Laois Garda Sergeant retires after 35 years
Sgt PJ O'Brien (second left) with Inspector Joe Culliton and fellow gardaí Rob Foran, Aaron O'Connor and Brian Kelly on his last day at Ballylinan Garda Station
A LONG-SERVING Laois Garda Sergeant has said farewell to the force, after 35 years on the beat.
Sgt PJ O’Brien symbolically locked the front door of Ballylinan Garda Station one last time, surrounded by friends and fellow gardaí this week.
He was sergeant-in-charge for Ballylinan, Stradbally and Arles since 2016, serving a wide rural area that takes in a large number of towns and villages.
Garda Inspector Joe Culliton and fellow gardaí Rob Foran, Aaron O’Connor and Brian Kelly gathered round to wish him well on his retirement, as he locked the station door for the last time. It was a bittersweet moment as he officially handed over the keys to Sgt Karen Sourke, who will take over as sergeant-in-charge.
In a farewell post on social media, Laois-Offaly gardaí said the outgoing sergeant’s ‘leadership, integrity and steady presence made a lasting impact on the communities he served and the colleagues he led’.
They said: ‘On behalf of the wider Garda family and the communities of Laois, we thank PJ for his years of service and commitment to public safety.
'We wish him health, happiness and many new adventures in his well-earned retirement. , PJ.’
The Stradbally Noticeboard group described Sgt O’Brien as ‘a respected and familiar figure in local policing’, who leaves a legacy defined by ‘leadership, integrity and an unwavering commitment to public service’.
Wishing him well on his retirement, the group said: ‘His steady presence and approachable nature made a lasting impact on both the community and his colleagues.’
