, I was of the opinion that there wasn’t too much left for me to witness in my life that I hadn’t already experienced. Then along came Cyprus.
Over the years, I had often considered applying for a United Nations mission, but there was always something in the way. Kids in school, college, moving house, sick relatives, always an obstacle and so it took until 2013 to finally get all the ducks in a row. On 9th November that year I landed in Larnaka Airport, along with five colleagues, about to start a twelve month tour with UNPOL, UN Police component of UNFICYP, United Nations Forces in Cyprus.
The first week was spent in UNPA in Nicosia, the UN Protected Area which houses our HQ. It’s basically a military camp with a small section allocated to the police. The week long induction training is where we met our new colleagues from Australia, Serbia, Ukraine and Italy, eighteen of us thrown together for the first time.
It was a strange week having to deal with a new environment, new people, hot weather, classroom setting and information overload. It was a full programme and was a fairly chaotic time given that we also have to have our accommodation and transport sorted by the end of this week as well. And with some of the stations being over 100kms from HQ. trying to view apartments during this time tended to be a little complicated.
Patrolling the Buffer Zone is the main task for all newly arrived Patrol Officers and that involves driving the primary and secondary tracks, dirt roads really, in a stretch of land separating the Greek Cypriot part of the island from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The object of the exercise is to maintain the integrity of the Buffer Zone, maintain law and order and regulate civilian activities there. Nothing complicated and the off road driving is enjoyable.
This was my duty when I arrived in Dherynia UNPOL Station in Sector 4 and it was where I had my first encounter with the military component, a Platoon of thirty Slovak soldiers based at CP 10 in the Buffer Zone. While the military have their own roles and responsibilities they also work very closely with UNPOL across the island. I had never worked with the military previously and I had no idea what to expect.
What I discovered in those few months in Dherynia altered my view of the military completely. That CP 10 camp became like a second home to all the UNPOL guys working that area and it was a very hospitable place. Each and every soldier was friendly, courteous, and respectful and they all seemed to be in constant good humour.
Their professionalism was very impressive. For a bunch of guys living together they kept the camp in a spotless condition, their jeeps were power washed at the end of every tour and they were always well turned out themselves.
My role changed after a few months and I was appointed Police Patrol Coordinator, PPC, for Sector 4 which meant moving to an office in another military camp in the northern part of the island, Camp General Stefanic in Famagusta. After a month in that position I was appointed Deputy Sector Commander in Sector 4 which meant I got to stay in that camp for the remainder of the mission and this experience in CGS was one of highlights of the mission for me.
After a long hot day in the Buffer Zone
CGS was primarily made up of Slovak soldiers but also contained, Serbians, Hungarians and a few Ukrainians and Croatians. It is the same camp that has been used since 1974 and I was told by some visiting veterans that the place hasn’t changed a bit in 40 years. It’s not too far removed from the television series “M.A.S.H” for those old enough to remember it. Very basic, but functional.
It really surprised me how well we worked together in this international arena given that we, as police officers, think and operate so differently to the military. But what really surprised me was how, as a group and as individuals, they were all such nice people. I never met a military person in Sector 4 that I didn’t like or someone I would not have liked to work with again and I developed a close friendship with many of them. I was more like an English teacher at times than a police officer.
English was the working language of the Mission and while most spoke it pretty well, there were many who didn’t. Sometimes trying to convey the simplest message could be confusing and many things got lost in translation. Sometimes this could be hilarious but at the end of the day the work was done. Patience and common sense were probably the main ingredients required by UNPOL members there. Everything moved at a slow pace and very little changed and that could be frustrating so you had to learn to go with the flow.
My buddy Lukas Zehman
There were twelve Irish members serving with UNPOL in Cyprus out of a total of sixty nine police officers and while we were a relatively small group I think it was generally accepted that the Irish performed well there and most punched above their weight. We all kept in regular contact with each other even though there was quite a distance between some of the sectors and stations and we got together for Contingent Days a few times a year. St. Patrick’s Day is also an important day on the Irish calendar there.
While the environment and the duties are completely different to what we would normally be used to at home, there was no function or position within the UN on the island that any member of An Garda Siochana would have difficulty with. As an organization, An Garda Siochana is well regarded by the UN in Cyprus and the local population seems to identify with the Irish and see many similarities with our histories. Having said that, there are many, on both sides of the island, who are not happy with the UN and will very often express that view. Many feel that the UN should have done more in 1974 and should be doing more now.
My perception of the Cyprus Mission prior to arriving there was that it was primarily an extended holiday. The reality was a little different in so far as there was work to be done, the hours were put in and at times it could be extremely busy. It is a small island with only 69 UNPOL Officers and after a short time everyone got to know each other. Every incident involving an UNPOL member whether it was positive or negative, travelled the island pretty quickly.
During my time there I heard many stories concerning previous Irish contingent members. About assistance they provided, some good deeds or kind gestures they made or friendships they cultivated and by and large the vast majority of the comments were very positive. The Irish are generally perceived to be professional, practical, dependable problem solvers. There was a strong sense of pride in wearing the Irish uniform there and that’s as it should be and long may it continue.
A recent article I wrote for the Garda Review magazine. Rural crime is a huge concern, particularly for older members of the community. Are they getting a more improved policing serviced as they were promised?
http://www.gardareview.ie/index.php/rural-fear
Here is a roundup of the news of the week for busy people who don’t have the time or patience to sit down for long periods. It can be applied anywhere:
I’ve never had a dog. Never really had any interest in having one. Taking it for walks, cleaning up after it or trying to find a home for it while I went on holidays wasn’t my cup of tea. But lots of people do and I can understand that. But there are two types of dog owner. There’s the one who looks after the dog responsibly and then there’s the other type.
I could never understand why someone would want to have a pet and then let it run wild around the neighbourhood. I live in a small estate and there are quite a few dogs both large and small roaming freely. They are released early in the morning by their owners and allowed to run riot until they are locked up again for the night.
There are a couple of small yokes living near me who leave their house at about 7.30am most mornings. They park themselves outside my gate for most of the day and bark constantly, mostly at nothing. After a while the constant yapping starts to grate on the nerves. They are often visited by other mutts who don’t understand what the small things are barking at but decide to join in anyway.
There are other dogs, large by the sound of them, not too far away who also like to have a barkfest at all hours of the day and night. And barking is not all that they do. They don’t seem to be the least bit embarrassed about fouling any garden they can get in to or the common green areas. During the summer time I cut some of the grass in these areas so I have regularly seen the evidence for myself. This is not only happening in my back yard, it seems to be a national issue.
So what’s the story with these irresponsible dog owners? They are plainly flouting the law for one. The law states that dogs are not to be out in public without a leash. It also states that it is an offence for the owner not to clean up after their dog. But whatever about the law, they obviously have no regard for their neighbours or for the public generally. They are completely thoughtless about the impact their darling pets are having on their community. In short, they are selfish and inconsiderate.
I remember as a youngster watching people toilet training their dogs. They used to shove the dogs nose into the mess and then give them a smack. Apparently this made the dogs realise that they should go to the toilet somewhere else other than the kitchen floor. Maybe we should start using that technique on these carefree owners.
There is no doubt that the standard of driving in this country has deteriorated over the years. That, added to the increased traffic volumes, has meant that our roads have become a dangerous place to be. Park outside any primary school at morning time and you are guaranteed to see chaos and many close shaves. Driving into the local shopping centre can be a real test of nerves while attempting to navigate around a busy roundabout is a bit like going for a stroll in a minefield.
It seems that there are many drivers now who are not satisfied to simply drive the car but they must also be doing something else at the same time. Like being on the phone, texting, drinking coffee, eating, applying makeup or organising paperwork. I recently saw a woman negotiating a junction with a cup of coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
My daughter lives in a sizeable estate consisting of mainly younger people and lots of small children. The entrance is marked with two stone pillars leading into a short avenue which then opens out into the estate proper. Once you turn to pass through those pillars you face many potential hazards, pedestrians, traffic, children playing etc. so naturally it requires care and attention.
If you took the time to sit at this entrance for a short time on any day of the week you would age considerably. The speed at which the majority of cars pass through this spot is frightening and the lack of awareness of potential danger is astonishing. And that lack of awareness seems to be everywhere.
From my own personal observations, I would have to suggest that the majority of the offenders would appear to be young people. The main offences are speed, lack of awareness and lack of concentration. Young drivers think they are invincible and totally incapable of making an error of judgement. So what can we do to change their attitude?
Police drivers are trained in the UK and Ireland using a system of car control based on defensive driving, basically trying to identify potential hazards and taking appropriate action to prevent an accident. One aspect of this training is what is termed “Running Commentary”. This, I think could make a valuable contribution to road safety and a better standard of driving if it was to be introduced as a part of driving instruction for all drivers.
So what is it? Well it is what it sounds like. The driver will be told by his instructor at a point in the journey to give a commentary on what is happening around him. This commentary lasts for a few miniutes at a time and the driver must describe what he sees. That includes the condition of the road, speed, weather conditions, the amount of traffic, road signs, concealed entrances and any potential dangers that can be identified.
It can feel a little awkward in the beginning but you soon get used to it and after a little practice it becomes second nature. When the training is over there is no longer a requirement to carry out this running commentary but it stays with you. Many trained drivers will tell you that they still use the defensive driving system even in their private cars and the running commentary goes on in the background, silently in the mind. Watching for hazards, anticipating danger and being prepared for it.
It wouldn’t cost anything to introduce this but it could be priceless.