Senior appointment for Cavan garda
A Cavanman has been appointed to oversee the implementation the new garda policing model in the South Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR).
Superintendent Gavin O’Reilly has been promoted in charge of the DMR South Performance Assurance Functional Area (Operating Model).
It involves overseeing An Garda Síochána’s transition to a modern operating model, recommended by both the Garda Inspectorate and the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.
The Killeshandra native and former St Patrick’s College student, who was the youngest promoted inspector at the time, is now the youngest Superintendent within An Garda Síochána.
Supt O’Reilly joined the force in 2005, and was awarded an IPA Language and Interim Scholarship with the police force in Cologne, Germany. He subsequently transferred to Sligo as a student garda.
Following completion of a BA in Policing Studies, Supt O’Reilly moved to Pearse Street District, and later Harcourt Terrace to a dedicated Community Policing Unit.
He was selected by the US State Department to represent An Garda Síochána for a study/ work internship with Boston College and Boston Police followed by a placement at the US State Department HQ in Washington DC.
He has also served as Divisional Traffic Sergeant with responsibility for managing events within the south inner city; and for community policing serving as Inspector in charge of the Irishtown sub-district; and as Regional Inspector to the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Community Relations, Engagement and Youth Diversion.
More recently Supt O’Reilly worked at Garda HQ in Phoenix Park as Acting Detective Inspector to the Garda National Crime & Security Intelligence Service, and as liaison to the National Security Analysis Centre, Department of An Taoiseach and Department of Justice, which involved representing the Gardaí on policing delegations to the US, Europol and Interpol.
He was promoted to Superintendent in February, and took up his new role on February 13.
Assistant Commissioner Cliona Richardson has meanwhile been assigned to the North West Region on promotion from February 11.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris welcomed the promotion, saying: “Cliona has a wide and extensive breadth of policing experience and knowledge. This will be of great benefit to the Garda Senior Leadership team and to the North West region. Cliona’s leadership will also be invaluable as An Garda Síochána continues on our modernisation programme through the implementation of ‘A Policing Service For Our Future’.”
Garda Richardson has been a member to the force for 30 years, and replaces Assistant Commissioner Michael McElgunn who is to transfer to Garda National Crime & Security Intelligence Service (GNCSIS), Garda Headquarters.
She is currently the head of the EUROPOL National Unit in Ireland and head of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau for Ireland, and prior to her promotion to Detective Chief Superintendent, she was in charge of the Garda Síochána’s National Criminal Intelligence Unit (NCIU).
She has also held a range of operational roles, including in the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Criminal Assets Bureau and as District Officer in Ballinasloe.
Asst Comm McElgunn, who has a familial connection to Belturbet and attended the recent 50 year anniversary of the 1972 town bombing, formed part of the team that investigated the murder of journalist, Veronica Guerin, in 1996.
He previously served at the Criminal Assets Bureau, Clondalkin, Ballyfermot, Finglas Garda Stations and Security & Intelligence Section (Garda HQ), and held the position of Chief Superintendent, at Dublin South Central Division.
He holds a First Class Honours Degree in Police Leadership (UCD), and a post grad in Governance and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Quantico, Virginia, USA.