Recent comments by the Policing Authority, however, such as “significant concern” (relating to attempts to obtain information) and “profoundly disappointing” (relating to its interaction with An Garda Síochána over the 999 controversy), indicate that the Garda approach to engaging with its oversight bodies and other stakeholders when things go wrong is still lacking, and ultimately continues to undermine trust and confidence in policing.

All fair-minded people expect things to go wrong from time to time, particularly when you are dealing at the dynamic, sharp edge of society on myriad sensitive issues that have the capacity to adversely and fundamentally affect people’s lives.

Policing is not easy and it’s often not safe either. 

Stress and danger are synonymous with policing and, in this context, many parents would prefer if their sons and daughters avoided such a profession.

Yet, applications for our national police service are oversubscribed by our finest young people every time that recruitment opens up, suggesting a healthy level of trust and confidence continues to exist.

This is, of course, because the majority of men and women in An Garda Síochána deliver a sterling service to our citizens every day, often with little concern for their own safety, and in the context of the current controversy, they are as angry and saddened as everyone else.

Despite such commitment from our individual Garda members, however, the general public rightly depend on a quid pro quo of openness and transparency when things go wrong so that they can maintain their level of trust and confidence, clearly indicating that it is not the controversy itself that causes the long-term damage but how An Garda Síochána deals with the controversies as they emerge.

This being the case, what should we expect from our national police service when they tell us the 999 system has been undermined by the cancellation of emergency calls and, as a consequence, victims and other vulnerable people have been exposed to unnecessary danger and harm by the failure of our police service to respond and protect them?

Well, firstly, we can expect the Policing Authority will be informed that a potential matter of concern has arisen and it is being inquired into with a view to determining if it constitutes a significant issue that has the potential to undermine public trust and confidence.

All available details should then be provided to the authority and they should be invited in to be briefed by those conducting the preliminary inquiry.

Once it has been determined that a problem or serious matter actually exists, all immediate efforts should be made to provide a fix that stops any further harm.

The authority should be updated immediately and provided with an opportunity to influence the subsequent investigation. 

In parallel, an appropriately sized and suitable skilled investigation team should be created and terms of reference should be clearly established. 

Terms of reference should be shared with the Policing Authority and an opportunity provided to it to advise on the scope of the investigation.

Regular engagement between the investigation team and the authority, including probing and exploratory questioning, will provide some assurance that all pertinent matters are being considered and that the authority is in a position to provide informed reports in order to fulfil its own mandate to the public/people of Ireland.

To ensure the authority maintains its independence and that openness and transparency in matters of public trust and confidence is of the highest standard, it is essential that an outside agency/company/body is engaged at an appropriate time, generally towards the end of the investigation to verify the data, methodology, investigative rigour, scope, and recommendations.

Where such investigations receive independent validation, the Policing Authority will be in a position to provide continuing oversight of implementation time-frames and substance related to recommended and necessary changes, whether they be systems, structures, culture, governance, or any other organisational or individual element of policing.

Most of all, however, such an approach facilitates an open, public discourse between An Garda Síochána, the Policing Authority, the people and other key stakeholders where assurances can be provided that the gardaí have learned from the past and that the concept of ‘policing by consent’ is not merely a buzzword but is in fact a core pillar of the underlying philosophy of policing in Ireland to be a truly community-oriented policing service.

Pat Leahy is a retired assistant Garda commissioner