Tag Archives: Chief Superintendent John Kerin

THE introduction of a new three-year suicide prevention strategy will provide greater assistance to Clare gardaí in their work to help those suffering from psychological distress. In relation to the new Connecting for Life Suicide Prevention Action Plan, steering group member Chief Superintendent John Kerin said, for the first time, this gives gardaí more of a focus as to who in communities can help people suffering from acute distress. “Previously, gardaí were often the first responders and there really wasn’t a great follow-up. But now, getting involved in the Connecting for Life process, we understand all the agencies that can help,” he said. Superintendent Kerin said virtually every garda in the Clare division has completed training in the area of suicide prevention and awareness. Acknowledging that gardaí have engaged in acts of self-harm and have died by suicide, Superintendent Kerin said garda management is very aware of this issue and noted that a 24-hour independent service is available to gardaí …

CLARE Garda Chief Superintendent John Kerin has said if it emerges that gardaí in this county contributed to the false reporting of one million fake alcohol breath tests, “maximum sanctions” will be applied. Politicians have called for the resignation of Garda Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan in recent days following the latest garda scandal involving the recording, nationally, of one million breath tests that never took place. On Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Kerin told The Clare Champion that he did not yet have figures for Clare but accepted that fake breath tests are very likely to have taken place in the county. “We’re hoping to be given a breakdown about where this happened across the country and in what areas. I really don’t know the extent of it in Clare but if it’s a countrywide thing, there is no doubt it would have gone on in Clare. “If it has happened in Clare, I will be seriously hurt and disappointed. If I can …

CONCERN has been expressed that the use of cocaine is back on the rise, with one county councillor describing it as “rampant”. Councillor Alan O’Callaghan highlighted the issue, advising the committee that he is aware of open cocaine use, particularly over the Christmas period. “It seems to be rampant and being publicly used, with people taking it off the back of a phone in the back of a smoking area. It is frightening to see it being used,” he said. Responding to the concern, Chief Superintendent John Kerin said, “Drugs are a fact of life; they are commonplace in every town and village”. He reminded the committee that this is an illegal activity and if people are aware that it is happening in pubs, they should bring it to the attention of the gardaí. “We do have undercover gardaí and if there is drug activity in pubs, we would be delighted to address the issue. It does not get immediate …

Clare’s Joint Policing Committee heard that there has been a 22% increase in the number of people caught drink driving in the county this year, with 27 more people detected under the influence. The issue of drink driving was relayed as “an area of concern” by Clare’s Chief Superintendent John Kerin, who told the committee that more young people are being detected now than in the previous 10 to 15 years. “It is a trend we are seeing country-wide. It is a worrying trend. What I’d be saying to them is you might get away with it one night, maybe two but you will be caught,” he said. Supporting this, he stressed that there were 13,572 breath tests conducted in the county so far this year, an increase of 48% on last year. Chief Superintendent Kerin said he will make no apology for this increase, as it saves lives. He said people might say that this is too many but he …

Two new garda recruits got quite a surprise when they inspected Shannon Airport’s VIP room today (Tuesday). Gardaí Jordan Perez and Ceejay McArdle a duo with their own heroic stories, got an insight into how it’s possible to meet just about anyone – including their hero, Munster and Ireland rugby star CJ Stander at the airport. Ceejay (4), from Castleblaney, County Monaghan and Jordan (8), from Sixmilebridge, were deployed to Shannon to assist in security checks for the day and when they checked the VIP room they found the internatinal rugby player. The special security officers were detailed to the airport as part of an ongoing community initiative by the Garda Relations Bureau (GRB). Ceejay, who is undergoing intense treatment for leukaemia, last year became an Garda Siochana’ s youngest ever member and this weekend Jordan, who is wheelchair bound with muscular dystrophy, joined him on the very special beat courtesy of Chief Superintendent John Kerin and Superintendent Brendan McDonagh. …

THE head of Clare’s garda division has criticised the process whereby gardaí have to investigate each other when complaints relating to garda discipline are made to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. Chief Superintendent John Kerin of the Clare Garda Division also said he is aware of incidents where false allegations were made to GSOC against members of the force in the county. “Neither myself nor superintendents are overly happy with the situation whereby members of the public make a complaint to GSOC regarding garda misconduct and we end up investigating 95% to 96% of these complaints, even though they were made to GSOC. I appreciate that GSOC review the investigations but, in fairness to members of the public who have issues with the gardaí, I feel those complaints should be dealt with by GSOC and not garda officers to ensure the integrity of the investigation and that gardaí are not investigating gardaí.” The GSOC Annual Report 2015, published this week, …

THE level of antagonism that Clare gardaí face when they are called to domestic incidents “often beggars belief”, according to Chief Superintendent John Kerin. His comment came at a public meeting of the Clare Joint Policing Committee (JPC) on Monday, which was adjourned for 15 minutes as a mark of respect to Garda Anthony Golden, who was shot dead after responding to such an incident in Louth, as well as those who died in the Carrickmines tragedy. Speaking about the uncertainty that gardaí have to face on a daily basis, Chief Superintendent Kerin reflected, “We don’t know at any given time what awaits us.” He also said the gardaí have to deal with people who are at their most volatile, at times when they may have drink taken or something has happened domestically. During the meeting, it was revealed that Clare gardaí have responded to 302 domestic disputes in the first nine months of the year and Superintendent Kerin said …

A “MASSIVE improvement” in Kilrush is one of the things Clare’s highest ranking garda is most proud of, he revealed recently. “I came to Clare in 2007 and in those years there didn’t seem to be anything but bad publicity about Kilrush and incidents happening there,” Chief Superintendent John Kerin stated. “Certainly, I think if people look at the crime statistics and the occurrences there over the last three years, there has been a massive reduction in incidents of crime and disorder,” he added. “Now don’t get me wrong, there are still nasty enough incidents occurring but the amount of crime as shown in the statistics for 2014 and the first four months of this year would indicate that things have improved massively,” he said. From January to April this year, there were a total of four burglaries, two thefts from vehicles, five incidents of other thefts and 11 reports of criminal damage in Kilrush. The number of burglaries there …