Roads Policing Message – The Garda ACTIVE Mobility Project

The Garda Active Mobility Project began as a pilot in December 2017 in Limerick and was headed up by then Chief Superintendent Dave Sheahan. The project involved the rollout of Samsung Galaxy Note 10 mobile phones with access to Garda systems that could be accessed from the roadside.The device scans the registration plates and automatically returns relevant data. The device can also scan a driving licence and automatically return real time information on the roadside to the Garda. This has proved successful in identifying false or forged driving licences and disqualified drivers.

The pilot was a huge success and AGS have now rolled out almost 11,800 mobility devices to operational members across the country. Gardaí now have access to a range of information on the Garda PULSE system in the palm of their hands which include the following:

Traffic App

With the Traffic App, a Garda can type or scan the registration of the car and the app will instantly provide information about the tax, insurance, NCT,advice if there are any Garda or Police Service of Northern Ireland warnings and whether the vehicle is stolen. Gardaí can also view all incidents that the vehicle is linked to, such as traffic collisions or crimes.

Person Search

With the person search app, Gardaí can instantly check for all information about a person on the PULSE system, including any warnings or warrants. This is very helpful for the safety of Gardaí as well as apprehending persons who are wanted on warrant by the Courts.

Insurance App

The most recent addition to the Mobility Device is the Insurance database in the Traffic App. When a member enters a vehicle registration number into the Traffic App, the app will search the insurance database for the insurance policy attached to that vehicle. We can now see the policy number, policy holder details and named driver details for the policy. We can also see if the policy was cancelled and, of course, if a car has no insurance. This has led to a significant increase in the detection of people driving without insurance. There was a 25% increase in vehicles being detained for no insurance during the first two weeks of the new App.

Since the 16th November 2023, The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) are providing An Garda Síochána with motor insurance information on a daily basis, so the information on the Traffic App is updated every 24 hours. This technology advancement and collaboration with the MIBI and insurance companies and brokers is a game changer in tackling this problem.

Future Developments

The Mobility Team in Garda Headquarters continue to work to develop new Apps and improve existing ones to equip operational members of An Garda Síochána with cutting edge technology to detect and fight crime. It is hoped that the traffic app will include more information on driving licences and fleet insurance policies in the not too distant future which will greatly assist Roads Policing.