Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has rejected criticism of the policing model he introduced, which garda sergeants and inspectors say is not working.
The AGSI told Commissioner Harris at their annual conference this afternoon that his legacy has been one of failing policing strategies, strained industrial relations and change for the sake of change.
AGSI president Declan Higgins said Mr Harris has turned policing into a business, with spreadsheets replacing community, and rebranding replacing real reform.
However, the Commissioner said this afternoon he did not take the criticisms personally and insisted he did not operate a top-down management structure.
He said the operating model has been subject to consultation over the last six years at a national level and a local level. Each implementation around a division he said has involved a local project, and the associations have been involved in that.
The Commissioner said he could stand over the work that has been done.
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He said body cameras, a new garda fleet, a new uniform and new technology have been introduced, and millions have been spent on new public order equipment including a water canon.
There has also been significant investment in investigations into domestic violence, sexual abuse and in tackling serious and organised crime.
He told the sergeants and inspectors that Divisional Protective Services Units are now in every garda division with over 300 specialist gardaí trained.
He said there had been 51 successful prosecutions of non-fatal strangulation cases in the last year and 41 coercive control prosecutions in the last two years, which was a real positive policing outcome of the Operating Model.
Top-down management
The AGSI conference is the last conference Commissioner Harris will attend in the role. He has not been invited to the GRA conference later this month.
The association said however it is disillusioned with his leadership, and his perceived lack of meaningful engagement.
AGSI said Commissioner Harris has introduced a culture of top-down management with little regard for on the ground experience and has increased oversight, excessive administrative burdens, with ever-stretched resources placing unsustainable pressure on gardaí.
Mr Higgins said training and professional development are virtually non-existent and there is a growing sense that gardaí are being treated as statistics, not professionals.
The sergeants and inspectors also said that while Commissioner Harris approached the job with intent, authority and vigour, young recruits are entering a service many now see as under-resourced, over-stretched, and undervalued, and they along with experienced officers are leaving for better jobs.
They also said entry standards have been lowered, vetting procedures relaxed, and educational and physical requirements have been watered down in the name of boosting recruitment numbers, which they said is dangerous and has been recognised as such by other police forces.
Gym memberships, tax incentives needed for more gardaí
Earlier, the association highlighted that innovative enticements such as tax incentives and gym memberships are needed to recruit and retain people in the force.
The AGSI said over 100 gardaí have resigned or retired so far this year, including 30 sergeants and inspectors, and that people are being lured away to other jobs.
There is a crisis in recruitment and retention of gardaí and the Government has to implement new and radical solutions to solve the problem, it said.
AGSI Deputy General Secretary Kevin Bolger said gardaí should be allowed access a portion of their pension gratuity, offered tax credits on medical aid, given free gym membership and allowed to stop paying into their pensions after 30 years.
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said the Government plans to recruit 1,000 new gardaí every year for the next five years.
However, the Garda College in Templemore can only accommodate 800 recruits a year.
Mr O'Callaghan said it is his ambition to recruit more and retain gardaí but pointed to a very competitive work environment.
He also said the competition to replace Commissioner Harris will start "very shortly" and he hopes to be able to bring the name of the new Commissioner to the Cabinet in July.
None of the current senior gardaí on the senior leadership team who graduated from Templemore are prepared to apply because of current taxation rules on their pensions which do not apply to outside candidates.
Mr O’Callaghan urged all interested senior gardaí to apply and said he would do his "best to ensure that candidates within the force will have equitable and similar terms and conditions when it comes to what's on offer if they decide to become Garda Commissioner".
