Accounting for the Diversity of Policing in Ireland
In the last five years, legitimate concerns have been aired over incidents of alleged misconduct by the Irish public police, An Garda Síochána. The case for external oversight of their actions and greater operational accountability has been pressed. However, this debate may be neglecting other crucial developments in the field of policing. These include the diversification of police strategies beyond that employed in ‘policing the streets' and the possible emergence of policing organisations which are not under the auspices of the state. This article examines whether a reconfiguration of policing in the Republic of Ireland may be underway, and what the implications might be for An Garda Síochána and the security of all citizens of the Republic of Ireland