The tragic death of Garda Kevin Flatley reverberates through Irish society, underscoring the inherent dangers of police work. Since An Garda Síochána's establishment in 1922, only 90 officers have lost their lives in the line of duty. The article reflects on the importance of the unarmed gardaí who forge strong connections with local communities, contrasting them with armed forces in regions like Northern Ireland. It emphasizes the necessity for societal vigilance to maintain low gun violence levels, enabling gardaí to serve without the burden of firearms.
Every death of a garda is a tragedy for our society. Our police force is a rarity because the vast majority of our officers are unarmed... an attack on a garda remains regarded as an attack on society.
The connection between the gardaí and local communities is a hallmark of our policing model in this country. The gardaí live among us, know us and are valued by us.
What has stood out about this dedicated member of the force is his love for his family and his commitment to training under-age teams in the GAA at the O'Dwyer's club in Balbriggan.
Hopefully, there will be a day soon when this threat level is downgraded. Long may it continue that the level of gun use in crime and gun homicide remains low.
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