The Garda Representative Association says the number of assaults on officers is an “unacceptable occupational hazard”.
Over 14 hundred incidents of assaults or obstructing Gardaí have been recorded in the last 5 years –
84 incidents were reported between January and March of this year – if that trend continues, new high of 336 incidents could be recorded by the end of 2015.
Former Donegal Garda Sergeant Christy Galligan says the punishment for assaulting a member of the force is not a sufficient deterrent:
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