Garda Water Unit

The Garda Water Unit (Aonad Uisce an Gharda Síochána) is a unit of the Garda Síochána, the police service of the Republic of Ireland. Formerly known as the Garda Sub-Aqua Unit, the name was changed to incorporate the services of the non-diving surfaced based marine section.

The Unit exists to assist the Garda Síochána in both diving and surface operations. Diving operations include searching for and recovery of missing persons and evidence, conducting security searches in water and in confined spaces e.g. sewers. The unit also conduct surface patrols which encompass maritime safety, maritime legislation enforcement and security patrols.

The approximate strength of the Unit is three sergeants and fourteen officers.

The unit cover the entire jurisdiction of the Republic of Ireland. Their services are normally requested by local Gardaí.

It is currently based at both Santry Garda Station, Dublin, and Athlone Garda Station, Westmeath. Recently its members have seen a lot of service in County Mayo, assisting Royal Dutch Shell with the locally unpopular Corrib gas project. All Shell's survey boats in Srahwuddacon Bay in Erris were accompanied at all times by several Gardaí in their own boat, when surveying feasible routes for the gas pipeline (see Shell to Sea). In August and September 2008, members of the unit entered the sea and wrestled with Shell to Sea protesters who had been swimming and boating near the Shell compound of Glengad beach . This tactic is unknown in Britain, where for health and safety reasons police always arrest aquatic protesters from their craft.

External links

• Official site