Gardaí are working with English police forces to train members in high-speed vehicle pursuits, with Devon and Cornwall Police currently training Garda driving instructors in pursuit training.
Assistant commissioner Denis Ferry, who leads on roads policing, confirmed the collaboration and said no members are currently trained in terms of pursuits, but they hope to have instructors trained by the end of this year.
Training and capability
Mr Ferry described 660 personnel in Gardaí’s dedicated roads policing unit, which he said is its largest specialised unit. He noted that 4,500 Gardaí are trained to respond to calls using lights and sirens, and more than 200 are trained in containment and stopping vehicles.
Chief Superintendent Brian Sugrue, director of training and development at the Garda College, said just in terms of working with Devon and Cornwall Police they would expect the number of instructors trained to be in single figures by the end of this year. “We’re hoping that interaction with the other UK police forces will significantly increase that number,” he added.
Context and incidents
The Oireachtas Transport Committee questioned them on Wednesday following high-profile incidents stemming from cars travelling the wrong way up motorways. In August, a head-on collision on the M9 motorway in Co Kildare saw five teenagers killed and four seriously injured.
The committee heard that 141 lives have been lost this year to date on Irish roads and more than 1,000 people seriously injured.
Operational tactics
In his opening statement, Mr Ferry said vehicles travelling against the normal flow of traffic present an “immediate and potentially catastrophic risk to other road users”. He said their priority is to prevent a pursuit from developing in the first place, or where one has commenced to bring it to an end as quickly and safely as possible.
Mr Ferry described a range of tactics, including the use of stingers and air support, with their response co-ordinated by Gardaí on the ground and their four regional control-rooms which operate round the clock.
He said they continually assess the behaviour of the vehicle concerned, the road environment, traffic conditions, the danger being presented to other road users and the potential consequences of either continuing or discontinuing a pursuit. “That assessment is particularly important where a vehicle is traveling against the flow of traffic. In those circumstances, we must consider not only how the vehicle can be stopped, but also the risk to other motorists,” he said.
“These are dynamic operational decisions, sometimes made in a matter of seconds, with the protection of life at their centre, and so a pursuit may be discontinued where the assessment is that continuing it will create an unacceptable level of risk,” he said.
He said air support is an important tactical option to monitor and track the vehicle while other garda units can be strategically positioned. “This can reduce the requirement for ground units to remain in close proximity to a dangerously-driven vehicle and allows for the guard resources to be co-ordinated ahead of it,” he said.
He said last week Gardaí managed an incident involving a stolen vehicle which was being driven dangerously, including against the flow of traffic on the M50. “This vehicle was ultimately brought to a controlled stop with two people arrested, this demonstrates the importance of having a range of operational options available to Gardaí to respond to changes and bring instances of this nature to a safe conclusion.”
Next steps
While 4,500 Gardaí are trained to respond under emergency conditions using lights and sirens, none are specifically currently trained in pursuit. Mr Ferry said Garda driving instructors are currently undertaking initial phased pursuit training and expected to complete the final stage this year.
“Once those instructors are qualified, An Garda Síochána will be in a position to begin delivering that training to operational garda members and to further build that capability during 2027,” he said.
Mr Ferry also said they are engaging with social media companies to “prioritise road safety” and seek removal of dangerous driving material from their platforms. “I understand why recent incidents have caused concern. Nobody travelling lawfully on our motorways should expect to encounter a vehicle coming towards them against the flow of traffic,” he said.
“I want to reassure people using our motorway network that it is safe and that An Garda Síochána has a range of options available to respond when these incidents occur.”
