User:The C of E/cia

The Constabulary (Ireland) Amendment Act 1870 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The act abolished the Londonderry Borough Police following a commission of inquiry's reccomendation and transferred responsibility of policing in the borough of Londonderry, County Londonderry, Ireland to the Royal Irish Constabulary, which was responsible for the policing of the majority of Ireland.

Background
The Londonderry Borough Police were created as a result of the Londonderry Improvement Act 1865 which allowed the Londonderry Corporation to raise its own statutory police force independent of the Royal Irish Constabulary. Owing to failings in managing a sectarian riot in 1869 where 3 Apprentice Boys of Derry were shot by constables following a visit of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn where a Catholic was allowed to approach and wave an uncrowned harp flag at him, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland set up a commission of inquiry to investigate it. The commission found that the Londonderry Borough Police was inadequate and noted allegations of sectarian bias from the majority Protestant force in a majority Catholic town.

Act
The Act abolished the Londonderry Borough Police and revoked the legal authority of the Londonderry Corporation to appoint constables or do anything relating to policing except for pension payments. It transferred policing jurisdiction to the Royal Irish Constabulary, where the borough of Londonderry would be a separate area from the rest of Ireland, and stated that all acts relating to the Royal Irish Constabulary would now apply in the borough of Londonderry. The Act provided that the force in the borough were to number the original 30 plus up to 45 extra constables.

Aftermath
The Londonderry Corporation requested that the Royal Irish Constabulary transfer the former LBP constables into the RIC however this was declined citing the act that stated that all Londonderry Borough Police officers would cease to hold their offices. Instead the RIC announced they would hire 50/50 for Catholics and Protestants.