A memorial to the Royal Irish Constabulary has been unveiled in Newtownards. The black Indian monolith stands at the town's War Memorial on Court Street. The event occurred on Sunday before a cross-community service attended by RIC descendants, retired and serving police officers.

The Royal Irish Constabulary operated across Ireland from 1867 to 1922. The monument is the first of its kind on the island. It also honours pre-1920 police forces, including Belfast harbour police and Belfast Borough Police from 1800 to 1865.

The Newtownards branch of the RUC George Cross Association commissioned the memorial. Connor Cunningham and Caroleen Cunningham led the two-year effort, funded by events and donations. Both served in the force that preceded the PSNI.

Connor Cunningham stated that no prior standing memorial to the RIC existed in Ireland. He noted the force's training at Newtownards airfield until 1922 and the survival of the town's old RIC station on Court Street.

Cunningham pointed out that locals served in the RIC. Between 1916 and 1922, 425 RIC members died and 725 were wounded. He attributed prior public acceptance to the force being 85% Catholic.

Mason Hugh Brown hewed the stone. An archaeological dig preceded its placement to check for remains from a nearby 13th century Dominican Black Friary graveyard.