Garda Regional Support Unit

Garda Regional Support Unit
Aonad Tacaíochta Réigiúnach
Abbreviation RSU
Agency overview
Formed 2008 (pilot), 2012 (5 regions), 2016 (Dublin region)
Legal personality Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
National agency
(Operations jurisdiction)		 Republic of Ireland
Legal jurisdiction Eastern, Northern, Southern, South-Eastern, Western & Dublin regions
Governing body Department of Justice and Equality
General nature
Operational structure
Operators ~ 180[1]
Agency executive Regional Detective Superintendent
Parent agency Garda Síochána
Specialties Specialist armed/tactical response
Armed airport & port patrols
Facilities
Vehicles BMW 5 Series
Audi Q7
Volvo XC70
BMW X5

Regional Support Units (RSU) (Irish: Aonad Tacaíochta Réigiúnach) are specialist armed response units of the Garda Síochána, the national police force of Ireland. Based in all six Garda regions in the country, Garda RSU officers carry a combination of lethal firearms and non-lethal weapons, as opposed to regular uniformed Gardaí who are unarmed. They are similar to Authorised Firearms Officers of British police forces.

Duties

An armed Garda Regional Support Unit may be called out to support local Garda officers in certain high-risk operations.[2] This principally involves offering armed assistance to otherwise unarmed Gardaí who are dealing with an incident in which firearms or other weapons (knives, etc.) have been produced. It also includes;[3][4]

Background

The first Regional Support Unit (RSU) was formed in 2008,[6] following recommendations made by the Barr Tribunal, which brought the existence and role of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) to public attention (April 2000, see Death of John Carthy), and questioned the Dublin-based units' ability to reach other areas of the country quickly.[7][8]

Regional Support Units were originally assigned to support five individual Garda regions – administrative areas drawn on geographical lines which include the Eastern, Northern, Southern, South-Eastern and Western regions – but not the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR), which had remained the sole responsibility of the ERU.[9] The first RSU was formed on a pilot basis in the Southern Region (the administrative area which includes counties Cork, Limerick and Kerry).[6][9]

As of 2012, RSU units began operating on a full-time permanent armed basis in the Eastern, Northern, Southern, South-Eastern and Western regions after a trial period.[10][11][12][13] Serious incidents such as barricaded sieges, hostage takings or terrorism triggers the response of the ERU anywhere in Ireland.

In 2016 it was decided that a sixth Regional Support Unit be established in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) to counteract the growing threat of gangland drug crime and terrorism risks.[14] Previously the Dublin Garda region had been under the authority of the Garda ERU. The Dublin RSU began operating in early 2016 with a complement of 55-60 full-time armed officers, including 10 sergeants. The new unit is equipped with marked and unmarked vehicles.[15]

In April 2016 it was confirmed that armed Regional Support Units would be deployed overtly to patrol both Dublin Airport and Dublin Port full-time on foot inside terminal buildings and via vehicles outside and surrounding the perimeter, carrying sub-machine guns, sidearms, tasers and other specialist equipment to counter the rising threat of terrorist attacks in Europe.[16][17]

Training and manpower

Garda RSU officers undergo training over a thirteen-week period, which includes instruction in:

The Garda ERU are responsible for RSU training. Some RSU officers later go on to join the ERU. The membership of the Regional Support Unit consists exclusively of serving officers in the Garda Síochána, who must have at least 4 years experience and a clean disciplinary record.

There are Regional Support Units in all six regions, each has at least 24 members (Dublin has 55 to 60 members),[18] putting the overall manpower at more than 175.[8] The command of the RSU is the Regional Detective Superintendent.[6]

Equipment

Garda armed Regional Support Unit (RSU) armed response vehicle

Weapons

Members of the Regional Support Units are equipped similarly to members of the Special Detective Unit (SDU) and Emergency Response Unit.[6][19]

RSU weapons include;

RSU units also carry less-lethal weapons, such as;

Vehicles

Regional Support Units use a police variant Volvo V70, known as a Volvo XC70 as their Armed response vehicle (ARV). These cars are specially modified[8] and clearly identifiable from other Garda vehicles by battenburg markings, the word "GARDA" written in large blue letters, and the words "ARMED SUPPORT UNIT" in red lettering.[19] Each car has a blue bar light on the roof with an illuminated red message scroller bearing the term "GARDA ARMED SUPPORT UNIT".[19] Volvo V70 T5 vehicles, armour-plated BMW X5 and Audi Q7 vehicles are also in use.[21] BMW 5 Series Touring vehicles, costing €70,000 each with a top speed of 233km/h, are beginning to replace the fleet of Volvo XC70s in the second half of 2016.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Groups of uniformed gardai to be fully armed in shake-up". Irish Independent. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  2. ↑ RTE News - Armed garda response units operating - 3 September 2008
  3. ↑ Garda Press office - Searches in the Shannon and Limerick areas - 16/10/08
  4. ↑ Irish Independent - New armed garda squad to take on city gang bosses - 22 September 2007
  5. ↑ "National Rollout of Regional Support Units Complete May 9th 2012 - South Eastern Region Unit Launched". 9 May 2012. An Garda Síochána. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Garda Press office - Garda Commissioner launches Regional Support Units - 2/09/08
  7. 1 2 RTE News - New armed garda unit for midlands - 28 August 2009
  8. 1 2 3 Irish Independent - Quick-change armed Gardai hit the streets - 04 September 2008
  9. 1 2 Annual Report of An Garda Síochána - 2008
  10. ↑ Annual Report of An Garda Síochána - 2009
  11. ↑ Irish Times - Garda armed response unit launched for eastern region - 8 August 2009
  12. ↑ Department of Justice - Press Releases - Justice Minister Dermot Ahern launches New Garda Response Unit in Western Region - 25 June 2010
  13. ↑ Donegal Division Policing Plan of An Garda Síochána - 2010
  14. ↑ "New armed garda unit to monitor growing terror threat in Dublin". Sunday World. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  15. ↑ "Permanent armed Garda response unit for Dublin in wake of gangland shootings". Irish Independent. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  16. ↑ Lally, Conor (23 March 2016). "Gardaí to begin armed policing at Dublin Airport". The Irish Times. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  17. ↑ "Armed Gardaí to patrol Dublin Airport in response to Brussels attacks". Newstalk. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  18. ↑ "Dramatic footage is backdrop to news that it will take six months to set up armed response unit". Irish Examiner. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 RTE News video - Armed garda response units operating
  20. ↑ Irish Independent - Commuter-belt garda squad to carry new armour-piercing submachine gun - 30 August 2009
  21. ↑ O'Connor, Niall; Ryan, Phillip (20 October 2015). "Gardai splashing millions on high-powered vehicles to tackle burglary gangs". Sunday World. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  22. ↑ "Gardai will be driving Beamers to keep up with the criminals". Kildare Now. 11 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.

External links

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