Judith Gillespie CBE
Biography
Judith Gillespie is a native of North Belfast and joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC in 1982, working in a variety of uniform and Detective roles. She made history by becoming the first woman in policing in Northern Ireland to become an Assistant Chief Constable in the Police Service of Northern Ireland, in 2004. She gained a Masters Degree in Applied Criminology from Cambridge University one year later. As a Chief Officer for 11 years, she helped steer the organisation through significant change, including as Human Rights Champion and by leading on the PSNI’s Gender Action Plan.
She became Deputy Chief Constable in June 2009, also acting as Chair of the 2013 Belfast World Police and Fire Games Company Board which was charged with delivering a 10 day, international multi-sport event against the backdrop of a severe terrorist threat. She is very proud that in the words of the WPFG President, Belfast delivered “the friendliest and best Games ever”.
A graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute, she was awarded an OBE in the Birthday Honours list in June 2009, an Honorary Doctorate from Queen’s University in July 2012, and a CBE in the Birthday Honours in June 2014.
On leaving PSNI in March 2014 she became an independent leadership advisor, served for four years as a member of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, and was appointed to the Probation Board for Northern Ireland, and most recently to the Garda Policing Authority in Dublin in 2016. She chairs the Careers Advisory Forum, is a Visiting Professor at Ulster University, is an assessor for Diversity Mark Northern Ireland, and works on a voluntary basis for the Marie Curie charity.
Appointed: 1 January 2020 Term ends: 31 December 2024
PSPRB Member
The Member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body is to provide independent advice on the remuneration of governing governors and operational managers, prison officers and support grades in the England and Wales Prison Service.