Many of the on-the-job skills required of a member of An Garda Síochána are taught throughout the comprehensive and intensive training process.

All of those skills will be reinforced daily once on the job, as the mentorship and collegiate nature of being a member of the force is a continual factor.

However, there are certain qualities and characteristics that most candidates who want to be a Garda will share, and it is these attributes that make the best foundation for someone who aspires to be a good law enforcement officer.

Modern Policing in Ireland

Modern policing is about far more than crime fighting, although sadly that is on the rise. Members of the Gardaí work in tandem with the community to reduce both the fear of crime and the incidences of crime.

Making a genuinely positive difference and improving the overall quality of life for everyone in the community is a key goal.

Because of the extraordinarily varied nature of the day-to-day tasks of any Garda, the qualities that will benefit you are as follows;

• Good communication skills
• Complete honesty and integrity
• Mature attitude and good social awareness
• Observant and analytical
• Decisive, able to remain calm in threatening situations, yet capable of reacting quickly and taking action on your own initiative.
• Willing to accept discipline and ability to work in a team.
• Empathy for others whilst being aware of boundaries and regulations
• Civic minded and want to do your best for your community
• Open to learning and assimilating information

Do you have what it takes to be a Garda?

Choosing to work with An Garda Síochána will require you to have a basis in the following:

Critical Thinking: The ability to use logic and reasoning to quickly identify the strengths and weaknesses of what you see and hear. It will be of use in determining facts; drawing clear conclusions and approaching problems.

Social Perceptiveness: having a heightened awareness of how others may react and understanding what may cause them to do so.

Negotiation Skills: The ability to speak clearly and with authority, while bringing others together and trying to reconcile their differences in a calm, controlled manner.

Rapid Decision Making: Being able to judge the costs/benefits of any potential actions in order to choose the most appropriate option

Active Listening: The skill of being able to devote your full attention to what others are saying; taking time to understand the points they’re trying to make; being able to ask appropriate questions or to simply listen and not interrupt when that is called for.

Reading Comprehension: To be able to understanding and assimilate written documents with key information in work related documents.

Clear and Concise Writing: Being able to note the key elements of each situation where required to provide and accurate picture on review – also to be able to write appropriately for the needs of the audience reading it.

All of the above and more will be a vital part of your training, but candidates who already show clear abilities in the fundamental principles of the above have an increased chance of succeeding in the meticulous interviews designed to choose the most appropriate people for Ireland’s Gardaí.

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