Special Detective Unit
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The Special Detective Unit (SDU) (Irish: Aonad Speisialta Bleachtaireachta) is a unit of an Garda Síochána, the police force of the Republic of Ireland. They are a replacement for the older Special Branch unit.
Their responsibilities include counter-terrorism, providing an armed response to incidents, protection of the State, protection of cash shipments, monitoring the activities of subversive and extremist groups, protection of people considered "high-risk" such as TDs and operation of the Witness Security Program. The SDU is charged with Presidential Protection and as such accompany the President and her spouse on official visits in Ireland and Internationally. The President's security detail comprises a large number of women officers compared to other Presidential Protection Details internationally. On a standard presidential visit, a motorcade consists of the Presidential limousine (Mercedes S Class) a Garda SDU follow-up car (BMW 5 series) and a staff car (BMW 5 series). Most motorcades involve the Garda Traffic Corps who provide motorcycle support, allowing the Presidential motorcade to travel throughout Dublin. In Foreign Visits, the President is accompanied by a small security detail consisting of at least 2 officers. Garda SDU officers on the presidential detail however take on a secondary role in foreign visits - the state security forces of the host territory provide principal security, Garda officers attend in a support facility as the Personal protection to the President. E.g. On typical visits to Northern Ireland (formally British Territory), the PSNI Close Protection Unit provide security for the President. They provide advance security checks of locations to be visited by the President and provide a fleet of armoured executive vehicles for use by the President and her entourage. Vehicles used in Northern Ireland usually involve three Vauxhall Omegas or Range Rovers.
The Garda Emergency Response Unit (ERU) is a sub-division of the SDU. It operates from its base in Harcourt Street in Dublin. In recent times the SDU have been involved in armed patrols with the ERU in parts of Dublin and Limerick (particularly Limerick) in response to gangland crime.
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