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Jim Gamble | |
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| Born | November 1959 (age 65) Bangor, Northern Ireland |
| Occupation | CEO of INEQE Safeguarding Group |
James Gamble,QPM (born November 1959) is a British formerpolice officer and head of Belfast region for the now disbandedRUC Special Branch.
Gamble was the head of theChild Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP) Centre in theUnited Kingdom until 2010, and is now CEO of the INEQE Safeguarding Group.[1]
Gamble's father was in theRoyal Air Force. Before joining theRoyal Ulster Constabulary as aconstable, Gamble served in theRoyal Military Police.[2] Early in his career he was head of the controversialRoyal Ulster Constabulary anti-terrorist intelligence unit inBelfast, then Deputy Director General (with the rank ofdeputy chief constable) of theNational Crime Squad, which in April 2006, merged into the Serious Organised Crime Agency. He was also the head of the Belfast Region of theRUC Special Branch.[3]
In 2009,Hugh Orde resigned asPolice Service of Northern Irelandchief constable.[4] Gamble applied for the position, which he stated was his primary goal, but was eventually unsuccessful with the position being filled byMatt Baggott, the former chief constable ofLeicestershire who was the successful candidate.[5]
Gamble stated that he believed his background as an RUC Special Branch officer may have been a factor in why he was not selected for the role and that his RUC background may have been "unhelpful and perhaps unhealthy for the service".[4][6]
Gamble led theNational Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) fight againstchild sex abuse. He also presided overOperation Ore.[7] He led the work to set up the National Crime Squad's specialist response cell – the Paedophile and Online Investigation Team (POLIT). He was awarded theQueen's Police Medal (QPM) in the2008 New Year Honours.[8]
Gamble was a co-author on the UK's first Domestic Homicide Review (Pemberton) and in 2010 was appointed by the then Home Secretary to lead the initial scoping review of the investigation into thedisappearance of Madeleine McCann.[9]
Gamble resigned as CEO of CEOP in October 2010.[10] He then created the 'Ineqe Safeguarding Group'.
Gamble has been called to give evidence at theIndependent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA) on two occasions. The first related to child abuse on the internet and the second to faith-based institutions.[11]
In 2015, Gamble joined theLabour Party in Northern Ireland. Gamble stated that he wanted Labour candidates to be allowed to stand in Northern Ireland, but that he would have no plans to run himself.[12] Later that year Gamble voted forYvette Cooper during theLabour Party leadership election.[12]
