The language of policing and the struggle for legitimacy in Northern Ireland

British government strategies of conflict management in Northern Ireland placed a heavy emphasis on police professionalism, which was itself connected to a broader set of initiatives to frame public understandings of the conflict in particular ways. In this paper we argue that as part of this process, a specific language of policing has been deployed in Northern Ireland in an effort to enhance the legitimacy of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). The two central elements of this are ‘consent’ and ‘service’. Using interview and historical data, we outline the various ways in which these concepts are utilised to support claims that the force operates with widespread community support, and has at its core a commitment to service provision. We suggest that these tenets are part of a broader discursive strategy to complement material practices of policing in Northern Ireland. While they articulate a highly positive image of the RUC, they provide limited scope for understanding and responding to criticism of current policing structures and arrangements.