An eight-year old Garda is manning daily road blocks in his estate to ensure all motorists are only going on essential journeys.
Diligent Taylor Friel leaves his home in Navan, Co Meath in full uniform each day and drives to the footpath outside on his garda motorcycle, where he stops and checks the routes of all passing motorists.
The garda-mad young man even communicates with his older brother via walkie-talkie who warns him of approaching vehicles from further up in the Oakleigh estate where they live.
Taylor's dad Darren says his love of the gardai came from his own father Hughie who served as a well-known garda in the town for many years until his retirement.
Darren's friend and Limerick-based Garda Shane Hayes has also been a huge influence in Taylor's life
"My father is always telling Taylor stories of being in the gardai and he's just now mad to be one," he said.
"Any open days at garda stations and we have to bring Taylor down. He leaves the house now at 10am every day on his garda motorcycle with flashing lights and sets up a roadblock.
"He stays on the footpath and raises his hand to stop cars and they all stop in fairness. I think at this stage, he knows the regulars who have to leave the estate each day.
"I bought him a set of walkie talkies so he and his older brother can communicate and he can find out if there are any cars coming from further up in the estate.
"The Divisional Roads Policing Unit arrived the other day to discuss tactics after they were impressed by his work."
And local gardai described Taylor as doing a "brilliant job on Covid-19 patrols in his estate" and thanked him for "helping us out"
As for Taylor, who wants to be in the Dog Unit when he graduates as an adult garda, he reckoned motorists were largely obeying the restrictions.
"I stop about 20 cars every day and I'm happy they are all on essential journeys so far but I'll be continuing to keep my eye on them," he warned.
