The new Code of Ethics, published by the Police Authority on the 23rd of January, sets out nine ethical standards of the Garda Síochána and the ethical commitments required to meet them. These core values, which are placed at the heart of their service are; the duty to uphold the law; honesty and integrity; respect and equality; authority and responsibility; police powers; information and privacy; transparency and communication; speaking up; and wrongdoing and leadership. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 had previously called for the creation of a Code whose aim was to support all those who work in the Garda Síochána to “deliver the highest level of professional and ethical standards in their service to the public.” This responsibility was then shifted to the newly established Police Authority, who invited submissions in May 2016 and a period of consultation upon publishing a draft code in autumn 2016. The principles contained within are to “inform and guide the actions of every member of staff of the Garda Síochána at every level of the organisation.” Its wide application ranges from the recruitment and promotion processes, to review of investigations and the development of policy. This Code does not replace the existing Garda Discipline Regulations and the Civil Code of Standards and Behaviour. It is seen by Police Authority Chairperson Josephine Feehily as a fleshing out of the Solemn Declaration made by a member of An Garda Síochána upon being appointed.
One aspect of the Code which is of particular interest is the reinforcement of “the primary loyalty… to the public whom the Garda Síochána are here to serve. As a result, there is a duty to the public and to the organisation to speak openly within the organisation about things that could be done better or should not be done at all. There is also a corresponding duty to respond with openness and encouragement to those who speak up, with a willingness to acknowledge error, to learn and to change.” This is expanded upon in Article Ten ‘Speaking Up and Reporting Wrongdoing’. The Code can be seen as a strong reiteration of the core values of the Garda Síochána and a desire to maintain and strengthen public confidence in our national Police Force.
Click here for the full Code of Ethics.
Click here to see the 2016 submissions.