Friend visited by police detectives

[lauraIRL]

I'm close friends with a guy in his early 20s who had something weird happen to him. Two months ago, he got a visit by police detectives here in Ireland. They said that he wasn't in trouble but they were checking up on him.

He has no idea what it was about. I told him to e-mail them/call him. He did that and they still haven't gotten back. He even got his FOI records and the incident isn't listed on the police database which it should be.

We're both wondering whether they were real or scammers. From what he said though, they sounded legit. They were plain clothed officers and drove the standard undercover black Ford cars.

He thinks it may have had to do with a report his psychiatrist made when he discussed having suicidal/homicidal thoughts when he was 18. His psych reported him to the police superintendent and told him about that as he was concerned. Thankfully he's medicated and those thoughts are no longer there.

He did move from his parents house to his own house and then got a visit by them. Thing is, he never told his parents his new house address or his psychiatrist. So how did they find him?

Seems a bit concerning

You need to leave it. Your friend may well know and not want to tell you.

I had a police welfare call after a suicide attempt and some neighbours saw and I was absolutely mortified. They never asked - God bless the English reserve! - but I would have told them a similar lie if they had.

It's their job to find people.

Of all the concerning things here, the police being able to find people without asking their mum is the one unconcerned thing.

Sounds like a welfare check, which could have be requested by anyone.

I doubt detectives would do welfare checks.

Pulse system?

Yeah, welfare check.

I mean not telling a psychiatrist who is treating you your main address is going to raise some serious red flags.

He could know and not want to tell you. He could have stopped taking his meds and is having paranoid delusions. He could have been named in an investigation but it was a dead end. I'm not sure you should be getting involved whatever it is to be honest.

Presumably they found his new address via benefits or local property tax records. How much older than 18 is he now? It would seem unusual to do a welfare check a long time after concerns were presented unless it was an oversight.

A welfare check wouldn't be done that far in advance, there's something he's not willing to share with you, that could be about his well being that could be about other activities. Not all police officers in plain clothes are detectives. I lead a multi agency team including police PC, DS and civilian roles, none of them wear uniform to work.

Well someone I know said it must be pretty serious as detectives in Ireland are the only ones who carry guns so they'd only visit if there's a risk of violence.

Police here in Ireland never respond to suicidal people/attempts unlike the UK or US. The only time they come if someone is called by 999 is when their mental health involves drug use or another crime and they're accompanied by ambulance personnel. As someone suggested, it could be more serious.

I doubt he's lying as he tells me everything (we've been friends since childhood) and we're like family.

If he's been reported, is it possible that he's been monitored? They took down his phone number and asked if anyone lived in the house. That was the extent of their conversation.

Sounds like a really odd thing for the gardai to do , especially two detectives. 🤔

If he has only just moved, it is possible they are looking for a former occupant and were a bit surprised that person was no longer there?

You really need to leave it. And that includes speculating with your other friends.

It's a weird one op.
Although fascinating I would leave it as none of your business.

I'd say it's definitely a welfare check because he didn't tell his psychiatrist his new address.

Were you there when they visited? Or did he tell you about it?