Meet Finglas community Gardai who foster positive relationships with locals

Irish Daily Mirror

5 days ago

We left Finglas Garda Station shortly after 5pm. The rain, which had hammered down for most of the day, had just begun to ease.
The respite from the downpours also coincided with the start of The Irish Mirror's time with officers from the station's community policing unit on Saturday, June 14.
We joined Garda Aidan McHugh, Garda Sharon Clarke and Sergeant Noel Monaghan. We got first-hand experience of what it's like to police an area that usually comes to national prominence for all the wrong reasons.
The officers believe the negative connotations some members of the public have about Finglas are unwarranted and once the high-profile incidents are removed from the equation – it's a regular community with hard-working families. Garda Sergeant Noel Monaghan from the Finglas community unit with Irish Mirror reporter Danny De Vaal
Locals are still reeling after programmes like Inside the K made the area appear like a warzone, when in reality, they were a collection of incidents that took place over a number of years.
While all three are still regular gardai, they view themselves slightly differently from those in other units. The first main difference is the patrol vehicle.
Apart from a few 'Garda' markings embossed on the bonnet and door. It doesn't have a fluorescent wrap like regular patrol vehicles.
The white SUV is non-descript, and the officers feel it makes them more approachable when driving around.
Gardai from Sgt Monaghan's unit spend considerable time getting to know youngsters in the area through school talks and while out on patrol.
Conversations revolve around the score of the previous night's football match with some gentle ribbing thrown in for good measure.
Their particular beat also allows them to spend more time engaging with locals compared with officers on the regular unit.
Shortly after leaving the station, two young children came up to the window as we meandered through a housing estate. Garda McHugh and Garda Clarke knew them both from various school talks over the years.
The young boy, who was no older than 10, told Garda McHugh he was going to get a "yup bro haircut" the next day and, without missing a beat, also said he's worried about his hairline.
They were just two of the various characters we met along the way.
Another was a man, who was looking after the car park for a ceilidh. After we pulled up, he asked what was going on.
He was relieved to find out it was just a patrol and nothing untoward was unfolding under his watch.
After he asked what the score of the Dublin v Derry match was, he told both officers about his various ideas on how he would set the world right.
Both interactions may seem banal, but they showcase how relaxed locals in the area are when interacting with officers from Sgt Monaghan's unit.
The Guards said they built up the rapport over a long period of time and said some children from the area initially hated the force because of their family – but over time they realised they had nothing to fear. The Irish Mirror went on patrol with Gardai from the Finglas Community Unit (Image: REACH PLC)
The community cops stressed they want young people to know they're not the "enemy" and are there to help.
Garda McHugh, Garda Clarke and Sgt Monaghan all play a central role in helping young people stay on the right path.
The dedicated officers are involved in various initiatives in the area – such as the local summer projects and late-night football leagues.
Sgt Noel Monaghan explained: "We don't want kids to be thinking 'there's that bad guard.'
"We'd rather that when we're driving around or out on the mountain bikes, we want kids to come over and say 'hello' to us and get to know us in a friendly way."
He also said officers on his unit spend a lot of time in schools and deliver talks on a range of topics – including road safety, online safety, and drugs – that are tailored to specific age groups.
Sgt Monaghan said he believes his officers' work is having a positive impact but acknowledged it was impossible to help everybody.
He said: "We can't say that we divert all the kids or no kids – we don't know. But we'd hope that what we're doing is impacting some of them and steering them on the right path.
"It's an unquantifiable thing we're doing.
"Even if it helps one child have a better life, I think that's good." A young man rides a scrambler through a housing estae (Image: REACH PLC)
Meanwhile, Garda McHugh also said officers attached to the community unit need to balance their responsibilities and avoid getting involved when other units carry out raids.
He explained: "We try to stay away from doing searches or warrants where the doors might be put through or there might be a physical altercation in the house – [because] that might be kids' only interaction with the guards [at that point]."
Garda McHugh added: "We want to teach them from Montessori onwards – we're here as a point of help."
Sgt Monaghan added: "We like to stop and talk to people and let them know we're out and about. Lots of kids will know who they are, they will stop and wave and the lads will stop and chat to them. It's all about engagement."
They also said the downfall of gang boss Mr Flashy and the Gucci Gang should serve as a cautionary tale for young people on the brink of criminality.
The Finglas thug, who was only recently unmasked as Glen Ward, is currently behind bars in Portlaoise Prison on firearm charges.
The gangster, 32, led the Gucci Gang, which at its peak was considered one of the country's most violent, dangerous and reckless criminal gangs.
But tireless work by the Gardai in Dublin eventually led to the gang being dismantled. Glen Ward AKA Mr. Flashy
Garda McHugh says Ward's conviction is a major win for Gardai and sends a powerful message to young people that a life of crime doesn't pay. He said: "So the work that was done here from different units to take a big criminal organisation like that down, it does send an example and warning to the younger lads who are on the edge of maybe going down a similar path."
Garda McHugh said the Gucci Gang's takedown shows that those who "go around threatening people" or "selling drugs" will face "repercussions" and be "locked up".
He continued: "For us, it is a benefit; the younger people will see that there is a negative to it.
"It is not all flashy clothes and nice gear."
Garda McHugh, who has worked in Finglas for nearly 20 years, said the gang knew members of the community were in fear of them, which meant most locals were afraid to interact with the Gardai.
He explained: "For the people in the area, having them out of the area is great as well.
"There was obviously an element of fear, people wouldn't talk to you, they wouldn't engage with you and only after the fact - you'll see people are far quicker to say 'hello' to you as you're driving by - before that they'd just keep their heads down, they didn't want to be seen talking to guards."
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.