Skip to main content

The German Marshall Fund of the United States

  • Who we are
    • Programs
      • Alliance for Securing Democracy
      • Asia Program
      • Balkan Trust for Democracy
      • Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation
      • Congressional Affairs
      • Europe Program
      • Fund for Belarus Democracy
      • Future of Geopolitics
      • GMF Cities
      • GMF Digital
      • Leadership Programs
      • Mediterranean Program
      • Security and Defense
    • Offices
      • Ankara
      • Belgrade
      • Berlin
      • Brussels
      • Bucharest
      • Paris
      • Warsaw
      • Washington, DC
    • About Us
    • Marshall Plan
    • Our Partners
  • Experts
  • Events
    Jan
    25
    Upcoming Event

    The Future of Transatlantic Security: Leaders' Roundtable

    January 25, 2021 | 9:00AM to 10:15AM EST
    • Major Conferences & Forums
      GMF brings together hundreds of policymakers, elected officials, academics, and business leaders from around the world to discuss topics from energy to migration, economics to security, urban growth to diplomacy.
    All Events →
  • Our Work
    • Topics
      • America
      • Asia
      • Europe
      • Cities and Regions
      • Security
      • Trade and Economies
      • All Topics
    • Research
      • Publications
      • Transatlantic Takes
    • Perspectives
      • Audio
      • Video
      • Blog post
      • In The News
  • Stay Informed
Policy Brief

Lessons from Northern Ireland: Policing, Polarization, and Moving Forward

August 10, 2020

Lauren Burke

Program Coordinator, GMF Cities

The murder of George Floyd by a White police officer prompted a national conversation in the United States about policing and the racism embedded in law-enforcement institutions. The country can learn from abroad when it comes to police reform, in particular from the experience of Northern Ireland.

During the “Troubles,” Northern Ireland had a highly militarized police force operating in a context of widespread violence and relatively easy access to weapons. Since the Good Friday Agreement, it implemented a series of effective reforms that dramatically raised community trust in the police. These included renaming and rebranding the force, aggressive affirmative action, creating a representative police oversight board, and an emphasis on community policing. However, the reforms did not heal deep-seated sectarian divisions, which still contribute to fears of renewed violence.

U.S. policymakers should note the challenges faced by Northern Ireland and remember that rebuilding trust between communities and the police cannot be the responsibility of the latter alone. To create a peaceful, functional society, underlying racial and political divisions also need to be addressed.

Download the PDF »

Download

Download PDF

Explore:

GMF Cities
Strengthening Transatlantic Cooperation

Our Organization

  • About GMF
  • Career Opportunities
  • Our Partners
  • Press Room
  • Support Our Work
  • Core Values

Our Work

  • Leadership
  • Policy
  • Civil Society
  • Research & Analysis

Our Experts

  • Find an Expert

Follow

  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Diversity Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Credits

Stay Informed

Don’t miss out on the latest from GMF. Sign up to receive emailed newsletters, announcements, and event notifications.

Subscribe