The Garda Síochána Reserve is the volunteer reserve section of the Garda Siochana - the police force

Police

The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...

 of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. It was created in 2006 and the first 36 Reserves graduated on 15 December 2006 at the Garda College, in Templemore

Templemore

Templemore is a town in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty. It is part of the Roman Catholic parish of Templemore, Clonmore and Killea....

.

Establishment

The Garda Síochána Act 2005 provides for the establishment of a Garda Reserve, consisting of 4,000 persons, to assist the force in performing its functions. Its purpose is to supplement the work of members of the Garda Síochána. The first 900 recruits to the Reserve were expected to be in place by September 2006. 850 Reserve members have been deployed to date (November 2010).

The Reserve will carry out duties defined by the Garda Commissioner and sanctioned by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Function

The Garda Reserve is intended to be a source of local strength and knowledge. Reserve members will be given full powers and duties, however these powers have been restricted and will be rolled out at the discretion of the commissioner. Reserve members will receive training in Law, self defence, restraint, Human Rights, Garda procedures and discipline. Reserve members are required to work under the supervision of regular members of the Force. A Garda Reserve will be required to work a minimum of 208 hours per year, with minimum tour durations of 4 hours. Duties of a Reservist include: Station Duty (other than care & custody of detained persons), staffing communications rooms, foot patrol, static security duty, event policing, preserving crime scenes, court attendance (as witnesses), assisting at road traffic checkpoints, collisions, fires, etc.

Limited Powers

Reservists will not be deployed in plain clothes, carry firearms or drive Garda vehicles. Duties and powers assigned to Garda Reserves will be commensurate to their training and will primarily involve legislation relating to road traffic, public order, drugs, theft & burglary. Garda Reserves will be permitted limited access to the PULSE (Police Using Leading Systems Effectively)

PULSE (Police Using Leading Systems Effectively)

PULSE is a computer system used by an Garda Síochána, the police force of the Republic of Ireland.The system was introduced in November 1999....

 system.

The Garda Reserves powers will be restricted and amended at the discretion of the commissioner in accordance with Section 15 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. As of the 28th of May 2007 the powers will encompass limited Road Traffic Act powers and Section 4 of the Criminal Law Act 1997.

See also

• Auxiliary police
  Auxiliary police
  Auxiliary police or special constables in England) are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated...
  
  
• Special constable
  Special constable
  A Special Constable is a law enforcement officer who is not a regular member of a police force. Some like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police carry the same law enforcement powers as regular members, but are employed in specific roles, such as explosive disposal technicians, court security, campus...