22/11/2007

New Commissioner Was Top Anti-Gang Detective

The newly installed Irish police chief is a former senior detective who was in charge of the crackdown on gangland bosses after the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin.

Ex-Deputy Commissioner Fachtna Murphy succeeds Noel Conroy who has stepped down as the Republic's most senior police officer after more than four decades in the force.

Newly installed Commissioner Murphy was previously the first chief of the Criminal Assets Bureau - set up just over 10 years ago to put organised crime gangs out of business – a move that followed public revulsion over the murder of Ms Guerin.

The Cork-born Garda chief ran the Bureau for three years before being appointed Assistant Commissioner in 1999 and later as Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations.

Mr Murphy, originally from Timoleague in Co Cork, has held a number of uniformed and detective posts since joining the force in 1967.

He has served in a number of Dublin divisions as well as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and has directed operations against organised crime gangs, drug trafficking, serious and subversive crime.

(BMcC)


Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

06 January 2010
Bomb Probe Gardaí Contact Slovak Authorities
Gardaí have announced they have been in contact with Slovak authorities over yesterday's arrest of a man in connection with the recovery of an explosives find. The man, who is believed to be Slovakian, was been arrested after a small quantity of high-grade commercial explosives was found at an apartment in Dublin's Dorset St.
14 December 2009
Commissioner Condemns Shooting Incident In Dublin
The Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has condemned a shooting incident, which resulted in the injury of a Garda this morning in Dublin. The incident occurred on Greenfort Close, Clondalkin, Dublin at approximately 1.15am.
11 June 2009
Gardaí Send Officers To Assist At Air France Disaster
The Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has announced that he will deploy two members of Garda to Brazil to support the authorities in the investigation and assist with the identification of bodies.
19 August 2009
Gardaí Raids Target Organised Crime
More than 150 'flying squad' gardaí have carried out a number of searches today as part of an investigation into organised criminal gangs. Over 20 premises, including homes and businesses, were searched in Dublin, Louth and Meath, with the majority of the searches taking place in the greater Dublin area.
30 April 2009
Mass Organised Crime Operation Springs Into Action
A massive Gardaí operation countering organised crime has began in Limerick. The operation is part of an ongoing police investigation into such gang-related criminal activity in the Limerick area with planned searches being carried this morning.