800 recruit Gardaí are expected to commence training this year.
An Garda Síochána has announced that it will formally launch a new recruitment campaign in the coming weeks.
Commenting as 122 Gardaí were newly attested on Friday (14 January), Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said that 800 recruit Gardaí are expected to commence the Garda Training Programme in 2022.
The 122 newly attested Gardaí will be joined in the next few weeks by 26 more of their colleagues, whose attestation today has been deferred in order to comply with Covid guidelines.
Of the 148 Gardaí, 73% are male and 27% are female and they will bring the total number of sworn Gardaí to 14,411.
Their Garda training commenced in May 2021 during the pandemic and consisted of a blend of “on-line learning, on-site learning in the Garda College and experiential learning in training Garda stations”.
The 148 Garda trainees will now take on operational responsibilities.
“These new Gardaí were willing to come forward to pursue a career in An Garda Síochána at a critical time during a global pandemic, and very quickly adjusted to a model of hybrid learning,” Harris said.
“So, from the very outset, they have shown their ability and commitment to protecting the public.
“Our new Gardaí will help implement community policing initiatives, crime detection and prevention, and support the vulnerable, particularly during the ongoing pandemic.”
Harris also said it is very welcome that 27% of the Gardaí attested are female.
He stated that An Garda Síochána is “already above” the European average for its level of female Gardaí and that it wants this to increase further in the coming years.
“An Garda Síochána is a growing organisation. Along with the new Gardaí today, we have 235 currently in training,” Harris added.
“We will also shortly launch our recruitment campaign with 800 recruit Gardaí to commence training this year.
“In addition, we are continuing to reassign Gardaí from administrative duties to operational duties.
“I wish to congratulate each Garda, and their families on their attestation today. It is a very proud day for you all, and you are most welcome to An Garda Síochána.
“I look forward to us working together to keep people safe.”
Main image via Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
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