Gardaí are going global with new roles created in UAE and Bangkok

Officers will be sent as far as Bangkok and Abu Dhabi.

Imagine the scene; you’re on holiday in sunny Thailand.

You’ve picked up a few souvenirs for home, you’re on your way to get a bit of massaman curry and suddenly you see… a Garda?

This could be a possibility with the latest move from Government to expand the Garda Liaison Officer Network.

The expansion will include the creation of two new jobs for Garda Liaison Officers (GLOs), one in Abu Dhabi with responsibility for the Middle East region, and the second in Bangkok, looking after South-East Asia and Australasia.

Other expansions include the assignment of an assistant liaison officer in Washington to assist the current GLO in the North American Region, and a temporary assignment of two Gardaí to assist the French National Police and Gendarmerie during July and August of this year.

“We have seen the importance of international law enforcement coalitions in recent months as, through collaboration and cooperation with their partners, An Garda Síochána have enjoyed success in pursuing Irish criminals abroad, such as the Kinahan Organised Crime Group,” said Minister for Justice Helen McEntee.

“Some criminals may think that they can evade justice by leaving Ireland but these law enforcement coalitions demonstrate that they cannot.

“And given the increasingly transnational nature of organised crime and terrorism, the Garda Liaison Officer Network plays an important role in realising An Garda Síochána’s commitment to tackle these twin issues.

“They engage with local and regional law enforcement agencies regarding the activities and movement of Irish nationals or people linked to Ireland who An Garda Síochána, and potentially their colleague police services, have an interest in.

“The new GLOs will be crucial in assisting An Garda Síochána in pursuing criminals who spread misery here in Ireland, as well as abroad.”

Several GLOs are already overseas, with the network currently situated across Madrid, Paris, London, The Hague, Washington DC and Bogota.