Constabulary policing during 'The Troubles'

What’s it like to police a community crippled by a violent insurgency? Hear from former policeman Don Urquhart who served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the 1970s during the height of 'The Troubles'—the late 20th Century period of horrid violence in Northern Ireland. Don recalls what policing was like for officers who came from and lived within a community either afraid or unwilling to cooperate with the constabulary. It’s an eye-opening account of the challenges of policing by consent in a ruthlessly violent society.Don’s article—Troubling Times: The Royal Ulster Constabulary in ‘The Troubles’—is in the June 2026 edition of the APJ. If you aren’t already a subscriber to the APJ, go to www.apjl.com.au and click the subscribe button. Through the website, subscribers have access to 300+ issues of the APJ, extending back to the 1940s.Host: Jason Byrnes APMGuest: Don Urquhart