The Garda Commissioner has statutory responsibility for the distribution of personnel. Garda management keeps the distribution under review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure optimum use is made of resources.
In order to deliver an effective policing service, it is essential that Garda management have the flexibility to deploy Garda resources to meet operational policing needs and address critical issues as they arise. For this reason, it is a matter for the Divisional Chief Superintendent to determine the optimum distribution of duties among the personnel available to him or her having regard to the profile of the area and its specific needs at any given time. For this reason, the number of Gardaí available in any one Garda Station on a particular day is subject to the operational requirements of the overall Division.
Garda management have indicated that is not appropriate to determine the allocation of Garda resources simply on the basis of population size alone, as it fails to take account of, among other things, the fact that crime levels and types can vary significantly in communities of similar population size.
Therefore with regard to the deployment of Garda personnel, a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Garda Division. Where a deficiency in resources is identified the matter is considered fully and addressed accordingly.
The Cohort model of resource allocation is currently utilised for the allocation of personnel within An Garda Síochána, including newly attested probationer Gardaí from the Garda College. The allocation and transfer of Garda Personnel using the Cohort Model is determined by a number of factors, including crime and non-crime workload, minimum establishment, population, area, policing arrangements, and operational strategies. When considering the allocation of resources to a Division, comprehensive consultation is carried out with local Garda management during which all factors are taken into consideration.
When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
Click the documents below to find details of the Garda workforce over recent years. The information is based on data provided by the Garda Commissioner who has responsibility for the distribution of resources including personnel. The data is updated on a monthly basis.
