Blue Lights: The police drama hitting home in Northern Ireland

BBC drama Blue Lights provides a realistic portrayal of relationships between police and communities in Northern Ireland, according to stars Dearbháile McKinney and Katherine Devlin, both of whom grew up in the region. The show follows police officers at the fictional Blackthorn Station in Belfast, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in the area.

The controversy surrounding the Garvaghy Road parade route, which required officers to prevent a march through a mostly Catholic neighborhood, serves as a reminder of the distrust and hostility that police still encounter in some communities. Annie Conlon, played by Devlin, has to leave her home due to death threats because she is from a Catholic family.

Devlin, who shares a Catholic background with her character, says she understands why Annie becomes a police officer despite the inherent dangers, but acknowledges that she herself would not pursue that career. The series explores themes of home and identity, particularly for a Catholic officer in a predominantly Protestant region.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has faced a decline in Catholic applicants in recent years, with only 32% of the force now coming from that background, compared to 8% when the force was founded in 2001. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has pledged to make the PSNI more representative of the communities it serves, committing to a new student officer recruitment campaign.

Blue Lights was filmed in and around east Belfast, showcasing the city's attention to detail and relatable characters. Actor Nathan Braniff, who plays Tommy Foster, has witnessed the public's interest in filming scenes, including fans wearing full police costumes and blasting Westlife music. Series four of Blue Lights premieres on BBC One at 21:00 BST on BBC One and is available on iPlayer.