Royal Irish Constabulary

The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) was a historical police force in Ireland. During the Irish War of Independence, many Irish police officers resigned. To fill the ranks, temporary recruits from England, known as the "Black and Tans," were enrolled between January 1920 and July 1921. Their name came from their mixed green police tunics and khaki military trousers, resembling the markings of a foxhound pack.1

The Black and Tans were employed to counter the Irish Republican Army (IRA) but engaged in brutal reprisals, such as the attack at Croke Park in Dublin. The RIC was disbanded in 1922 following the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), established in 1922, later became the state police force in Northern Ireland and was renamed the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 2001.12