New Virgin series follows gardai in Dublin's K district

'The Guards: Inside The K’ will launch on Wednesday 4th March at 9pm on Virgin Media One.   The five-part series will give viewers unprecedented access to the work carried out by An Garda Síochána in The K, Ireland’s busiest policing district which includes Blanchardstown, Finglas and Cabra.

With nothing off limits, viewers will see the full scale of murder investigations, drug raids and ongoing operations designed to keep gangland violence at bay.  
Each episode highlights issues ranging from gangland violence to the drugs epidemic sweeping the country. The series shines a light on the challenge of frontline policing in modern Ireland showing the damage caused by drugs and the dangers involved for young people who find themselves involved with gangs. The series also takes a poignant look at mental health and how the guards often become first responders for those with mental health and addiction crises. 
The guards also talk candidly about the impact social media, and a culture that shares and films everything has on their work, and how the platform has opened up new avenues for criminals to set up shop.

Dwayne O'Brien Garda, Simon Cadam Garda, Selina Proudfoot Sergeant, Megan Furey Garda, Rebekah Gaffey Garda

Chief Superintendent Finbarr Murphy outlines in the series what a good place the district is in general: “DMR (Dublin Metropolitan West) has the potential to be one of the finest places in Ireland to live and there are some people enjoying that already.
However, the behaviour of a few presents huge challenges. Speaking in the series, Detective William O’Keefe says: “The last few years the level of violence has definitely escalated. The access to firearms has definitely gone way up. Retaliation attacks has definitely gone up. And it’s all coming from gang land. The reason I got into the guards, was I had a family member murdered when I was very, very young. It probably did have an effect, and I decided at that stage without realising it that this is what I wanted to do.”
Bill Malone, Director of Content, Virgin Media Television said;  “It is the most authentic access ever granted to the work carried out by An Garda Síochána and will give viewers a real insight into what they face every day to try to keep communities safe.”
The Guards: Inside The K will launch on Wednesday 4th March at 9pm on Virgin Media One  

 

John O'Reilly Sergeant, Selina Proudfoot Sergeant, Dwayne O'Brien Garda