GSOC investigated 55 allegations last year

 

Investigators at the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) probed a total of 55 complaints of alleged incidents of misconduct by local officers.

The detail is contained in the 2019 Annual Report of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, published last week.

The figure is down by almost 10 per cent on the year before, when GSOC had a caseload of 61 complaints arising out of the local division.

By comparison, Cavan-Monaghan also had a fewest number of complaints referred to GSOC when examined against other Border divisions Sligo/Leitrim (65), which was more than double the number in 2018 (32).

Donegal too, which had 57 complaints made to GSOC last year, though down 23 per cent; and Louth (118), up by more than 25 per cent on the previous year.

Elsewhere, Westmeath had 71 compolaints in 2019, and Meath 67.

A total of three referrals were made to GSOC by the Gardaí station in Cavan-Monaghan themselves.

It was the joint highest number of garda referrals, alongside Laois/ Offaly, and the three areas contained within the Dublin Metropolitan Region- North, West and South.

By comparison, there was two in Westmeath, and one each in Sligo/Leitrim, Roscommon/Longford, Meath, Louth, and Donegal.

The year under review was characterised by two significant developments for GSOC—a major expansion in the number of staff, and the initiation of planning for a transformed Garda oversight regime as a consequence of anticipated legislative change.