Dublin specialist garda unit that smashed Westies and Gucci Gang set to be disbanded

Other key crime fighting unites being disbanded includes the anti-gang Burglary Response Unit that covers much of South Dublin

A specialised Garda unit which played a key role in smashing the notorious Westies mob and the Gucci Gang is set to be disbanded as part of the controversial working hours plan.

The K District task force based in West Dublin is to be scrapped as Commissioner Drew Harris plans to plough ahead with roster changes. The unit covers Blanchardstown, Finglas and Cabra stations in the DMR West, assisting regular units with serious crime probes such as murders, shootings and assaults.

It also plays a key role in tackling organised crime and drug dealers along with burglary gangs. The unit – which features on Virgin Media’s The Guards: Inside the K – has also successfully taken down the Westies mob in the past and a number of serious criminals associated with gangster Mr Flashy’s Gucci Gang more recently.Mark Ferris, the Garda Representative Associations West Dublin rep, explained he and the body consistently highlight how dangerously under strength the Garda numbers are in the DMR West. He said: “Having a crime task force in the K district is vital for the provision of an effective policing response.“This specialised unit spent 25 years building a reputation in West Dublin and played a key part in the demise of The Westies, The Gucci Gang and a number of other high-profile criminal gangs. We call for the retention of this K district task force and its strengthening. Now is not the time for all that accumulated knowledge and expertise to be depleted to accommodate the fifth Unit that garda management are insistent on imposing.”

Other key crime fighting unites being disbanded includes the anti-gang Burglary Response Unit that covers much of South Dublin. We have also established a unit set up to deal with domestic violence in the same area is also to be disbanded.

Officers attached to roads policing, community relations and even the local drugs unit – which plays a crucial role in tackling the Crumlin based Byrne organised crime gang, led by Daniel Kinahan ally Liam Byrne, may be redeployed. The domestic violence unit in Tallaght charged with enforcing court orders granted to victims against perpetrators could face a similar fate.

In a statement last night, a garda spokesman said: “Every Garda Division, is presently engaged in preparations to implement the ‘Westmanstown Roster’. The implementation of the Westmanstown Roster will require, and provide an opportunity to restructure local unit composition and thereby enhance the service to the public by increasing the visibility of frontline Gardaí.

“In the interests of clarity, as part of the reintroduction of the Westmanstown Roster, no formally appointed unit is being disbanded; no established members formally appointed to an appointed unit will be impacted; specifically neither Community Policing Units or Divisional Drugs Units will be disbanded, An Garda Síochána remains committed to both community policing and drugs enforcement.

“There are no plans for any station closures or changes to publicly advertised opening hours of Garda stations; there are no plans to impact on Juvenile Diversion projects, community policing programmes or similar programmes, all of which operated previously under the 5 unit Westmanstown Roster.