Almost half of the Garda-related incidents resulting in death or serious injury last year involved people with known mental health difficulties, according to a new report from Fiosrú, the Office of the Police Ombudsman.
Thirty-seven incidents involving 21 deaths and 21 injuries to members of the public were referred to Fiosrú last year to investigate if the behaviour of a Garda member could have been a contributory factor.
The majority of investigations, which examined whether 77 Garda members had engaged in a breach of discipline or criminal offence, found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Noting the prevalence of alcohol and drug use in many of the cases, and other factors such as homelessness, the report said this “raises questions” about the capacity of gardaí to respond to such incidents.
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It also questioned “whether An Garda Síochána is the most appropriate public service response in all circumstances for people who are vulnerable or in crisis”.
Of the 37 incidents, involving 42 people (37 men and five women) who died or were seriously injured, 49 per cent involved individuals with known mental health difficulties, including bipolar disorder, depression, psychosis and suicidal ideation.
Alcohol was a factor in 51 per cent of cases, while a further 38 per cent involved people with links to drugs.
Homelessness was a factor in 11 per cent of incidents, while domestic violence was noted in 5 per cent of cases.
In one case, where no wrongdoing was found, gardaí responded to a “highly intoxicated” man who was refusing to leave a hospital emergency room.
The man, who was homeless, was arrested for public disturbance.
While in custody, an ambulance was called due to concern for his wellbeing and he was subsequently admitted to an intensive care unit, where he later died that day.
A postmortem revealed his preliminary cause of death as pneumonia and sepsis.
Police Ombudsman Emily Logan said the report shows gardaí are repeatedly encountering people who are vulnerable or in crisis. “Policing alone cannot shoulder these complex issues. This raises the question as to whether a wider, co-ordinated response across health, addiction, housing and social services is necessary,” she said.
Of the eight criminal investigations carried out by Fiosrú, formerly the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, two identified an apparent criminal offence on behalf of Garda members.
The Director of Public Prosecutions decided to initiate a prosecution in one case, while a decision remains pending in the other.
A further 14 disciplinary investigations were opened, two of which resulted in recommended disciplinary proceedings. As of last month, three disciplinary and two criminal investigations were ongoing.
Road traffic incidents, which arose from Garda pursuits or Garda traffic-related activity, accounted for 13 referrals and involved three deaths and 15 injuries.
Among those, six were drivers pursued by gardaí and a further six were passengers. Of the three fatalities, two were pedestrians and one was a passenger.
One case, in which no wrongdoing was found, involved a car with three occupants driving dangerously at night, which took off at speed after being approached by gardaí.
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During the two-minute pursuit, objects, including a glass bottle, were thrown at the Garda vehicle before the driver of the fleeing car lost control and crashed into a ditch. The two men and woman in the car were taken to hospital for injuries, including fractured vertebrae and a fractured eye socket.
A further five deaths and three injuries occurred in or after Garda custody, while 10 cases related to apparent and attempted suicides during or after custody or contact with gardaí (nine deaths and one injury).
A further four people died and two were injured following “contact with gardaí”. One case involved a Garda who injured themselves after accidentally discharging a firearm during training exercises.
