Young people felt picked on by Gardaí on 'power-trip' during pandemic

Young people have been treated differently to the rest of the population by Gardaí during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest Policing Authority report.

The sixth report assessing the Garda performance during the crisis has found that communities around the country have appreciated the “effort, approach and willingness” shown by gardai throughout the pandemic.

However, it warns that young people across the country feel they have been picked on by members of the force.

The authority said the view was “commonality expressed” by young people “irrespective of social class, ethnicity, sexuality or location in the country.”

The report found that young people were “regarded as inconvenient” by Garda members described as being on a ‘power trip’ through the crisis.

Organisations working with young people warned the authority that, if the situation is allowed to continue, Gardaí run the risk of losing the trust of the younger generation.

The report also found that the effectiveness of anti-spit hoods in preventing the of COVID-19 has yet to be determined.

The authority said it would continue to monitor the use of the hoods ahead of a review in September. It warned that there is limited evidence regarding their effectiveness in other jurisdictions.

The report also found that the garda response to domestic abuse has been sustained throughout the pandemic with community organisations pleased with the responsiveness and quality of the interventions carried out by the force.