A former police officer who worked at Scotland Yard for 18 years in both uniformed and detective roles has been tasked with taking on the community safety portfolio in the Isle of Wight Council’s Cabinet.
Council leader Dave Stewart has confirmed that Gary Peace, councillor for Ventnor West, will return to his former cabinet role after a break due to personal circumstances in 2018.
The community safety portfolio now incorporates digital transformation to reflect the changing needs of the Island.
Councillor Peace, who was elected to the council in 2017, said:
“Digital is an area in which I have a great deal of expert knowledge, specifically in relation to cyber/information security and digital forensics.
“For the last eight years of my police service, I investigated ‘misuse’ of the Metropolitan Police corporate network and any information leakage from it.
“I also sat at board level for information and technical security as the Professional Standards and Anti-Corruption representative.”
After leaving the force, Councillor Peace managed the computer forensics and internet investigation laboratories for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and, following its merger with the Competition Commission, led on the creation of the Digital Investigations and Intelligence Laboratories for the new regulator, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Married to Alicia, the father-of-two has run his own cyber and information security consultancy, specialising in insider threat, counter-corporate espionage and cybersecurity, since 2013.
He is also a founding governor (safeguarding) and the current vice-chair of the governing body at the Island Free School in Ventnor.
Welcoming Councillor Peace to the team, Councillor Stewart, himself a former senior detective with Hampshire Constabulary, said:
“He brings a great deal of experience to the role, particularly in relation to digital technology, and I look forward to working with him.”
Is it me or is this a real NON NEWS item?
The gentleman in question has previously held this position, and is now returning to that post.
IF he was a recently retired member of Scotland Yard coming straight into this position, then, maybe, this might be newsworthy…