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A new armed police support unit will be moved closer to the border in preparation for Brexit, the garda commissioner has said.<\/p>\nA new armed police support unit will be moved closer to the border in preparation for Brexit, the garda commissioner has said.<\/p>\n
Commissioner Drew Harris was speaking to a D\u00e1il justice committee on Wednesday, when a number of representatives asked about concerns surrounding the UK\u2019s departure from the EU in relation to crime and disorder.<\/p>\n
\u201cOverall we are ready, we\u2019ve been, in effect, thinking about this for two years and building up resources in the border area during that time,\u201d Mr Harris said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a passing out parade in November and that will allow us to further supplement the border counties.<\/p>\n
“We\u2019ve built up resources around our armed support unit, at the moment we have about 30 more members trained and ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re also looking towards the introduction of an armed support unit in Cavan to reduce response times in the border area, so there\u2019s a lot more to come, but we\u2019re very aware of the Brexit challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have increased numbers in the border area, and making further investment in armed support in Cavan through the new operating model we will further enhance policing around the border counties.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe ourselves are in a high state of planning and prep for October and for what it\u2019ll mean in short and medium term for policing in Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Harris refused to be drawn into speculation about possible violence in the event of a no-deal Brexit, which has been forecast by many, including dissident republican groups, if customs or border posts are introduced, as the UK becomes a third country with an EU border.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to speculate on what border infrastructure is going to be, I\u2019m responsible for providing a policing service to protect society,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
“As yet, I don\u2019t know what Brexit we\u2019re getting, and therefore what will be the ramifications of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are three various elements, organised crime, threat from dissident republican groups and the impact on local communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cRegrettably, in respect of the impact from dissident groups, we\u2019ve already seen this year six national security attacks in Northern Ireland and we ourselves have had to cope with that demand and respond and support the PSNI and conduct our own investigative efforts against these groups.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has been an uptick in demand, which has caused strain on the organization, but we\u2019re prepared for that, and working hard to thwart those threats.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Harris has been transformational for the Irish police force as he closes in on his first year in the job, after a complete overhaul was called for after years of scandals within An Garda Siochana.<\/p>\n
The latest will see the national force reduced from six divisional regions to four, however Mr Harris says due to Brexit, the border unit will be the last to see any structural change.<\/p>\n
“In respect of implementation, we\u2019ll want to be certain about the processes before we go to the border.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s enough happening in the border divisions at the moment without telling them on November 1, \u2018Guess what? You\u2019re also doing structural change\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll hold off until we get some certainty on what the Brexit position is likely to be.\u201d<\/p>\n