Gardai injured in assaults nearly 1,000 times in past 3 years

Members of An Gardai Siochana were injured in assaults 943 times in the past three years with injuries ranging from bites, fractures, dislocation, open wounds and internal head injuries.

The number of injuries suffered in assaults is however steadily decreasing year on year with a 7% decrease between 2015 (which saw 304 assault injuries), and 2016 (283) and a further 18% decrease to 257 injuries in 2017.

Based on the data, which ranges from January 2015 to August 2018, if this years recorded injuries persists at the same rate as the first 8 months, Gardai could see a 50% decrease in injuries from assault since 2015.

If the current rate persists, in 2018 Gardai will see a 50% decrease in

injuries from assault since 2015.

Types of Injury

42% of recorded injuries over the 44 month period were ‘grazes, bruises and bites’, with 399 injuries from assault.

22% of assault injuries were strains and sprains, recorded on 229 occasions and 8% (75) resulted in ‘closed fractures’ while 2% were dislocation (17).

1% ‘internal injuries’ including 6 incidents where where Gardai suffered internal head injuries. 5% of Gardai suffering ‘open wounds’, including 3 who had open fractures where the bone was exposed.

Regular rank and file Gardai were the most likely to be injured in assaults, accounting for 91% of incidents, however sergeants were injured 8% of the time on 77 occasions while inspectors were injured in assaults 4 times.

The number of injuries has decreased over the past three years with

You can read the full dataset below where assaults are broken down by county. RTE’s Conn Corrigan has also carried out a similar 5 year analysis looking at where Gardai are most at risk.

See the dataset in excel here: