Corrupt gardai to face ‘ghost squad’

Harris plans unit to focus on serious criminal activity by officers

Sunday March 10 2019, 12.01am GMT, The Sunday Times

The garda commissioner is to establish a special anti-corruption squad to investigate allegations of serious malpractice against gardai.

The move by Drew Harris comes amid a rise in the number of internal inquiries into officers accused of drug use and supply, perverting the course of justice, serious misconduct and having suspicious business interests.

The creation of an anti-corruption unit, modelled on the “ghost squad” of the Metropolitan police in London that inspired the TV show Line of Duty, will be a first for the force. It will be led by a detective superintendent based at Garda Headquarters, supported by a team of detectives and specialist staff.

The unit will focus on gardai suspected of being involved in criminal activity rather than those accused of breaching