PSNI and Gardaí forge formal training links

The Police Service of Northern Ireland and An Garda Síochána have announced the formalisation of their training links.

Officers from both police services are now regularly involved in delivering training to students in each other’s organisation. Three Gardai began teaching at the PSNI college at Garnerville on Monday March 11, 2002, working in conjunction with PSNI trainers to deliver a series of classes on traffic, crime and general police duties. Later in April this year, PSNI trainers will travel to the Garda College at Templemore in County Tipperary for a reciprocal visit.

These will be the first of many such exchanges over the coming years, set up on as a recommendation of the Patten Report, which recommended structured co-operation between the two police services in training. While there have been informal links between PSNI and An Garda Síochána in the past but this co-operation has now been put on a more formalised and structured footing.

Welcoming the development, Head of Foundation Faculty at Garnerville, Superintendent Roy Fleming, said: “This will have a number of benefits both for our students and for our organisations. Whilst we have always had an excellent relationship on an operational level and between the two training colleges at Garnerville and Templemore, this will create an even better standard of co-operation between the two police services.”

Superintendent Kieran Kenny, Head of the Student and Probationer School at Garda College, Templemore, said: “I welcome this enhancement of training provision for police services on both sides of the border. This is a great opportunity for both forces to share learning experiences on a formal basis.”

PSNI has a range of contacts with external groups and organisations which contribute to training. These include the University of Ulster, Women’s Aid, the Chinese Welfare Association, the Orange Order and the GAA. The arrangement with An Garda Síochána is the first such formalised link with another police service.

Garda trainers were dressed in civilian clothing for their first visit to Garnerville. This is in keeping with PSNI trainers who have been wearing civilian clothes until they are issued with new uniforms on 5 April.

On future courses, both PSNI and Garda trainers are expected to wear their respective uniforms.

An Garda Síochána

PSNI

(SP)