Emergency Response Unit
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The Emergency Response Unit (Irish: Aonad Práinnfhreagartha) (ERU) of An Garda Síochána (the Irish police force) is a specialist armed intervention unit[1], formed to deal with situations that cannot be handled by regular Garda officers.
Origins The ERU was formed as the Special Task Force in 1978, following a decision of Justice Ministers at the Ninth Council of the EEC at Brussels in 1975. The Special Task Force was based in Dublin and it formed part of the Special Detective Unit in Harcourt Street. This unit was renamed the Emergency Response Unit in 1987.[2]
Its duties include armed support during criminal/subversive operations and specialist search techniques including forced entry.[2] Most recently the ERU has been deployed to trouble spots in Dublin and Limerick to tackle gun crime. One incident in the latter half of 2006 involved an ERU team pursuing armed suspects in Limerick after a shooting incident in the city. The ERU stopped and arrested the suspects after a chase which the media reported reached speeds of 240km/h near the village of Croom.[3]
The membership of the ERU consists exclusively of serving members of An Garda Síochána. It undergoes intensive training including proficiency in firearms, tactics, specialist skills, physical fitness and hostage rescue. The ERU consists of 50 members as of October 2004.[4]
Training of the ERU is carried out in the Garda's Tactical Training Unit, established in 1983 under the authority of the Garda college, Templemore.[5] Members of the ERU have received training with the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team.[2]
Controversy The Barr Tribunal's investigation into the shooting of John Carthy in Abbeylara in 2000 brought the ERU's existence and role to public attention in recent years, and individual ERU members were criticised in the tribunal's report on the incident.[citation needed]
Equipment The ERU use similar equipment to comparable tactical police units, such as an American SWAT team or Australian Police Tactical Group. This includes:
Ballistic shields[citation needed] Ballistic helmets and vests Diversionary devices (Stun Grenades etc.)
Weapons ERU members during counter-terrorist exercise
Primary
Remington 870, fitted with Reflex sights
Uzi submachine gun[6]
Heckler & Koch MP7 (to replace the UZI 9 mm)
Steyr SSG 69
Heckler & Koch G3KA4
Heckler & Koch 33[7]
Secondary
Smith & Wesson 10 revolver
Smith & Wesson Model 59 [8]
Sig Sauer P226 [6]
Less Lethal
Bean bag shot
Pepper spray device
Ferret Pepper spray shot
TASER stun gun