The Garda Inspectorate: Driving Collaborative Reform Through a Model of Equilibrated Governance
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The Garda Inspectorate: Driving Collaborative Reform Through a Model of Equilibrated Governance PhD 2018 Kathleen O’Toole I declare that this thesis has not been submitted as an exercise for a degree at this or any other university and it is entirely my own work. I agree to deposit this thesis in the University’s open access institutional repository or allow the library to do so on my behalf, subject to Irish Copyright Legislation and Trinity College Library conditions of use and acknowledgement. Kathleen O’Toole Summary In the Garda Síochána Act of 2005, the Irish Government established a new oversight body, the Garda Inspectorate, to drive reforms to the operations and administration of its national police service, An Garda Síochána. Appointed in 2006 as the first Chief Inspector of this nascent body, I was tasked to build the Inspectorate as an entity and to embed in the Inspectorate’s operations a system for driving effective and sustainable change. This thesis describes how applying an insider action research approach to the work of the Inspectorate culminated in recommendations that led to measurable improvements in Garda practises and produced broader knowledge in organisation science. Action research methodology rests on the general premise that involving organisational clients in designing and implementing change processes produces better learning and provides more robust data about the inner workings of the systems under study. The researcher thus serves in a simultaneous role as an active participant in a defined, goal-oriented research cycle. While some action research modalities require an external consultant or facilitator working with a client organisation, insider action research contemplates the researcher as a change agent within the specific organisation or community. Given my dual role as researcher and Chief Inspector, the insider action research modality proved to be a logical fit for my work. Action research comprises distinct phases of: (1) constructing, or assessing a situation calling for change; (2) planning to take action; (3) taking action; and (4) evaluating the action, leading to further, iterative cycles of the same, in which processes and goals are further refined. Five of the Inspectorate’s projects, three of which focused on external Garda operations with respect to crime detection and reporting, and two of which focused on internal Garda administrative and organisational efficiency, were structured accordingly. For each, terms of reference setting forth the scope of the Inspectorate’s work were drafted in collaboration with the Department of Justice. The Inspectorate identified appropriate subject matters, assembled materials regarding best practises, and prepared detailed plans for robust outreach. The Inspectorate conducted interviews, held formal meetings, and participated in informational and listening sessions with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including members of the public, non-governmental organisations, victims and/or their family members, stakeholders within Garda management, representative associations, and individual officers in the field. As the Inspectorate’s data review gave rise to new lines of inquiry, refined processes of planning and action ensued. Individually, each of the five core projects resulted in specific, substantive, and achievable recommendations for bringing Garda practises into alignment with accepted international standards and local stakeholder expectations. Collectively, these projects provided critical insight that informed both the framework of sequential inquiries and also the meta-cycle of my work with respect to the role and function of the Inspectorate. Over the course of the five core projects that formed the meta-cycle of my thesis work, three clear themes emerged as critical constructs for driving thoughtful, collaborative change. ‘Agile leadership’ encourages an approach that is democratic, flexible, and appreciative in nature. ‘Authentic engagement’ refers to a commitment not just to active listening but also to honest, constructive dialogue and transparency in action. ‘Contextual intelligence’ embodies attention and sensitivity to occupational, organisational, and historical variables that may manifest as barriers to change if not understood and taken into account. Ultimately, these three themes come together in a flexible balance to form a model I term ‘equilibrated governance’ – a conceptual framework for collaborative reform through practises that foster trust and commitment. Interdisciplinary in its potential, this tripartite model of governance caps the theoretical meta-knowledge of my thesis research, and, I submit, establishes a solid platform on which to drive accountability and reform. Acknowledgements Very sincere thanks to: My academic advisor and friend, David Coghlan - a true Jesuit, with a contagious passion for Action Research. The faculty and staff at The School of Business, Trinity College Dublin, for their encouragement from beginning to end – in particular, John Murray (R.I.P.), Joe McDonagh, Louis Brennan, Paul Coughlan, and Gemma Donnelly-Cox. My former colleagues in the Garda Inspectorate – particularly John Brosnan, Gwen Boniface, Bob Olson, Yvonne Phillips, Joe Mortell, and Maeve Hogan - who provided valuable insight and feedback during this project. My friend, former Secretary General Sean Aylward, who lured me from Boston to Dublin, and wholeheartedly supported this academic endeavour. Husband, Dan, and daughter, Meghan for their unwavering support and encouragement. Their exceptional humour has carried me through many challenging days! Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction and Context 1 Chapter 2 Modern Policing 15 Chapter 3 Governance and the Launch of the Garda Inspectorate 49 Chapter 4 Action Research Methodology 67 Chapter 5 Bridging Practise and Theory 95 Chapter 6 A Deep Dive into a Core Action Research Project 120 • Child Sexual Abuse Chapter 7 Other Core Projects 179 • Roads Policing • Resource Allocation • Missing Persons • Front-Line Supervision Chapter 8 Results and Knowledge Contribution 221 References 251 Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT This thesis derives from a complex, insider action research project that fundamentally reshaped the institution of Irish policing. Appointed in 2006 to be the Chief Inspector of the newly created Garda Síochána Inspectorate, I was tasked with leading the establishment of a police oversight body to drive reforms to the operations and administration of an organisation still struggling in many respects to unify processes, systems and practises following the consolidation of Irish police services nearly a century prior. This task defined the focus for my thesis research. Early in my tenure, I established contacts at the School of Business, Trinity College Dublin, in hopes of applying and extending academic theory in a review and reform of Irish policing practises. I soon concluded that applying insider action research as a methodology to my work as Chief Inspector would provide a unique opportunity to structure a lasting mechanism for driving effective change through thoughtful and collaborative engagement. Applying this methodology would also enable a scholarly and research-based contribution to the broader body of knowledge in the field of organisation science. Table 1.1: Core Action Research Cycles Project Terms of Approving Report to Report Sitting Reference Minister Minister Published Minister Roads Jun 2007 Brian Nov 2008 Dec 2008 Dermot Policing Lenihan Ahern Resource Apr 2008 Brian Oct 2009 Jan 2010 Dermot Allocation Lenihan Ahern Missing Jul 2008 Dermot Mar 2009 Apr 2009 Dermot Persons Ahern Ahern Child Nov 2009 Dermot Nov 2010 Feb 2012 Alan Sexual Ahern Shatter Abuse Jul 2011 Alan Shatter Jul 2011 Frontline Dec 2010 Dermot Apr 2012 Mar 2013 Alan Supervision Ahern Shatter 1 The Garda Inspectorate conducted eight projects during my six-year tenure as Chief Inspector, five of which coincided with, and formed the basis of, my doctoral research. These five core projects, the dates the terms of reference were announced, the names of the Ministers who approved the terms of reference, the dates of submission to the sitting Minister, and the dates of official publication, are provided in Table 1.1. The first of these core projects, Roads Policing, sought to address the crisis of deaths on Irish roads by joining heightened enforcement efforts with public educational outreach and coordination with roads safety authorities. Two subsequent projects were directed towards streamlining, coordinating, and strengthening Garda efforts relating to the recording and investigation of crimes involving, respectively, missing persons and child sexual abuse. Another two were directed towards addressing administrative and organisational inefficiencies relating to resource allocation and front-line supervision. My goal was not simply to reform targeted aspects of Garda operations, but also – consistent with the remit of the legislation under which the Inspectorate was established – to develop a robust oversight body to guide the continuing evolution of policing in Ireland. Ultimately, this thesis establishes that success was attained on both fronts. Individually, each of the five core projects resulted in specific, substantive, and achievable recommendations. Collectively, these projects provided critical insight that informed the framework of sequential inquiries and the meta- cycle of my work with respect to the role and function of the Inspectorate. My thesis work culminated