Complaints against Gardai in the Longford/Westmeath Garda Division are the fifth lowest in the country at nine, a reduction of eight on the 2006 figures, according to the Garda Siochana Complaints Board's 2007 Report.
The highest number of complaints (227 ) were recorded in the Dublin Metropolitan Area, followed by Cork (39 ) and Louth/Meath (30 ). The total number of complaints requiring attention in 2007/2008 was 1,042, as opposed to 1,752 in 2006. This includes complaints carried forward from previous years (532 ), complaints re-opened during the year (24 ) and complaints received during the year (486 ).
There were 70 complaints withdrawn or not proceeded with (prior to a decision on admissibility ), compared to 56 in 2006. Meanwhile, there were 161 complaints deemed not to be admissible by the Chief Executive in 2007, compared to 473 the previous year. Some 189 complaints were withdrawn/not proceeded with after being deemed admissible, compared with 179 in 2006, while 144 complaints were deemed not admissible by the board, compared to 181 the previous year.
Nineteen complaints were informally resolved, two less than in 2006. There were 283 offences or breaches of discipline disclosed in 2007, with 222 disclosed in 2006. Fifty-six minor breaches of discipline were disclosed to the Garda Commissioner. While there were 61 such incidents of minor breaches of discipline, five of these cases also resulted in a member of an Garda Siochana being referred to a hearing of an Garda Siochana's Complaints Tribunal. Thirty-six breaches of discipline were referred to the tribunal, compared to 23 in 2006.
There were 305 inadmissible complaints in 2007, as opposed to 654 the previous year. Of these 305 cases, 194 were considered vexatious, 74 comprised conduct that is alleged not to constitute an offence or breach of discipline, in 25 cases the conduct complained of occurred more than six months before the complaint was made, in six cases the complainant was not directly affected or a witness, while six other complaints were inadmissible for miscellaneous reasons.
