This book explores 25 years of policing in Northern Ireland in the context of conflict and change.

In doing so, it provides a comprehensive narrative of the transition from the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). By tracing each phase of organisational development, the work considers the impact of political progress and stagnation, the effect of repeated crises, the role of leadership, and legacy and the challenges of ordinary policing in an extraordinary environment. Just as politics impacts policing, policing has impacted the political trajectory of Northern Ireland. This book captures that symbiotic relationship by weaving first-hand accounts with scholarly analysis, providing new insights into the challenges, processes, and methods of policing change. Arguing that the PSNI has overcome foundational obstacles and built significant legitimacy, it nevertheless recognises that, beneath the surface, the past is still a potent cultural force in the present.

This is a “must read” for all those engaged in policing, the development of criminal justice in transitional settings, and Northern Irish history.

Joanne Murphy is Chair of Inclusive Leadership at Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham. Her research explores leadership, change, and organisational development in political volatility, including environments affected by ethno-political conflict. She has worked with a range of organisations, including NATO, UNESCO, the John Smith Foundation, The College of Policing, and the William J. Clinton Leadership Institute.

Jess Bonnan-White is Professor of Criminal Justice and an affiliated faculty member with the MA in Holocaust and Genocide Studies programme at Stockton University, Galloway, New Jersey. She uses an interdisciplinary lens to explore the history and role of policing as an institution and the stories of policing professionals working in complex emergencies and during periods of community conflict and transitional peacebuilding. She has presented her work in the United States and internationally, and has published extensively in reputed journals.