WATCH: Dramatic scenes in Gormanston as Gardai conduct public order training drills

By Michael Keaveny

An Garda Siochana completed a Public Order training exercise at  Gormanston Army Camp with officers attached to the Dublin Region. 
During these annual recertification courses Garda members are trained and tested in their competence in Public Order policing skills. The exercise involves resistance to Garda Units from passive peaceful resistance up to ‘controlled violent’ resistance which includes missiles and incendiary devices.

 

The garda public order unit is a voluntary group made up of standard uniformed members assigned to normal policing duties with specialist Public Order training. The unit is trained to use riot control tactics to control, disperse, and arrest civilians that are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. They are called into action  when a situation is deemed to be beyond the capabilities of community based gardai. They are able of dealing with missiles, petrol bombs and "edged weapons" i.e. knives, axes etc. 

 

Inspector John Egan explains how important it is for Gardai to be ready for any situation:
"We couldn't deal with the situations on the street that we do deal with on a daily basis without this ongoing training," he said."Today's exercise was to show the capabilities of the national public order unit in the various scenarios that we've highlighted here today. "Be it from regular deployment to assisting uniform members to eventually a full scale riot situation."

Some notable incidents that they have been involved in over the past few years include rioting by English soccer hooligans during a friendly soccer  match between thethe Republic of Ireland and England in Landsdowne Road, the 2006 "Love Ulster Parade" riots on O' Connell Street and the 2014 anti water charges protests in  Jobstown, Tallaght.