FIVE GARDAÍ HAVE faced disciplinary proceedings over their use of social media and messaging services including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook during the past five years.
Gardaí said there had been four separate cases involving five different members, all of whom were disciplined over misuse of either social media or messaging.
An Garda Síochána said the platforms misused by the officers had been Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and through standard mobile phone text.
Gardaí said four of the members were still serving with the force but provided no further detail on why the fifth person was no longer working with them.
In the first case, two members of garda rank were dealt with under Regulation 10 of An Garda Síochána’s Discipline Regulations.
In a second case, another officer of garda rank was given an official warning under the same garda disciplinary regulations.
The third case involved a member of garda rank who was given a caution under the regulations.
While the final case – again concerning an officer of garda rank – resulted in a “temporary reduction in pay” for the member.
Gardaí said they would not provide details of the gender of the officers involved saying it could serve to identify them beyond their family and friends.
They said: “The release of information with regard to such a small number of members may allow for a person to become more identifiable and possibly [result in them being] named in the public domain.”
Asked about policy on social media, An Garda Síochána said they had published guidelines for garda staff and officers on their use.
Posting on social networks, message boards, or other similar sites is prohibited using garda IT or telecommunications systems unless necessary for operational reasons, the guidelines say.
Members and staff are also advised of the risks of posting anything that would make them identifiable as working for An Garda Síochána.
The guidelines said social networks and other sites could be screened or monitored by criminal elements for their own “intelligence gathering” purposes.
They say: “All garda staff shall ensure that any comment which they up-load/post on the internet does not pose a security or safety risk to themselves, their colleagues, family, friends, the public and does not compromise garda operations or the corporate image and reputation of An Garda Síochána.”
Gardaí have in recent years been hit by controversy relating to the sharing of sensitive material.
The most high-profile case was that of the late Dara Quigley, whose family received an apology from the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice.
CCTV footage of her walking naked along a Dublin street was shared by a member of the force with a civilian.
It was subsequently uploaded and began to spread on messaging services and social media. The officer involved resigned from the force before a disciplinary process was complete.
In a letter to her mother Aileen Malone, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris apologised for an “unacceptable breach of trust”, while interim Justice Minister Heather Humphreys said what had happened was “absolutely unacceptable”.
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