Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has been involved in the arrest of a suspected drunk-driver in Dublin this evening.

Commissioner Harris was returning from a meeting to Garda Headquarters when he came across a car being driven erratically in the Blanchardstown area.

Gardai confirmed they later arrested a person for a road traffic offense.

While Garda HQ would not officially comment on the specific nature of the incident, Independent.ie has learnt that a female was detained on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol.

It’s understood the Garda chief was being driven along a road near the Phoenix Park when he noticed another vehicle being driven in a dangerous manner.

Mr Harris, who at the time was with his official driver in a State vehicle, then notified his local officers.

Members of the DMR West Road Policing Unit attended the scene at around 5.30pm this evening.

A woman was later arrested on suspicion of drunk-driving and brought to Blanchardstown Garda Station.

While Mr Harris did not officially carry out the arrest himself, his role has been described as “assisting” the apprehension of the suspected drink-driver.  

A garda spokesman this evening said: “The Garda Commissioner was present today at a road traffic incident during which a driver was arrested for a road traffic offence.

“An Garda Síochána will not be making any further comment.”

Mr Harris was appointed as the most senior Garda in the country in September 2018, having  previously served 34 years with the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

During that time, he held a number of senior operational commands and has policing experience across a wide number of areas.

He was previously involved in a minor incident at Garda HQ in the Phoenix Park after the vehicle he was traveling in collided with a mechanical bollard at the entrance gate.

Mr Harris did not suffer any serious injury and the incident was later blamed on a ‘mechanical fault’.

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