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The responsibility for the maintenance of law and order in the Irish Republic rests on An Garda Síochána ( In English "Guardians of the Peace") a force which came into being in February, 1922, following the setting up of a native Government arising from the Anglo - Irish Treaty in December 1921. An Garda Síochána is a national and unarmed policed force; its activities cover the whole state and its members are liable for service anywhere in the state. It has uniform rates of pay, a common disciplinary code and is administrated on a national basis. History The police system as observed nowadays with salaried officers appointed to assist in law enforcement, maintenance of public order, and the apprehension of offenders, originated nearly two hundred years ago. The English legal historian, F.W. Maitland, dates the system back to the passing by the Irish Parliament of the Dublin Police Act, in 1786. Prior to 1822 the only police in Ireland were watchmen employed by local authorities in the large towns and "barony constables" in rural areas. In 1822 an Act was passed establishing four Provincial police forces with depots in the North (Armagh),West (Ballinrobe), Midlands (Daingean),South (Ballincollig). In 1836 these forces were amalgamated to form the "Irish Constabulary" which was responsible for policing the whole country except the capital - Dublin. The amalgamated Force was placed under the control of an Inspector-General whose Headhunters were in Dublin Castle. In 1867, the Force was given the title "Royal Irish Constabulary". Dublin City was policed by a separate Force - The "Dublin Metropolitan Police"- which was established by an Act of Parliament in 1836 and its first recruit attested in July 1837. Their Headquarters was also based in Dublin Castle. Unlike the R.I.C. , the D.M.P. was an unarmed Force, thus prior to the Anglo - Irish Treaty in 1921 the country was policed by these two Forces. An Garda Síochána replaced the R.I.C. in February 1922 and in April 1925, the Dublin Metropolitan was amalgamated with An Garda Síochána. Structure and Organisation Garda Headquarters is located in the Phoenix Park, Dublin 8. At the head of the Force is the Commissioner, appointed by the Government and in whom is vested, subject to the regulations made by the Minister of Justice, "the general direction and control" of the Force, by section 8 of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925. Under the Commissioner is a Headquarters staff of two Deputy Commissioners, three Assistant Commissioners. There are five Regional Assistant Commissioners based in Cork, Galway, Sligo, Mullingar and Kilkenny. The ranks in descending order from Assistant Commissioner are -Chief Superintendent, - Superintendent, - Inspector, - Sergeant, - Garda. Mayo Garda Division The Garda Division of Mayo comprises of Co. Mayo, portion of North County Galway and a slice of south West Sligo. The Divisional Headquarters is in the county town of Castlebar from where Chief Superintendent John Carey administrates the Division. The Division is sub-divided into 6 Garda Districts, Castlebar, Ballina, Belmullet, Claremorris, Swinford and Westport each having its own Superintendent namely, Supt. Joe Staunton, Tim Tully, Tony Mc Namara, Pat Forde, Martin Callinan and Frank Gunter respective. Mayo's Three Firsts The first Commissioner of An Garda Síochána was Mr Michael Staines TD. A native of Newport, Co. Mayo, he was a 1916 veteran who took part in the struggle for independence. He was chairman of the committee set up by General Michael Collins to establish the new police force. At the first meeting held in The Gresham Hotel on February 9 , 1922. Michael Staines was proposed by General Richard Mulcahy as Commissioner of the new Force. He had a difficult time in office - shifting from one location to another and dealing with all the logistical problems associated with recruitment, training, feeding and accommodation of 2,000 men. His problems were compounded by the 'Kildare Mutiny' from April to August of that year. All the original organisational work fell to Mr Staines as the other members of the provisional government were fully occupied in establishing the new State. His motto which still holds true today was that the newly formed Guardians of the Peace would succeed not by force of arms but on the Moral Authority of the people. Garda Kerrigan was first member to be appointed to An Garda Síochána being a native of Newport. The first member of the Force to be honoured with a Scott Medal for Bravery was James Mulroy a native of Straide , Co. Mayo. Three of our present Commissioners are Mayo men, Deputy Commissioner P.J. Moran and Noel Conroy and Assistant Commissioner Jim Mc Hugh. Mayo has had its own share of tragedies with the shooting dead of John Morley and Henry Byrne at Loughlynn on the 7th of July 1980 following a Bank raid at Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon. Both were natives of Knock.
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