TheEmergency Response Unit (ERU) (Irish:Aonad Práinnfhreagartha) is thepolice tactical unit of theGarda Síochána,Ireland's national police and security service. The unit was a section of the forces'Special Detective Unit (SDU), under theCrime and Security Branch (CSB)[3] until 2017, when the Special Tactics and Operational Command was created to take over its operational duties alongside Armed Support Units.[4][5]
The Garda ERU provides the highest tier offirearms response to Irish law enforcement, specialising in weapons tactics,counter-terrorism, execution of high-risk missions,crisis negotiation,hostage rescue andclose protection, among other roles. The unit was formed in 1977 as the "Special Task Force" to assist ordinary members of the force in extraordinary situations. The ERU regularly trains with the IrishArmy Ranger Wing (ARW), the country's militaryspecial operations forces, sharing facilities and equipment.[6]
The Special Task Force (STF) was formed on 15 December 1977 following an agreement on international terrorism at theEuropean Council meeting inBrussels,Belgium in July 1976 on responding to terrorism.[1][7][13] Garda officers had earlier conducted a study tour of the special units of the German Federal PoliceGSG 9 and Belgian GendarmerieSpeciaal Interventie Eskadron (SIE).[1] The Special Task Force was based out ofHarcourt Street,Dublin (where it is still headquartered today), under the umbrella of the GardaSpecial Branch (now Special Detective Unit). Many of the unit's first challenges were in combating the increasing threat of theProvisional IRAparamilitary group duringThe Troubles.[14] On 17 March 1984, Special Task Force detectives capturedDominic McGlinchey, then considered leader of theIrish National Liberation Army (INLA), at a house in Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare following a gun battle in which an officer was seriously injured.[15] In 1984, STF members underwent training with the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) forming the Anti-Terrorist Unit.[1] The Anti-Terrorist Unit was renamed to the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) in 1987 to better reflect its role.[1]
In 2017, operational command of the ERU was placed under the STOC to better reflect the Garda's mandate to provide firearms support and training under one command.[4]
Garda Síochána Emergency Response Unit (ERU) tactical team disembarking from a helicopter
Membership of the Emergency Response Unit consists exclusively of serving officers in theGarda Síochána. It is understood to have more than 100full-time officers on active duty.[2] The head of the ERU is ofDetective Chief Superintendent rank. By extension, ERU members are part of the Special Detective Unit, most are generallydetectives but have few investigative duties. The identity of the unit's officers is highly sensitive, and when giving evidence incourt, they are not named, appear behind a curtain and may have their voice altered. The ERU operates from a number of secret bases nationally.[19]
A number of tactical teams are on duty at any one time, with usually at least one in training or carrying out exercises. ERU operators are distinguished by their black tactical uniforms with "GARDA" and "POLICE" emblazoned in yellow across their chest and back. However, approximately 80% of ERU operations are carried out inplainclothes.[1]
Training is carried out at the Garda Tactical Training Unit, established in 1983 under the authority of theGarda Síochána College inTemplemore,County Tipperary. The Army Ranger Wing "Tactical Town" or "Tac Town" in theCurragh Camp,County Kildare is also routinely used by the ERU, and operators receive further specialised training at theFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)National Academy inQuantico,Virginia in the United States.[21] An officer's journey into the ranks of the ERU begins with a notorious two-week initiation dubbed "hell week", where candidates are both physically and mentally assessed. Examinations include tasks to be completed within a set amount of time both on land and in water. Failure during the recruitment process is extremely high (95%), but those who complete the tests successfully are then put through a number of more specific, rigorous exercises, where their suitability for the unit is determined.[22] Aspiring ERU officers must have at least 4 years experience as a uniformed Garda with an unblemished disciplinary record before attempting to join the unit.[8] The unit is admittedly male-dominated, but there are understood to be a number of women who have worked and work in the ERU.[23]
ERU officers are required to qualify three times per year for all firearms being used by the unit, complete regular fitness tests and psychological examinations. ERU officers are also subject to stringentbackground checks by the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU). Failure to pass these assessments may mean expulsion from operational duties. As part of their training, each member of the squad is made to sample the impact of their own non-lethal weapons, including being subdued by aTaser and must perform tasks after being hit withpepper spray in the eyes. All ERU operators are trained in advanced police driving,hand-to-hand combat (unarmed),close quarters combat (CQC) with and without the use of weaponry,climbing,abseiling andfirst aid.
In order for the Emergency Response Unit to be deployed in theDublin Metropolitan Region (DMR), a request must be made by the Divisional Officer to either the Detective Chief Superintendent of theSpecial Detective Unit, or theAssistant Commissioner in charge of theCrime & Security Branch. For operations in the other five Garda regions (Eastern, Northern, Southern, South-Eastern and Western), the Divisional Officer would make the request to the appropriate Assistant Commissioner of that region. Outside of Dublin, the relevant Regional Support Unit (RSU) is usually deployed first, and may then request support from the ERU.[7] The ERU aims to respond to any incident within the mainland of Ireland within 60 minutes of being dispatched, and within 2 hours outside of this (islands,watercraft,oil platforms, at sea, etc.), this may be achieved through the use of vehicles, watercraft oraircraft.[8] The ERU may assume responsibility from theIrish Prison Service in the event they are not able to bring under controlprison riots[30] and may also be deployed to assist with escorting dangerous prisoners.
In the year of 2012, the ERU was called out to more than 200 firearms-related incidents, and carried out over 100 successful close protection operations.[22]
Legislation passed in Ireland in the aftermath of theNovember 2015 Paris attacks allows the Garda Emergency Response Unit to respond to a terrorism crisis in another country in the European Union, and for Gardaí to request assistance from foreign specialist forces.[31]
Garda ERU operator in Dublin following a shooting incident (shown holdingIMI Uzi, no longer in service)
Operations involving the Garda Emergency Response Unit have resulted in the deaths of ten people since 1990, including one (a Garda detective) accidentally. There have also been a number of incidents where lethal force was used but loss of life did not occur.[32]
In January 1990, one of five armed criminals was killed by a team from the Garda Emergency Response Unit, during a hostage-taking at a bank inAthy,County Kildare. Five raiders, each armed, from a prominent Dublin based criminal gang attempted to steal cash from the bank but had been followed by an undercover unit from the ERU, following a spate of violent robberies in theGreater Dublin Area. When the armed gang attempted to raid the bank, they were surrounded by ERU operatives, and resorted to taking staff, customers and passers-by hostage. An ERU marksman shot one gang member in the head from long range. Austin Higgins (26), who was on bail from robbery charges at the time, was fatally wounded. Eight people were injured during the incident, but all of the hostages were freed and survived. The remaining gang of four who were armed, but did not fire their weapons, were apprehended (two of whom were shot but survived) by Gardaí and later received 12-year prison sentences.[33]
In July 1990, two armed bank robbers were shot dead by officers from the Emergency Response Unit, after they held staff and customers at gunpoint at a bank branch inLeixlip, County Kildare. William Doyle (35) from Dublin and Thomas Wilson (39) fromNorthern Ireland made off with thousands of pounds in notes from the bank, and after the alarm was raised they were pursued in a high-speed chase by officers from the ERU. Gardaí forcibly ended the pursuit inFairview, Dublin, and a shootout ensued, with the heavily armed ERU team fatally shooting both suspects without injury to any other party.[34]
In June 1997, a member of theIrish National Liberation Army (INLA) terrorist organisation was shot by armed detectives from the Emergency Response Unit following a failed attempt to raid a newsagent inInchicore, Dublin at gunpoint to raise funds for terrorist activities. John Morris (26) refused to drop the pistol he was carrying (later found to be unloaded), was shot in the head and back, and died in hospital the next day. His two accomplices were also apprehended without injury to anyone else.[35]
In May 1998, armed Gardaí attached to the Emergency Response Unit shot dead a member of theReal IRA terrorist group, during an attempted robbery of acash-in-transit van carrying £300,000Irish pounds (€380,000 inEuro) inAshford,County Wicklow.[36] The gang of six had been under surveillance by a number of Garda units, including theNational Surveillance Unit (NSU) and Special Detective Unit at the time. The armed raiders posed ascounty council workmen before blocking the road to stop the bank van. The gang was armed with anassault rifle,pump-action shotgun,revolver, imitationrocket launcher and anangle grinder. When the ERU moved in and foiled the robbery, 28-year-old Ronan McLoughlin was fatally shot by heavily armed ERU officers as he attempted to flee in a vehicle. 10 shots were fired by Gardaí, who had 25 firearms on the scene. Nobody else was shot. Five gang members were arrested and later found guilty of terrorism offences.[37]
In April 2000(See:Death of John Carthy), the ERU was brought into the public spotlight after killing a 27-year-old man with a knownmental disorder in controversial circumstances, following a 25-hour barricaded siege inAbbeylara,County Longford.John Carthy fired up to 7 shots from a legally helddouble-barreled shotgun, both at unarmed and armed Gardaí after a dispute with his family (he held no hostages). An ERU tactical team arrived from Dublin and took charge of the incident and attempted to negotiate with Carthy, but he repelled their attempts. After 25 hours, he exited his house through the front door with a loaded shotgun in his hands. He was repeatedly ordered at gunpoint to drop his weapon, but refused, and advanced towards the perimeter. Upon exiting his premises and walking towards the local town, he was shot four times by two ERU snipers (who fired two shots each) and died. No one else sustained injuries, although a police car was damaged by Carthy. The resultingBarr Tribunal was critical of the Gardaí, suggesting Carthy's life could have been preserved, however it found that the ERU team had acted within the law. The incident brought a number of changes in procedures when dealing with barricade incidents.[38]
In December 2001, Detective Sergeant John Eiffe – aged 40 fromRatoath,County Meath – of the National Surveillance Unit was killed by a bulletricochet by a colleague from the Emergency Response Unit during an operation to arrest four armed bank robbers inAbbeyleix,County Laois. The four men had been under surveillance by NSU detectives, and when they attempted to rob a bank, the NSU and ERU intervened. One of the men attempted to flee using his vehicle, and the sound of a tyre bursting led officers at the scene to believe they were being fired on by the armed robbers, causing them to open fire.[39] It later transpired that although the criminals had been carrying firearms, they had not discharge them. Gardaí discharged all 3 shots. Another officer was also injured in the incident, but recovered.[40]
In May 2005, ERU officers fatally shot two criminal raiders inLusk, County Dublin during a pre-planned operation to foil an armed robbery of apost office. Colm Griffin (33) and Eric Hopkins (24) were both shot dead by a team of undercover detectives from the ERU, acting on intelligence that a four-man gang were going to raid the post office at gunpoint. Griffin was carrying a loaded pistol, which was not fired, and Hopkins asledgehammer. Plainclothes officers, armed with concealed9mm semi-automatic pistols, were lying in wait for the gang. When two gang members entered the post office and threatened staff and customers with weapons, the ERU officers pointed their guns at the pair and ordered them to drop their weapons. They did not, and both were fatally shot in the head at close range. Three shots were fired in total, all by Gardaí. Two other gang members were apprehended without incident. No one else sustained injuries.[41] The operation was widely praised by the public and politicians, and saw a marked decrease in violent crime for a number of months in the aftermath. There was suspicion the raid was ordered as a fundraising attempt fordissident republicans.[42]
In May 2009, officers from the Emergency Response Unit were present when National Surveillance Unit detectives shot and killed an armed raider inLucan, Dublin after he attempted to hold-up a cash-in-transit van. 27-year-old Gareth Molloy, who had previous criminal convictions, and his gang were under surveillance by the NSU for a number of weeks prior to the incident. Gardaí received intelligence that the gang were going to carry out a heist, and the NSU were backed up by theNational Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI),Organised Crime Unit (OCU) and ERU.[43] When Molloy and a gang associate attempted to hold-up a cash delivery van at gunpoint and fired a shot in the air, NSU detectives intervened and ordered the armed raiders to drop their weapons. Gareth Molloy pointed a sawn-off shotgun in the direction of armed Gardaí and was immediately fired upon by NSU officers and was fatally wounded.[44] His associate refused to drop his weapon, and was also shot, but survived with serious injuries. 5 shots were fired by Gardaí in total. No one else was hurt. Four other gang members were arrested, charged and jailed following a pursuit in the aftermath of the incident.[45]
In December 2017, a member of the ERU was shot as a tactical team breached a door with an angle grinder in an early morning raid at a property in Ballymun in Dublin, as part of an investigation into crack cocaine dealing.[46] An 18-year-old man inside the property was then shot by ERU officers. Both men survived with "non-life-threatening" injuries. Three people were arrested inside the property.[47]
^Minister for Justice Mr. G. Collins (9 November 1978)."Written Answers. – Garda Siochána".Houses of the Oireachtas Service.Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved20 November 2016.
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