The Garda Representative Association (GRA) say they will not be scapegoated following the bogus breath test scandal.
The GRA, which represents 10,000 rank and file gardaí, has also questioned how data showing false breath tests was collected.
A report found the recording of almost 1.5 million fake tests.
The GRA says there is no evidence to show that it was their members who were falsifying data.
"The collation of negative breath test data was always an ill-considered misuse of scant resources", it says.
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"The GRA questions why garda management required data on the number of negative breath tests at a time when garda resources were scarce or diminishing.
"This data was utilised as a crude measure of productivity - and fed into a culture of competition among senior ranks to improve their promotion chances."
"No one can categorically say that it was our members falsifying data - we have numerous examples of supervisors and managers having input into this system."
"We have to ask who wanted this data recorded in the first place".
"Our members will not be scapegoated for ill-considered policies - and this should be the focus of political attention", it adds.
Spokesperson for the GRA, John O'Keefe, says his members are not responsible.
"We can be sure none of our members were involved in the context of there being a competition between senior garda management between the divisions.
"And this is what our membership is telling us: sergeants and above were quite simply instructing frontline gardaí to inflate these figures during their weekly management meetings".
